Political Quotes

“over the recess I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of my good friend Ed Madigan, whom I served alongside in this body for almost 20 years. For that time period, the 15th Congressional District of Illinois could not have had a more conscientious or hard-working Representative in the U.S. Congress. Ed Madigan was one of the quiet workhorses that make it possible for the House to do its business. I come from an area where agriculture dominates the economy, and all of my constituents, as well as millions of others across this Nation, owe him a great debt of thanks for the way in which he served as ranking minority member of the Committee on Agriculture. Passing a 5-year farm bill is an arduous process, and Ed's mastery of the issues involved made it possible to craft legislation that helped make American agriculture the most productive in the world. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, Ed held the line against excessive Government regulations, and it is unfortunate that he is not here to witness the new congressional majority fulfill his vision of rolling back the tide of Government redtape. As the lead Republican on the most active subcommittee of Energy and Commerce, Ed was a voice of common sense that we all heeded. Mr. Speaker, President Bush recognized Ed's leadership when he selected him to be Secretary of Agriculture, a job at which Ed performed admirably.”