Political Quotes

“I stand here not to talk about the bill but to talk about my friend, Don Young. When I first got up here, I told Don that I was an avid gold panner in Knoxville, Tennessee, yet, in my lifetime, I had never found one flake of gold. He told me if I would come to Alaska, he said: ``Timmy, I could put you on some gold.'' And we talked about our love of the outdoors. We also talked about our love of traditional country music, Mr. Speaker. Rick Crawford had his little band over here playing one night, and they were playing some good old country music, some Johnny Paycheck, the music that speaks to your heart. Don and I were talking about the current state of country music and just how horrible it was, and if I wanted to listen to rock music, I would turn on a rock station; if I wanted to listen to rap, I would turn on a rap station; but, dadgummit, country music was what we wanted to hear, and these country music people today are not country music people. I would put it in Don's words, but I would probably be called out on an ethics charge, Mr. Speaker, so I will not do that. I stand here today as a friend of Don Young's and someone who will miss him dearly. I will miss his abrupt, gruff way about himself. My daddy was quite like that, and I grew up in that household, and I understand completely. Don had a rough exterior, but he was a very gentle person, and I will miss him dearly. Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.”