Political Quotes

“before closing, I am going to make a brief comment--and there will be a lot more to say later in the year--on my friend and colleague Chairman Bill Thomas in the House of Representatives. He has an old saying: ``I came here to make law.'' Well, when he retires at the end of his 14th term serving the 22nd District of California, Chairman Thomas will be able to look back on an illustrious public career that not only made law but made history. Bill Thomas is smart. He is tenacious. He is steeped in the traditions of the House. He knows an awful lot about the traditions in the Senate as well. He has worked hard for over 25 years to deliver meaningful solutions to the American people. As chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, the chairman has authored and managed some of the most significant legislation to come before the House. His skillful leadership has led to major victories in reducing trade barriers, cutting taxes, stimulating the economy, and protecting the interests of all Americans. During the Medicare modernization debate, I spent 6 months in the chairman's Capitol office hammering out intricate, complex, tough, challenging policy details. I think it is fair to say that in those 6 months I had more than my lifetime's share of pistachios, which he always had sitting on that table and which habitually you could not help but dive into, as we talked about those many issues.…”