Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in honor of the lives of three civil rights luminaries. I thank the gentlewoman from Houston for giving us this opportunity to honor their lives: Congressman Louis Stokes, statesman and educator Julian Bond, both of whom I knew personally, and activist Amelia Robinson. These champions of social and economic justice lived their lives just as Pope Francis challenged Members of Congress to do. Specifically, the Pope reminded us of the Golden Rule--do unto others as you would have them do unto you--and that that rule points us in the right direction. He specifically reminded Congress that, if we want opportunities, then let us provide opportunities. The lives we honor today are the personification of the Pope's call. Congressman Stokes, the beloved son of the State of Ohio, was affectionately called ``Lou'' when I served with him in the House. His motto was to aim high, which he did even before he was a Member of Congress when he argued the Supreme Court case challenging the abusive stop-and-frisk policies and practices in the Terry v. Ohio case. Lou's integrity was why he was selected to serve on the House Select Committee on Assassinations of President Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the House investigation of the illegal arm sales during the Iran-contra affair and, of course, his service on the Ethics Committee.…”