Political Quotes

“when an act of random cruelty bewilders us and pulls us down, exceptional displays of generosity, courage and heroism can serve as a potent counterforce. They comfort and replenish the bereaved, and they remind us of the extraordinary selflessness our people are capable of. Nowhere has this been truer than in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre. We saw numerous examples of students and faculty risking and giving their lives to spare others of the murderer's wrath. We saw a shaken Hokie Nation come together to begin a long healing process. But we also were moved by the outpouring of support from a deeply sympathetic Nation. Donors from across the country pumped over $7 million into the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, which makes direct contributions to the victims and their families, as well as to scholarships in the victims' names. Sadly, recipients have to pay taxes on their donations, an injustice that we hope this bill will promptly correct. There can be no denying that the kind folks who made contributions did not intend to enrich the Federal government's coffers. For many of the families and victims still suffering from the tragedy, this funding is urgent. As the grisly images and unprecedented horror of the Virginia Tech massacre recede further from the public's view, we mustn't turn our backs on Hokie Nation.”