Political Quotes

“I have known Herb Bateman for many, many years. I served 9 years in the Virginia General Assembly with him, and, of course, 18 years in Congress. He was a great friend and a great leader for Virginia. We will miss his leadership on the House Committee on Armed Services. He was a staunch advocate for the readiness of our Armed Forces, and he was a strong supporter of the shipbuilding industry, not only in Virginia, but throughout the United States. One of the greatest reasons for his success and achievements was his bipartisanship. Make no mistake, Herb was a man of his party, but, even more than that, he was a great patriot, who first and foremost stood for this country. He believed in a strong military and a strong Navy. He always understood the need for adequate training before sending our forces into harm's way. He was relentless in the pursuit of military excellence, and he could work with anybody on any side of an issue. He worked with the Depot Caucus and was fair and evenhanded with private and public employees. Most importantly, when meeting the challenges faced by this great country, party really made no difference. So we, personally, and this country will miss Herb Bateman. He had such a precise and logical way of thinking that sometimes listening to him was like hearing someone dictate a legal brief. But, most important, his sense of humor and the warmth of his friendship are things for which I will always be grateful.”