Political Quotes

“I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), as well as the good gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), because I want to take just a minute. I think it is appropriate at this time during this debate on a rule to remember Ms. Louise Slaughter, our ranking member of the Rules Committee, a historical position. She was the very first woman to be the chairman of the Rules Committee. She gave three decades of service to our Nation through the U.S. Congress. As importantly--or, to me, more importantly--she was someone whom I consider a personal friend. Louise was an individual who I said yesterday could really transcend between politics and personal relationships. We had some very heated debates--a good example is today--and very strong differences of opinions, but we can do that. That is our job to do that. But Louise also taught us that we could do that without being negative to each other in a personal way. She was great at that. She embodied and personified the ability to have an objection without being objectionable, and I admired that greatly about her. She was a senior Member and I was a very junior Member. She didn't have to do this, but in many ways she took me under her wing when I became a Member of Congress. We served on the Rules Committee together, and I very much relished that relationship that we had.…”