Political Quotes

“I rise in support of S. 254, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the great artistic work of Constantino Brumidi on this great Capitol building. The bill was introduced by Senator Enzi and has 99 cosponsors in the Senate, and in the House, a companion bill was introduced by our colleague, Mr. Pascrell, which has 307 cosponsors. As we've heard much of Mr. Brumidi's history, he created artworks in the House of Representatives Chamber, many committee rooms, the President's Room, the Senate Chamber, and throughout the corridors of the Capitol. His most famous work within these halls is 'The Apotheosis of George Washington,' which appears on the Capitol dome in the Rotunda. Mr. Brumidi painted these hallowed halls, and in so doing, he depicted the narrative that is the vivid history of these United States. Born in Italy in 1805, Constantino Brumidi studied at the Italian Academy of the Arts. In 1852, at the age of 47, he emigrated to America and devoted the rest of his years completing frescoes, sculptures, and paintings in the Capitol Building. The story of Constantino Brumidi is important not only because he was the artist who gave life to these walls, but because his story is the American story. He was an immigrant to this country, and he used the skill that he had to contribute what he could. In the process, he, like millions of others, built this country into what it is today.”