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Speeches

Archive of Speeches Given by Senator Barack Obama

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Groundbreaking Ceremony

November 13, 2006

I have two daughters, ages five and eight. And when I see the plans for this memorial, I think about what it will like when I first bring them here upon the memorial's completion. I imagine us walking down to this tidal basin, between one memorial dedicated to the man who helped give birth to a nation, and another dedicated to the man who preserved it. I picture us walking beneath the shadows cast by the Mountain of Despair, and gazing up at the Stone of Hope, and reading the quotes on the wall together as the water falls like rain.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Military Commission Legislation

September 28, 2006

Mr. President, I am proud to be sponsoring this amendment with the senior senator from West Virginia. He's absolutely right that Congress has abrogated its oversight responsibilities, and one way to reverse that troubling trend is to adopt a sunset provision in this bill. We did that in the Patriot Act, and that allowed us to make important revisions to the bill that reflected our experience about what worked and didn't work during the previous 5 years. We should do that again with this important piece of legislation.

Floor Statement on the Habeas Corpus Amendment

September 27, 2006

Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, I would like to address the habeas corpus amendment that is on the floor and that we just heard a lengthy debate about between Senator Specter and Senator Warner. A few years ago, I gave a speech in Boston that people talk about from time to time. In that speech, I spoke about why I love this country, why I love America, and what I believe sets this country apart from so many other nations in so many areas.

An Honest Government, A Hopeful Future

August 28, 2006

The first time I came to Kenya was in 1987. I had just finished three years of work as a community organizer in low-income neighborhoods of Chicago, and was about to enroll in law school. My sister, Auma, was teaching that year at this university, and so I came to stay with her for a month.

Xavier University Commencement Address

August 11, 2006

I want to start by thanking you all for allowing me to share in your miracle today. Over the past year there has been no shortage of doubts about whether this college would live to see another commencement - and doubts remain still about the future of this great city. But on this summer's day in New Orleans, less than one year after the worst storm in American history beat down your door, I look out at the largest class to ever graduate from this college and know that one thing is certain - Xavier University is back.

AFSCME National Convention

August 7, 2006

We meet here at a challenging time for labor and a challenging time for America. All across the country, from nurses in Chicago to correctional officers in Atlanta to sanitation workers in L.A., Americans have been looking to the future with more anxiety than hope. As transformations in technology and communication have ushered in a global economy with new rules and new risks, they've watched their government do its best to try and shift those risks onto the backs of the American worker. And they wonder how they will ever keep up.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on his vote against the Gulf of Mexico Energy Bill

August 1, 2006

Every one of us in Congress has heard from our constituents about the high cost of gas. A gallon is now $3 or more in most parts of the country, and there is every reason to believe that figure will continue to climb throughout the rest of the summer.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama In Support of H.R. 9, the Voting Rights Act

July 20, 2006

That's why I stand here today. I would not be in the United States Senate had it not been for the efforts and courage of so many parents and grandparents and ordinary people who were willing to reach up and bend that arc in the direction of justice. I hope we continue to see that spirit live on, not just during this debate, but throughout all our work here in the Senate.

Statement of Support for Stem Cell Research

July 17, 2006

Mr. President, a few weeks ago I was visited by two of my constituents-- Mary Schneider and her son Ryan. When Ryan was just two years old, his parents and doctors noted severe delays in his motor and speech development, and he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. His parents were devastated, as the prognosis for many children with cerebral palsy is quite grim, and given the severity of Ryan's condition, his doctors didn't have much hope for his improvement.

Campus Progress Annual Conference

July 12, 2006

I want to congratulate all of you at Campus Progress for the work you've been doing to build a new generation of progressive leadership in this country. At a time when too many in the media have written off your generation as apathetic or uninvolved, you're proving not only that you care very deeply about the future of this country, but that you're willing to do something about it.

'Call to Renewal' Keynote Address

June 28, 2006

"...This is why, if we truly hope to speak to people where they're at - to communicate our hopes and values in a way that's relevant to their own - we cannot abandon the field of religious discourse. Because when we ignore the debate about what it means to be a good Christian or Muslim or Jew; when we discuss religion only in the negative sense of where or how it should not be practiced, rather than in the positive sense of what it tells us about our obligations towards one another; when we shy away from religious venues and religious broadcasts because we assume that we will be unwelcome - others will fill the vacuum, those with the most insular views of faith, or those who cynically use religion to justify partisan ends."

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Iraq Debate

June 21, 2006

Mr. President, in October of 2002, I delivered a speech opposing the War in Iraq. I said that Saddam Hussein was a ruthless man, but that he posed no imminent and direct threat to the United States. I said that a war in Iraq would take our focus away from our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda.

Northwestern University Commencement Address

June 16, 2006

A few months ago, I came across an article in your student newspaper by Elaine Meyer. Elaine, give me a little wave if you're out there. There she is. Glad to see you made it to graduation. So, Elaine wrote this article entitled, "Challenge us, Senator Obama." I thought this seemed like a fair request, so I kept reading. And I noticed that Elaine set out a few expectations for this speech.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: Take Back America

June 14, 2006

My friends, we meet here today at a time where we find ourselves at a crossroads in America's history. It's a time where you can go to any town hall or street corner or coffee shop and hear people express the same anxiety about the future; hear them convey the same uncertainty about the direction we're headed as a country. Whether it's the war or Katrina or their health care or their jobs, you hear people say that we've finally arrived at a moment where something must change.

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Federal Marriage Amendment

June 5, 2006

Today, we take up the valuable time of the U.S. Senate with a proposed amendment to our Constitution that has absolutely no chance of passing. We do this, allegedly, in an attempt to uphold the institution of marriage in this country. We do this despite the fact that for over two hundred years, Americans have been defining and defending marriage on the state and local level without any help from the U.S. Constitution at all.

University of Massachusetts at Boston Commencement Address

June 2, 2006

More than half of you represent the very first member of your family to ever attend college. In the most diverse university in all of New England, I look out at a sea of faces that are African-American and Hispanic-American and Asian-American and Arab-American. I see students that have come here from over 100 different countries, believing like those first settlers that they too could find a home in this City on a Hill - that they too could find success in this unlikeliest of places.

Senator Barack Obama Floor Statement General Michael Hayden Nomination

May 25, 2006

We don't expect the President to give the American people every detail about a classified surveillance program. But we do expect him to place such a program within the rule of law, and to allow members of the other two coequal branches of government - Congress and the Judiciary - to have the ability to monitor and oversee such a program. Our Constitution and our right to privacy as Americans require as much.

Senator Obama's Floor Speech in Opposition to the Amendment Requiring a Photo ID to Vote

May 24, 2006

There is no more fundamental right accorded to United States citizens by the Constitution than the right to vote. The unimpeded exercise of this right is essential to the functioning of our democracy. Unfortunately, history has not been kind to certain citizens in protecting their ability to exercise this right.

Floor Statement by Senator Barack Obama Employment Verification Amendment for the Immigration Bill

May 23, 2006

One of the central components of immigration reform is enforcement, and this bill contains a number of important provisions to beef up border security. But that's not enough. Real enforcement also means drying up the pool of jobs that encourages illegal immigration. And that can only happen if employers don't hire illegal workers.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Commencement Address

May 20, 2006

Looking out at this class of 2006, I think my hope is well-placed. With the field you have chosen, you've already shown how much you care about the lives of others; how strongly you have heard the calling to be healers in this world. Today, I ask you to remember that call always, and to remember how it could include more than the patient sitting in your office. It could also include the patients who can't afford to get there, the ones who aren't being provided the best care, and the general health of all Americans.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at Emily's List Annual Luncheon

May 11, 2006

We meet here today at a time where we find ourselves at a crossroads in America's history. It's a time where you can go to any town hall or street corner or coffee shop and hear people express the same anxiety about the future; hear them convey the same uncertainty about the direction we're headed as a country. Whether it's the war or Katrina or their health care or their jobs, you hear people say that we've finally arrived at a moment where something must change.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on his Amendment to Stop No-Bid Contracts for Gulf Coast Recovery and Reconstruction

May 2, 2006

Mr. President, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, millions of Americans opened their hearts, their homes, and their wallets to help the victims in the Gulf Coast. Even before Katrina’s winds and rains died down, Americans across the country called national hotlines and pledged their hard-earned dollars, their time, and their prayers to the relief effort.

But they didn’t just pledge – they also delivered. They delivered to the tune of $3.5 billion dollars. Many of these donations came from working-class families who didn’t have much to give, but they gave what they could.

Energy Independence and the Safety of Our Planet

April 3, 2006

For decades, we've been warned by legions of scientists and mountains of evidence that this was coming - that we couldn't just keep burning fossil fuels and contribute to the changing atmosphere without consequence. And yet, for decades, far too many have ignored the warnings, either dismissing the science as a hoax or believing that it was the concern of enviros looking to save polar bears and rainforests.

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Immigration Reform

April 3, 2006

I come to the floor today to enter the debate on comprehensive immigration reform. It is a debate that will touch on the basic questions of morality, the law, and what it means to be an American.

Remarks of Senator Obama at Fellowship Baptist Church

March 20, 2006

The Englewood community vowed that the deaths of two girls will not be in vain at an anti-violence rally on Monday March 20th. Officials had to turn people away after hundreds packed Fellowship Baptist Church to remember Siretha White, 10, and Starkesia Reed, 14, who were both killed by stray bullets within a span of eight days.

21st Century Schools for a 21st Century Economy

March 13, 2006

The ideal of public education has always been at the heart of this bargain. From the moment we built the first schools in the towns of New England, it was the driving force behind Thomas Jefferson's declaration that "...talent and virtue, needed in a free society, should be educated regardless of wealth, birth or other accidental condition."

Senator Obama's Floor Statement on Meals Amendment

March 8, 2006

I rise today in support of Senator Feingold's amendment to eliminate a loophole in this bill that would still allow members and staff to receive free meals from lobbyists up to $50 in value. Now, of all the ethics reforms we take up this week, this should be an easy one. Because I can't think of a single reason in the world why we shouldn't be paying for our own lunches in Washington.

Senator Obama's Opening Statement for Floor Debate on Ethics Reform

March 7, 2006

The American people are tired of a Washington that's only open to those with the most cash and the right connections. They're tired of a political process where the vote you cast isn't as important as the favors you can do. And they're tired of trusting us with their tax dollars when they see them spent on frivolous pet projects and corporate giveaways.

Energy Security is National Security

February 28, 2006

"...every single hour we spend $18 million on foreign oil. It doesn't matter if these countries are budding democracies, despotic regimes, or havens for the madrassas that plant the seeds of terror in young minds - they get our money because we need their oil. One need only glance at headlines around the world to understand how dangerous this addictive arrangement truly is."

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on S.2271 - USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization

February 16, 2006

Mr. President, four years ago, following one of the most devastating attacks in our nation's history, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act to give our nation's law enforcement the tools they needed to track down terrorists who plot and lurk within our own borders and all over the world - terrorists who, right now, are looking to exploit weaknesses in our laws and our security to carry out even deadlier attacks than we saw on September 11th.

Opening Statement of Senator Barack Obama Foreign Relations Committee regarding Lugar-Obama legislation S.1949.

February 9, 2006

The Lugar-Obama legislation, S.1949, does two basic things. First, it enhances our ability, working with friends and allies, to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction. Second, the bill bolsters ongoing efforts to destroy conventional weapons such as lightweight anti-aircraft missiles.

Senator Obama's Floor Statement on the Hurricane Katrina Child Assistance Amendment

February 1, 2006

The Amendment achieves two goals. First, it helps keep a promise the President made to rebuild the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Second, in a $70 billion bill laden with tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected, it sets aside less than 1 percent for the neediest in our society.

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito, Jr.

January 26, 2006

As we all know, there's been a lot of discussion in the country about how the Senate should approach this confirmation process. There are some who believe that the President, having won the election, should have the complete authority to appoint his nominee, and the Senate should only examine whether or not the Justice is intellectually capable and an all-around nice guy. That once you get beyond intellect and personal character, there should be no further question whether the judge should be confirmed.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the Lobbying Reform Summit

January 26, 2006

Now, I've been asked by my caucus to take a role in lobbying reform - a role I'm proud to have. As many of you know I'm from Chicago - a city that hasn't always had the cleanest reputation when it comes to politics in this country. But during my first year in the Illinois State Senate, I helped lead the fight to pass Illinois' first ethics reform bill in twenty-five years. I hope we can do something like that here.

Senate Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on The PATRIOT Act

December 15, 2005

Four years ago, following the most devastating attack in our history, this body passed the USA PATRIOT Act in order to give our nation's law enforcement the tools they need to track down terrorists who plot and lurk within our own borders and all over the world - terrorists who, right now, are looking to exploit weaknesses in our laws and our security to carry out even deadlier attacks than we saw on September 11th.

Moving Forward in Iraq

November 22, 2005

Today, nearly 160,000 American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are risking their lives in the Middle East. They are operating in some of the most dangerous and difficult circumstances imaginable. Well over 2,000 men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice - given their full measure of devotion. Thousands more have returned with wounds like those that I saw at Walter Reed.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award Ceremony

November 16, 2005

I come to this with tremendous humility. I was only seven when Bobby Kennedy died. Many of the people in this room knew him as brother, as husband, as father, as friend. I knew him only as an icon. In that sense, it is a distance I share with most of the people who now work in this Capitol – many of whom were not even born when Bobby Kennedy died. But what’s interesting is that if you go throughout the offices in the Capitol, everywhere you’ll find photographs of Kennedy, or collections of his speeches, or some other memento of his life.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the National Women's Law Center

November 10, 2005

As I was thinking about tonight's dinner and all the progress the women's movement has made in the last century, the first thing that came to mind wasn't all the legal cases won or the legislation passed; it wasn't the issues debated or even the individual rights secured. I thought about my daughters.

Remarks of U.S. Senator Barack Obama regarding the "Sex on TV 4" Report

November 9, 2005

I want to start by thanking the Kaiser foundation for the work you've done not only on today's report, but on making these issues of media and family a part of the national conversation. This is a subject many of us come to not as politicians or policy makers, as but as parents most of all.

Non-Proliferation and Russia: The Challenges Ahead

November 1, 2005

Good morning. As some of you know, Senator Lugar and I recently traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan to witness firsthand both the progress we're making in securing the world's most dangerous weapons, as well as the serious challenges that lie ahead.

Statement of Sen. Barack Obama on the Chicago White Sox

October 27, 2005

Senate Floor Statement I rise today as a U.S. Senator, as an Illinoisan, and as a proud resident of the Southside of Chicago, to congratulate the Chicago White Sox for winning the 2005 World Series. As my fellow Southsiders know,...

Teaching Our Kids in a 21st Century Economy

October 25, 2005

The other day, I was reading through Jonathan Kozol's new book, Shame of a Nation. In it, he talks about his recent travels to schools across America, and how fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, we have an education system in this country that is still visibly separate and painfully unequal.

Statement of Senator Obama on the Death of Rosa Parks

October 25, 2005

Mr. President, today the nation mourns a genuine American hero. Rosa Parks died yesterday in her home in Detroit. Through her courage and by her example, Rosa Parks helped lay the foundation for a country that could begin to live up to its creed. Her life, and her brave actions, reminded each and every one of us of our personal responsibilities to stand up for what is right and the central truth of the American experience that our greatness as a nation derives from seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Statement of U.S. Senator Barack Obama on the Avian Flu

October 18, 2005

We are continuing to witness the relentless spread of avian flu, carried slowly but predictably by wild, migratory birds from countries in Southeast Asia to Western China, to Mongolia, and then over the Ural Mountains into Russia and Ukraine. From there, avian flu has spread over the past week to Romania and Turkey, and we have just learned, possibly into Greece.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Confirmation of Judge John Roberts

September 22, 2005

First of all, let me congratulate Senator Specter and Senator Leahy for moving the process of confirming the nomination of Judge Roberts along with such civility, a civility that I believe speaks well of the Senate. Let me also say that I remain distressed that the White House during this confirmation process, which overall went smoothly, failed to provide critical documents as part of the record that could have provided us with a better basis to make our judgment with respect to the nomination. This White House continues to stymie efforts on the part of the Senate to do its job.

Securing Our Energy Future

September 15, 2005

The days of running a 21st century economy on a 20th century fossil fuel are numbered - and we need to realize that before it's too late. Our persistent dependence on oil is a danger our government has known about for years. And despite constant warnings by researchers and scientists, major corporations and our own government officials, it's a danger they have failed to prepare for, listen to, or seriously try to guard against.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

September 6, 2005

I just got back from a trip to Houston with former Presidents Clinton and Bush. And as we wandered through the crowd, we heard in very intimate terms the heart-wrenching stories that all of us have witnessed from a distance over the past several days: mothers separated from babies, adults mourning the loss of elderly parents, descriptions of the heat and filth and fear of the Superdome and the Convention Center.

AFL-CIO National Convention

July 25, 2005

It would be naive of me to start without acknowledging what's been on everyone's mind during this convention. As America tries to find its way in a global economy, we meet here at a challenging time for the labor movement. There are questions of strategy and tactics, leadership and power. And I can imagine that many of you are anxious not only about labor's future, but yours. You're wondering, will I be able to leave my children a better world than I was given? Will I be able to save enough to send them to college or plan for a secure retirement? Will my job even be there tomorrow? Who will stand up for me in this new world?

Remarks of U.S. Senator Barack Obama on the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill and the Avian Flu

July 19, 2005

Mr. President, I rise today in support of H.R. 2057, the Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill. I'd also like to highlight one aspect of the bill. Since coming to the Senate six months ago, one of the foreign policy and health issues I have focused on relates to the avian flu. I am pleased that this bill includes $10 million to combat the spread of this potential pandemic, adding to the $25 million that the Senate provided in the supplemental appropriations bill in April.

American Legion Conference

July 16, 2005

Over the last few months and throughout the campaign, I've been able to travel the state and meet veterans from all across Illinois. And no matter how many stories of heroism I hear, I constantly find myself in awe of your service and inspired by your sacrifice. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that "To fight out a war, you must believe something and want something with all your might."

U.S. Senator Barack Obama addresses the American Library Association

June 27, 2005

Thank you. It's an honor to be here with the hundreds of dedicated librarians who make up the American Library Association. Before we begin, I'd like to say a special hello to ALA member Nancy Gibbs, who is the mother of my communications director, Robert Gibbs. Believe me, I have no idea how the biggest mouth in our office came from a family of two librarians, but we're proud to have him on board and I'm sure you are too.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the Pritzker School of Medicine Commencement

June 13, 2005

Congratulations! After four long years of endless studying, sleepless nights, and constant stress, who's ready to kick back, relax, and jump head first into their residency?

Remarks of U.S. Senator Barack Obama on the nomination of Justice Janice Rogers Brown

June 8, 2005

I rise today to speak on the nomination of California Justice Janice Rogers Brown to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Now, let me begin by saying that the last thing I would like to be spending my time on right now is talking about judges.

Remarks of U.S. Senator Barack Obama at the Knox College Commencement

June 4, 2005

Good morning President Taylor, the Board of Trustees, faculty, parents, family, friends, and the Class of 2005. Congratulations on your graduation, and thank you for allowing me the honor to be a part of it.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

May 30, 2005

This is my first time visiting the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, and as I was driving through I thought to myself that the staff and the volunteers who have made this possible should feel very proud of the work they're doing - this is a beautiful place for our veterans to come home to.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama About America's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Policy

May 26, 2005

Mr. President, throughout the last half of the 20th Century, one nation - more than any other on the face of the earth - defined and shaped the threats posed to the United States.

Remarks by Senator Barack Obama at the Rockford Register Star Young American Awards

May 7, 2005

Thank you, and congratulations to all of this year's Young Americans. Now that you've each received your award, I have one question for all of you: What are you going to do with it?

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner

May 2, 2005

Thank you. Half a century after the first few hundred people sat for justice and equality at these tables, I am honored to be here with this crowd of thousands at the 50th NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.

"A Hope to Fulfill"

April 26, 2005

Thank you. It's great to be here at the National Press Club - I want to thank the club as well as the FDR Institute for arranging this luncheon together. I'd also like to thank Anne Roosevelt and Jim Roosevelt, who inspire us all by carrying on the proud legacy of their grandfather.

SIUC College of Agriculture's 50th Anniversary

April 23, 2005

Thank you. It's always great to be here in Carbondale, and a real honor to speak here at SIUC's first Agriculture Industry Day. Now, I'll be honest - I haven't done all that much farming living on the South Side of Chicago. But I have to say, my fondest farming memory is when I once offered to help out a friend with his harvest. Knowing the full range of my agricultural experience and expertise, he took one look at me and said..."no thanks."

Remarks by Senator Barack Obama at the Opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

April 20, 2005

Let me congratulate all of those who have helped to make this wonderful vision a reality. But we gather here today not to celebrate a building. We gather to celebrate a man.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama About His Amendment to Provide Meals and Phone Service to Wounded Veterans

April 14, 2005

Statement of Senator Barack Obama Amendment to Provide Meals and Phone Service to Wounded Veterans Wednesday, April 14, 2005 M. President, today I am offering an amendment to the fiscal year 2005 Emergency Supplemental, which I am pleased to announce...

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Nuclear Option

April 13, 2005

Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to think about the implications the nuclear option would have on this chamber and this country. I urge you to think not just about winning every debate, but about protecting free and democratic debate.

Opening Statement of Senator Barack Obama at the Confirmation Hearing of John Bolton

April 11, 2005

Mr. Chairman and Senator Biden, the position of United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations is one of the most important diplomatic positions in the entire U.S. government.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at the Herblock Foundation Annual Lecture

April 11, 2005

Thank you for inviting me here tonight. It's been a pretty busy week, but I figured I'd better do my best to show up here since I can't think of an easier target for political cartoonists than a tall, skinny guy with big ears and a funny name.

Obama Remarks to the American Legion Legislative Rally

March 28, 2005

Remarks by Senator Barack Obama American Legion Legislative Rally Tuesday, March 1st, 2005

CURE Keynote Address

March 11, 2005

Since I first learned about this organization from David and Susan, I've often thought about the simple act of hope that began its journey. I've thought about three mothers, sitting around a kitchen table, sharing the pain and the helplessness that go along with watching the child you love, the child whose happiness you live for, struggle with a disease that mom and dad can't fix. A disease that doesn't necessarily go away with the doctor's medicine, that isn't talked about most nights on the news, that isn't funded and recognized like a lot of the other diseases.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at TechNet

March 8, 2005

We're here today because when it comes to the global economy, the rules of the game have changed. This is a fact not only understood by a roomful of Silicon Valley CEOs, but by families I met all across Illinois during the campaign. They know that when it comes to their jobs and their wages, they're not only competing with workers in Naperville and Carbondale, but in New Delhi and Calcutta.

Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on S.256, the Bankruptcy Abuse and Prevention Act of 2005

February 28, 2005

Mr. President, I have come to the floor today to address this pending legislation. This issue should force us to face a fundamental question about who we are as a country, how we progress as a society, and where our values lie as a people: How do we treat our fellow Americans who have fallen on hard times, and what is our responsibility to cushion those falls when they occur?

John Lewis's 65th Birthday Gala

February 21, 2005

Thank you. It's an honor to be here tonight to celebrate one of the most courageous and compassionate Americans of our time. Happy Birthday John. When I was first asked to speak here, I thought to myself, never in a million years would I have guessed that I'd be serving in Congress with John Lewis.