Welcoming the Honorable James Gallagher to the House of Representatives
Floor Speech
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Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I have some very long prepared remarks today. No, I am truly honored to be here this afternoon, and I come here to this floor to fill some very big boots in Congressman Doug LaMalfa.
I come here from the wild north of California, of industrious people; of beautiful landscapes, mountains, and valleys; the breadbasket and farming capital of the north. I come here on behalf of the citizens of the First Congressional District, who overwhelmingly gave me their stamp of approval to be here to speak for them.
I intend to do so because, many times, they are the overlooked part of California, and they need a voice. Doug LaMalfa was their voice, and I plan to continue in that same spirit.
I come here also as a husband to my wife, Janna, who joins me in the gallery with my children, and whom I certainly could not do this without.
I am also joined by the wife of Doug LaMalfa. Jill LaMalfa is with us in the gallery today, as well, and some rabble-rousers who have come along from the wild north. I thank them for joining me here today, as well.
I am looking forward to serving in this body. It is truly, truly an honor. I know that this work that we do is very important.
I pray that God goes ahead of us and gives us the wisdom, the fortitude, and the integrity to bring our country together, as Abraham Lincoln once said, ``to bind up the Nation's wounds,'' and that we do right and that we seek the righteous way for the people of this great Nation.
I am proud to be one person in that long line of many leaders who have been able to be on this floor and speak for their people, and I take that honor very seriously.
I also know that my colleagues didn't come here necessarily for me. There is a big game tonight, I hear. I did want to say that I did play baseball, thanks to my dad here, who played in the minor leagues for the Kansas City Royals organization. I spent a lot of my young life on a baseball field somewhere, and so, with that, I will just end with: Play ball.
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