[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 27, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EXPRESSING THANKS

  (Mr. SULLIVAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. Speaker, I am so honored to be here today. I would 
like to thank the Members for their warm welcome they have extended to 
me.
  I wish to take a moment to acknowledge my family, my wife, Judy; my 
son, Tommy; and daughters, Meredith and Sydney; my mother, Mag 
Sullivan; and mother- and father-in-law, Mary Ann and Tom Beck; also, 
my mentor, Mayor of Tulsa, Bob LaFortune, who is here, former Mayor of 
Tulsa; and Art Rubin, who is up there as well; and all of the wonderful 
friends and family who have accompanied me from Oklahoma to show their 
support today.
  I have a great neighborhood, too, one of the old-fashioned 
neighborhoods. I have got a lot of my neighbors that have come, and it 
is great. Our kids run and play together and go in each other's houses, 
and they came as well.
  I am also pleased to be joined by Oklahoma's two extraordinary 
Senators, Jim Inhofe, who as a Member of this body ably represented the 
first district of Oklahoma; and Don Nickles, the assistant Republican 
leader of the Senate.
  I would also like to take a moment to thank former Congressman Steve 
Largent, who recently departed Congress to run for Governor of 
Oklahoma. I wish him the best in his new endeavor.
  Mr. Speaker, I am truly humbled to become a Member of this honorable 
body. This day has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I pledge today to 
continue to fight for the constituents of the first district of 
Oklahoma, for Oklahoma values. I look forward to the great friendships 
that will be formed in these hallowed halls and to working together in 
advancing the prosperity and promise of this great Nation.
  I would like to say a special thanks to my father who got me started 
in politics, and I know he is looking down on me and he is happy that 
his son got elected to the Congress.

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