[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WELCOMING THE HONORABLE DAVE BRAT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Goodlatte) is recognized for 1 minute.
There was no objection.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the newest Member
of the House of Representatives from Virginia, Dr. Dave Brat of Glen
Allen, Virginia, to this Chamber.
Dave is joining this body as a new Member representing the Seventh
District of Virginia. Over the past year, he has talked with his
friends and neighbors about the challenges facing our Nation and what
Congress can do to help grow our economy and help the private sector
create jobs.
Dave is uniquely positioned to work on issues related to American
jobs and the economy. With an undergraduate degree in business
administration and a Ph.D. in economics, his background in economic
policy will help this body deal with the most pressing issues of the
day.
For the past 18 years, Dave has been a faculty member at Randolph-
Macon College where he served as the chair of the department of
economics. Dave is also a strong family man and, with his wife, Laura,
has two children.
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome Dave to the United States
House of Representatives. Joining us today are our fellow Members of
the Virginia delegation who welcome you and look forward to working
with you.
I now yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for his
welcoming remarks.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome
Congressman Dave Brat to the people's House and to the Virginia
delegation. Our congressional delegation has a long history of working
together. Our former longtime dean, Senator John Warner, set the
standard for working together in a constructive manner.
While we may not always agree on every issue, we will always try to
work together for what is best for Virginia and our Nation. It is the
Virginia way.
Dave will be replacing Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and at the end of
this Congress, our delegation will also lose two of its more senior
Members, Frank Wolf and Jim Moran.
With their departure, our delegation's clout may wane a bit, but I
know it will be reinvigorated by new Members like Congressman Brat,
committed to working together for our Commonwealth.
Mr. Speaker, Dave comes to Congress after a career as an economics
professor at Randolph-Macon College. He has been appointed to State
boards and commissions by several Virginia Governors, including the
Joint Advisory Board of Economists. I know he will put these
experiences to good use.
I welcome Dave and his family to Congress, and I look forward to
working with him on issues critical to the Richmond region and the
entire Commonwealth of Virginia.
{time} 1915
Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, thank you to my new colleagues and thank you
to the people of Virginia's Seventh District who have entrusted me with
the honor of serving as their Representative, and many of them are with
us tonight in the gallery. Thank you for coming.
We are proud that the Seventh District is the home of the father of
the Constitution, James Madison, and the voice of the Revolution,
Patrick Henry.
It has been a long road, and very few gave me a chance when the
journey began. I want to thank my wife, Laura, and my children,
Jonathan and Sophia, for believing in me. And I want to thank God, as
this would not have been possible without His assistance along the way.
Throughout my campaign, as President Reagan said, I tried to appeal
to people's best hopes and not their worst fears. I strived to elevate
the dialogue and focus us on solutions, especially on the economic
issues facing our country.
That is how I will approach the weighty responsibility with which I
have been entrusted.
Thank you all, God bless you all, and may God continue to bless this
great Nation.
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