[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4122]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S 200TH BIRTHDAY

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                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 12, 2009

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 200th birthday 
of our sixteenth president Abraham Lincoln. We celebrate his 
accomplishments, not only because he helped create our party but most 
of all we covet his ability to unite us.
  As a member who proudly represents the 10th district of Illinois, 
today we can stand tall and proudly say we are from the Land of 
Lincoln.
  It was Abraham Lincoln who so famously said, ``Now we are engaged in 
a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so 
conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.''
  As tough as it is, our parents faced worse. The Depression, World War 
II, the Cold War. Americans defeated the British Empire and won the 
Civil War--all tougher times than these. History teaches us that each 
generation is tested. This is ours.
  If we can learn anything from Lincoln it is that we must never lose 
hope--for we have faced great adversity in the past and emerged the 
stronger.
  As we look to the future and better days, we must not forget the 
heroes of our past. Abraham Lincoln failed in business, lost his Senate 
race, and saved the Union. As we all face setbacks, his life is an 
example encouraging us to get up from setbacks and work to win even 
against long odds.

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