Sample Speeches

Honoring Rep. Marge Roukema
Remarks Of C. Edwin Vilade
Member, Board Of Directors

New Jersey State Society Congressional Reception
U.S. Botanic Gardens

October 9, 2002

Marge Roukema has also been a leader in health insurance reform, honored by the American Medical Association and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Just this year, her commitment to mental health care issues earned her the American Psychiatric Nurses' Association Congressional Award.

Congresswoman Roukema's life-long interest in government led her to a degree in history and political science from Montclair State University , and graduate study at Montclair State and Rutgers .

She left teaching to raise her three children, and then began her career in public service at the local level, as a volunteer in a number of community organizations. Her first elected office was as a member of the Ridgewood Board of Education. She first ran successfully for Congress in 1980.

Now she returns to New Jersey , and takes with her the gratitude of those of us who have moved down here and have had the chance to watch her close up, and of her constituents back in the Fifth District.

When Marge Roukema was teaching history and government, she may have quoted to her students the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said, "Politics is a profession; a serious, complicated and in a true sense, a noble one."

Marge Roukema has taken her public trust seriously. And she has, throughout her career, by her words, her actions and her commitment to public service, affirmed the truth of President Eisenhower's words.

(pause)

And now I'll turn the program over to New Jersey State Society President John Pannullo, who has a presentation to make in honor of Marge Roukema.