New Representative Elected: April 20, 2005

The following comments were made on the House Floor:
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Mr. Speaker,

There are many issues that all of in this body, as elected representatives, struggle with: issules like how best to represent our constituents, issues of ethics, how best to help the most vulnerable among us, how to lead, and how to follow, and much, much more.

Today a new representative has been elected to deal with many of the same issues. He was elected with the words, "Habemus Papem" - Latin for "We have a Pope," a new head of state, as well as the elected representative of millions of faithful around the world, and thousands here in Alaska. His name is Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany, now known to the world as Benedict XVI.

He said in his opening remarks this morning, "The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me.

I think many of us could say that.

Regardless of our individual faiths, I think we can all rejoice in the election of a new world leader, dedicated to the service of humanity.