Hour. Sec. Pompeo thank you. Well, good morning, everyone. So ive got a prepared speech and ive got some thoughts and ill mix them in this morning. I want to thank kay and the entire Leadership Team from heritage having me here this morning. We were talking back stage about the gala tonight and i reminded them that id been to the gala a number of times when i was a member of congress. This was an Important Institution in washington d. C. , on behalf of america and i value it and this administration values it and all the leaders across the United States government values it as well. Its great to be here, everybody remembers the bob dylan song, shelter from the storm, and i know there are friends here, too, people ive known a long time who are here. I want to thank you for all supporting this institution. Heritage has schooled many generations of free market believers and i was on a think tank back in kansas, the kansas Public Policy institute. We would read heritage reports all the time
Number of times when i was a member of congress. This is an Important Institution delivering on behalf of america and i value it and this administration ovals it. So many leaders all across the United States government value it as well. Also great to be here. Everybody remembers the bob dillon song shelter from the storm. Good be here with you. I know theres a bunch of friends here. I want to thank you all for supporting this really Important Institution. Heritage has schooled many generations of free market believers. I was a trustee on a think tank back in kansas. We would read heritage reports all the time to try to make sure we were getting it right and try to get it right for the state of kansas in the same way you are doing it here for washington. You know the last time i had the privilege to speak in front of a heritage audience was in may of last year. I had been secretary of state for a number of days. Yeah. I was already missing the cia. Much quieter [ laughter ] much less pu
Do the really most important people in the world consistently come back to heritage . You know, is it our physical location on capitol hill, which many of you toured yesterday at our open house . Is it the fact that since 1973 weve advised president s, heads of state, congressmen, governors . Thats an important part of our history, but the reason theyre here time after time is because of you. The Heritage Foundation is made up of 5300 members across the country. Thats over a thousand heritage members throughout the districts in the country. Im not saying theres a thousand members in Nancy Pelosis district, but i think you get my point. Our average contribution is a little over 100 bucks, i can tell you if youre in the Membership Office you can see sometimes a 25 check that comes from a grandmother and you can tell its a note that she left with that check that it hurt her Monthly Budget to write that check, but because she wants to save this country, shes going to stay with hair aj heri