Political Quotes

“I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Connecticut is recognized for 5 minutes. Ms. DeLAURO. I rise in strong opposition to the Flake amendment and to the Republican cuts of the Community Service Block Grant. Mr. Chairman, there isn't any question that Democrats are committed to reducing the deficit. We believe we should start by ending the tax subsidies and special interest waste. We also must make sure that programs are accountable and that we end those that do not work. But what we have here is a program that serves as nothing short of a lifeline. It provides assistance to our Nation's poorest families, families who are trying to meet the most basic of human needs. We have the latest Census data, which tells us that more than 43.7 million people are living in poverty in the United States. That number is growing. A striking point is that many in this category are hardworking Americans who have, in fact, been making it; yet some may refer to them now as the ``new poor.'' In this Great Recession, life has changed very quickly for so many American families who have first lost their jobs and then lost their homes. The majority of Americans served by this program can be described as extremely poor, with incomes below 75 percent of the Federal poverty threshold. That's $9,735 for a family of three. That's the average size: $9,735.…”