Political Quotes

“I yield myself the balance of my time, and thank Leader Pelosi and my colleague, Chairman Bishop, his staff, and certainly staff on our side of the aisle for their hard work. It is a bill that is indeed a compromise, and we shouldn't be ashamed of that. It is a compromise that I wish was more tilted on our side and the things that we wanted. But, Mr. Chairman, those are not the dynamics or the numbers in this House. The reality is that the urgency of Puerto Rico, the humanitarian demands and needs of the island make us look at this bill not with an eye towards perfection, but with an eye toward what is doable and what can provide some immediate relief and begin the process of stability for the island and for its people, and begin the process of an economic renewal for the island itself. I want to also acknowledge my colleagues, Mr. Pierluisi, Ms. Velazquez, and Mr. Serrano. I know how difficult this vote was and how difficult it is to vote on a compromise that does not fully empower and fully acknowledge the self-governance of the Puerto Rican people. I know that. But your endorsement of this bill is very meaningful in that it ties us to a heritage of representation by the Puerto Rican people in this body and to insisting and demanding that the needs of the people of Puerto Rico be recognized fully by this Congress. We recognize them today, as Mr. Serrano said, but there is much, much more to do. This vote, by the way, as I close, is not about heritage.…”