Political Quotes

“Thank you very much. Let me thank you, Mr. Pocan, for yielding but also for organizing, not only this Special Order tonight, but for having these Special Orders in order to really raise a level of awareness with regard to these important issues facing millions of Americans in our country. We know that you are here every week, sometimes by yourself, but I have to thank you for your tremendous leadership and for helping the Progressive Caucus continue to beat the drum on behalf of the American people. Mr. Speaker, we all know today that, of course, the Republican Budget Committee chair, Paul Ryan, rolled out his expanding opportunities for all plan for addressing poverty in America. That is what it is called. I can say, like you, I am happy to see that there are some areas we can work on together in this plan. That includes fixing our broken criminal justice system, expanding and supporting the earned income tax credit if we don't, as his plan calls for, rob Peter to pay Paul. I am glad to see that the conversation on poverty in this country is finally catching up and catching on with my Republican colleagues at the national level. We have been working for a long time--our task force, you, all of us here tonight on this floor and others--to try to get this urgent issue the attention it really requires here in the House of Representatives, but we know that, ultimately, most of Mr. Ryan's recommendations are more about rhetoric than reality.…”