Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, some House Republicans are threatening to withhold disaster aid to California unless certain unknown conditions are met. There is even talk about attaching disaster aid to an increase in the debt ceiling. Mr. Speaker, this could be your State. Never in our Nation's history has the Federal Government placed such politically driven conditions on disaster aid to its own citizens. We can have good-faith debates about water policy and infrastructure deficiencies, and we should, but that is not what this is about. This is a bad-faith effort to use California as a punching bag. This is about the promotion of half-truths, conspiracy theories, and outright lies, not to mention it is a way out for House Republicans. They can't raise the debt ceiling on their own, so they want to tie that to disaster aid. It is unconscionable. Mr. Speaker, I say to my Republican friends that it is unacceptable and downright shameful to use the suffering of Californians in need, or anyone in need, to solve your internal political disputes. Please stop playing games. Let's get the disaster aid to the people who need it, and let's do it now. ____________________”