Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her superior service on the Rules Committee. Mr. Speaker, across America today, hardworking people and seniors find that their retirement security is under threat and in doubt. Congress has a responsibility to strengthen Americans' retirement security, and we dishonor that responsibility with the half measure for coal miners in the CR today--less than a half measure. I commend Congressman Cartwright of Pennsylvania. He knows full well the contribution that the coal miners have made to our economy. He knows the stress that they are under from what is happening now and how this is exacerbated by the continuing resolution. Mr. Speaker, 22,500 coal miners in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and across coal country are facing a complete loss of their health and pension benefits in 2017. However, the continuing resolution offers these men and women only a short term. Senator Manchin has been making the pitch, and many of us have joined him, that these health and pension benefits should be in our legislation at least for 5 years, preferably in perpetuity. What the CR says is: not in perpetuity, not in 5 years--for 4 months; for 4 months and only health benefits, completely ignoring the pension part of it. Coal miners are on the Hill today to make their case, to tell their personal stories about how this has affected them.…”