Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his lifelong commitment to promoting human rights throughout the world. I thank him, also, for his leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor today. Madam Speaker, I also thank Mr. McCaul, Mr. Engel, and Mr. McGovern for their leadership, and Chris Smith, who has been working on this issue for decades. Madam Speaker, I rise in remembrance of the horror perpetrated by the Chinese Government 30 years ago today and of the heroism of those who died demanding human rights and human dignity. Again, I salute Chairman McGovern, Chairman Engel, Chris Smith, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Malinowski, and so many others for bringing this resolution forward, which ensures that we do not merely remember that dark chapter of history, but that we record it in the official proceedings of the United States Congress. Madam Speaker, 30 years ago, 1 million students, workers and citizens--men and women full of passion, idealism, and courage-- peacefully marched for a better future. They raised their Goddess of Democracy in the image of our own Statue of Liberty. They quoted our Founders. They dared to dream of the democracy we cherish here in the United States--not necessarily the same kind of democracy, but for democratic freedoms. They stood up for freedom, only to be cut down by a hail of bullets and a line of tanks. Earlier this year, the Tiananmen Mothers, who lost loved ones in the massacre, wrote to the Chinese leaders.…”