Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, the Standing Rock Sioux and all tribes have the right to self-determination and a say in decisions that impact their health, land, and cultural preservation. It is not just a matter of justice, it is the law. Don't we all, as Americans, have that right? Isn't that the whole premise of our democracy? Being able to have a voice in decisions that affect our lives is the cornerstone of our American democracy. It thrives when we stand up, speak up, and voice our concerns on matters vital to our existence as humans, like our health, clean drinking water, and cultural survival. That is why I stand with the Standing Rock Sioux and hundreds of tribes throughout our Nation to demand that the Army Corps of Engineers comply with their legal trust responsibilities to protect tribal lands, cancel the Dakota Access Pipeline permit, conduct meaningful consultation with the tribes, and do a complete environmental impact statement. The Standing Rock Sioux and neighboring tribes are rightfully concerned that the pipeline will destroy sacred sites and that an oil spill would cause devastating and irreversible harm to their land, health, and drinking water. The proposed pipeline is over 1,000 miles long, transporting up to 16,000 gallons of crude oil a minute, upstream from the tribes' water source, near the reservation, and on tribal land. A leak would be devastating. It was already determined to be too risky to construct near the city of Bismarck's water sources.…”