Political Quotes

“I ask my colleagues to spare me this false outrage because if this really were about gang violence, my colleagues have continuously had opportunities to pass legislation that would curb that threat. If this were about gun violence and gang violence, where were my Republican colleagues last year when Congressman Connolly introduced H.R. 5960, a bill actually called the Preventing Gang Violence Act of 2018, a bill that they killed in committee? If my colleagues across the aisle truly wanted to combat gang violence, why did they refuse to let H.R. 1297, the Youth PROMISE Act, come out of committee when it was introduced in the 114th Congress by Congressman Scott? At the end of the day, there is no question that no one is interested in allowing gang members to benefit from the American Dream and Promise Act, and that is why this bill addresses this exact issue. At the end of the day, the Secretary has the ability to deny any applicant if they have directly participated in gang activity, even if they have not been convicted of a crime. Mr. Speaker, what we have lost in the debate today, in my view, is what this bill is all about at its core. I rise today not just as a Member of this body, not just as a proud American, but as the son of immigrants, as the son of African refugees who came to the United States over 35 years ago from a war-torn country in east Africa.…”