Sep 9, 2013
When it comes to foreign policy, and the Middle East in particular, it appears we live in a strategy-free world.
Christopher Shays
The Public Record
★ Featured Quote
February 11, 2020
the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals.
— Christopher Shays
Most widely reported
by number of sources- The Cold War is over, and the world is a more dangerous place.3 sources2013congress.gov
- My constituents and all of Connecticut congratulate the University of Connecticut Lady Huskies for winning the 2002 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. These Huskies truly deserve the title ``Best in Show.'' In my expert opinion, this is the greatest team, the greatest team in the history of women's college basketball, and who knows if it will ever be repeated. How good were the Huskies? Consider that in posting their 39 and O record, they never once trailed in the second half all season. Their average margin of victory was a remarkable 35 points. During the NCAA tournament, they won their six games by an average margin of 27 points. At 87.5 points per game, they were the highest-scoring team in the Nation, and with an average of 51.4 points allowed, they had the second stingiest defense. Mr. Speaker, this team is characterized by its quick passes, ferocious rebounding, intense defense, and precision shooting, all of which were a cut above the rest of the competition, a big cut above. But most of all, what strikes me about the Lady Huskies is their emphasis on teamwork, their awesome teamwork: 831 assists. What a pleasure to watch them.2 sources2002govinfo.gov
- I voted against H.R. 2028, the Pledge Protection Act. The phrase ``under God'' belongs in our Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and the words ``In God We Trust'' belong on our currency. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals made a serious error in Newdow v. U.S. Congress when they declared our Pledge unconstitutional. When the phrase ``under God'' was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, I was in elementary school and remember feeling the phrase belonged there. It appropriately reflects the fact that a belief in God motivated the founding and development of our great Nation. The Declaration of Independence states, ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights . . .'' Our forefathers understood it was not they, but He, who had bestowed upon all of us those most cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness upon which our model of government is based. At Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln acknowledged we were a Nation under God and, during his Second Inaugural Address, he mentioned our Creator 13 times. Those historic speeches, the Pledge of Allegiance, our currency and the Declaration of Independence are not prayers or parts of a religious service. They are a statement of our commitment as citizens to our great Nation and the role God plays in it.2 sources2004govinfo.gov
- this amendment would designate $10 million of economic support funds for the Community Action Program, also known as CAP, in Iraq. That is what this amendment does. I would like to say, Mr. Chairman, that a real hero in this House is Mr. Kolbe who has made sure that these programs have flourished. In my 11 trips to Iraq, I am absolutely convinced the best thing we have done in all of our expenditures on the economic side of the table has been to support these CAP agencies. There were five NGOs, nongovernment organizations. There are still four left. They stand potentially to lose money in June or July and not have the carry-over into the next fiscal year. What this amendment ensures, with Mr. Kolbe's help, is that that money will be extended so that we can keep them in place. When we talk about keeping them in place, for instance, one of these nongovernment organizations, and it is typical, has about 130 employees who are all Iraqis throughout Iraq and only seven who are not Iraqis, one or two Europeans, one or two eastern Europeans, and one or two Americans; and when you add up the others we are talking about over 600 Iraqis. And what are they doing? They are rebuilding schools, they are repairing water and sewer lines, building health clinics, helping what takes place in the schools. Just a host of other infrastructure and development projects.…2 sources2006govinfo.gov
- today we are debating a Constitutional amendment drafted not to protect my marriage or my family--I see no reasonable way to argue it would--but rather to explicitly deny a portion of our society the right to marry and the benefits that accompany that kind of partnership. I do not advocate the legalization of gay marriage, but our Constitution is simply not the proper place to set this kind of social policy. I believed back in 1996, when I voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, and I still believe today, the decision about whether to recognize gay marriage should be left to the states. I can't help but wonder . . . Why are we doing this? What are we so afraid of? Gay men and women pass through our lives every day. There are wonderful teachers and leaders and role models who happen to be gay and sometimes we don't even know they're gay. I wouldn't be a Member of Congress today if it weren't for an extraordinary teacher I had in High School 40 years ago. I learned years later he was gay and that he had commuted from Connecticut to Washington, DC, every weekend in part to protect his privacy and his job. When I went to college, my understanding of gay people was impacted again by my wife's best friend. One day, she told us she too had found the love of her life. We were eager to meet the boyfriend she was so madly in love with, but we soon learned her love was not a he, but a she.…2 sources2006govinfo.gov
- as a cosponsor of H.R. 556, I am pleased the new majority is moving quickly to consider this legislation, which passed the House in the last Congress by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. This legislation would require that all transactions involving foreign state-owned companies be automatically subject to a full 45-day investigation. Last year, the attempt by Dubai Ports World (DP World), a port operations company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to purchase operating terminals at six U.S. ports was a clear indicator we must reform the CFIUS process. Whenever a foreign investment affects homeland security, it deserves greater scrutiny. It seems to me, this legislation strikes the proper balance between strengthening our economy and protecting the American people. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.2 sources2007govinfo.gov
congress.gov
Sep 9, 2013
I am concerned it will inflame the region and retaliate not only Iran and Hezbollah against Israel but at the same time embolden and empower these rebel forces.
Sep 9, 2013
We have proven we can do it in the elimination of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
Sep 9, 2013
The Syrian Government crossed a red line in the use of chemical weapons for which the world community needs to respond, not just the United States.
Sep 9, 2013
First, let me say if the President really believed that a military strike would have been effective, he would have done it right away.
Sep 9, 2013
Sadly, I believe these strikes will have no serious military consequences on Assad because he can win this war without using chemical weapons.
Sep 9, 2013
I personally think if there is any good outcome, this is an outcome that I would like to see pursued.
Sep 9, 2013
I believe any President has the right to use force and can't wait for Congress sometimes to spend 2 weeks or 3 weeks to decide whether they want to authorize it.
Sep 9, 2013
I believe President Obama can rise to the occasion, seize this opportunity, avoid the use of military force and help restore our Nation's leadership.
Sep 9, 2013
He is our President, and we need to help him gain some status and support in his efforts to negotiate with countries around the world.
Sep 9, 2013
I would think we would be doing him a hell of a gift to get them out of the country.
Sep 9, 2013
People really question our word, and it goes beyond one administration to the other.
Sep 9, 2013
We need to engage the world community, particularly Russia, to persuade Assad to give up his chemical weapons.
Sep 9, 2013
I think we do ourselves well to wash our mouth with soap about our credibility.
Sep 9, 2013
Twenty thousand shells in Russia, chemical weapons, no bigger than this, they were put in, they almost looked like wine bottles stacked up, building after building.
Sep 9, 2013
What are we hoping to achieve in Syria, and why do we think doing what we are planning on doing will give us the results we want?
Sep 9, 2013
What should be our primary concern, that chemical weapons were used by the Syrian Army, or that Syria has chemical weapons that could fall into the hands of radical elements sympathetic to al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations?
Sep 9, 2013
The conclusion by the President and his administration and leaders on both sides of the aisle that the United States needs to take decisive military action with or without support from other countries would be a serious mistake with…
Sep 9, 2013
We sent a message years ago when we turned our back on the Shah of Iran, for whatever reason.
Sep 9, 2013
Rather than focusing on destroying elements of the Syrian government forces and choosing sides in a truly brutal civil war, our focus should be on how do we get these chemical weapons out of Syria.
Politicians like Christopher Shays
