Political Quotes

“I rise today in disbelief of where we are as a country. I will tell you, in listening to the speeches that came before me--such powerful words--I thought to myself, What can I actually contribute to this moment? As a matter of fact, when my colleagues said that they were going to schedule this floor bloc, I never thought about what I would say; I just said yes. And in my mind, there are a few things I do want to say. First, I want to start off by thanking my sister Senators, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith, as well as former colleague Representative Ilhan Omar, for your strength and leadership in such a trying time. Secondly, I want to acknowledge the people of Minnesota who have been through so, so much. I recall years ago, going to Minnesota myself for the memorial service for George Floyd and being with the community to have conversations about community policing, and then witnessing the tragedy of Melissa Hortman, and so much that has happened in that State. And so, to the people of Minnesota, I want to say thank you for showing us strength, resilience, what it truly means to be your sister's keeper, your brother's keeper, and to show up for your neighbors. You are truly inspirational. I guess what has been on my heart is the history of this country. We will be celebrating Black History Month, and at a time where history is trying to be replaced--erased--I think it is important to think back on the things that we have been through.”