Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, it is beyond devastating that our friend and neighbor, the Republic of Haiti, has been hit with yet another terrible natural disaster. My thoughts and prayers are with both the Haitian people during this time of incredible hardship, and my constituents in South Florida whose family and friends have fallen victim to this tragedy. As you know, the people of Haiti are now experiencing the death, destruction, and aftermath of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Just 600 miles off the coast of Florida, Haiti stands as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Its nine million people are no strangers to hardship. In its tumultuous recent past, Haiti has experienced violent uprisings and floods that killed thousands of people and wiped out much of their food and infrastructure systems. As a result, they stand at a severe disadvantage and are ill equipped to deal with a tragedy of this scale. Sadly, many Haitians have been unable to recover from the turmoil of their past, and therefore, remain exceedingly vulnerable to the repercussions of yesterday's powerful earthquake. Recovery must be our first priority. I am proud that the United States Government has offered immediate assistance to the people of Haiti. Both President Obama and Secretary Clinton have pledged America's unwavering support for Haiti during this crisis. Military officials have said that plans are underway for the hospital ship USNS Comfort to dock off the coast of Haiti to assist the sick and wounded.…”