Political Quotes

“First, after my remarks, I will place into the Record letters between the chairmen of the committees of referral on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4587, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act. This bill has received bipartisan support from many of my colleagues in the House and was passed more than 2 weeks ago by our Foreign Affairs Committee. I would like to thank Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, subcommittee Chairman Salmon, and Ranking Member Sires for working with my office to craft the legislation that is before us this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to condemn the ongoing human rights abuses being committed in Venezuela and to answer the cries of the people of Venezuela. On February 12, 2014, also known in Venezuela as National Youth Day, students began protesting in several cities against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's inability to stem violent crime, his undemocratic actions, and a rapidly deteriorating economy marked by high inflation and shortages of consumer goods. Since then, these students and the Venezuelan people, as a whole, have been met with intimidation, with violence, with imprisonment simply for calling for the respect of human rights and democratic change.…”