Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today as a proud original cosponsor of the bill before us, House Resolution 1144, and join my colleagues in expressing our heartfelt sympathy to all of those impacted by the devastating earthquake in Chile 2 weeks ago. The strength and the magnitude of this quake and its resulting tsunami caused hundreds of lives to be lost and left countless survivors homeless. As the Government of Chile continues to carry out its immediate relief and recovery efforts and complete its damage assessments, we are just beginning to get a sense of how much this destruction has brought about. Nearly 1.5 million homes are reported to have been damaged, and many historic structures collapsed. An estimated 2 million people in Chile were displaced by the quake and the subsequent tsunamis that swept away entire coastal towns. However, the democratic stability and the strong government structures in place prior to the earthquake will undoubtedly enable Chile to respond responsibly to this disaster. In particular, its commitment to free market principles will allow private sector actors to immediately respond to certain damaged sectors such as water and sanitation. This will help to minimize the tremendous challenges facing the government of Chile in the aftermath of the crisis. It will allow domestic and international assistance to go only where it is absolutely needed. The U.S.…”