Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank, as always, our esteemed chairman, Mr. Royce from California, as well as Mr. Engel from New York, who really run our committee in the most fair, bipartisan way possible. I think that our committee is an example for the rest of the House. But I am so grateful to have worked alongside my chairman and ranking member, and all of the colleagues in the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a bipartisan manner; particularly, Mr. Issa, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Lowenthal, in introducing and bringing to the floor this important resolution, H. Res. 351, Condemning the Violence and Persecution in Chechnya. Since early April, there have been credible reports that gay or perceived-to-be-gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya have been rounded up, have been detained, have been put into prison camps by the authorities of Chechnya. And according to international human rights groups and activists on the ground, the situation has rapidly escalated. Despite the international attention and the rage, the beatings and torture did not stop. Men continued to be tortured on a daily basis, and, allegedly, at least 20 men have been killed. The latest reports indicate that lesbians are also being targeted now. This government campaign targeting LGBT individuals is also inciting ``honor killings.'' Families are being threatened and act out of fear of also being persecuted. This is appalling.…”