Political Quotes

“Madam President, over the recess that just concluded, I had a chance to visit South Africa for an Aspen Institute conference to discuss the future of that continent. With so much of the world's attention on Ukraine, as it should be, and the Middle East, as it should be, we often forget the importance of this dynamic and challenging African continent, with nearly one out of five of the world's population--a percentage that will increase greatly this century. There were so many different aspects we discussed and so many different opportunities. The thing that I came away with was the clear understanding--the Chinese understand this, as they see a future in Africa that we don't see, and they are investing dramatically in Africa's future--that if the United States and other Western nations ignore this reality, the Africa of tomorrow will be a lot different than the one today and may not be our friend as we want them to be. During my time in Congress, I have tried to advance several efforts to foster more engagement in Africa, including support for funding to address AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria through the Global Fund and PEPFAR, as well as mobility programs and clean water and sanitation. In fact, Chicago-based World Bicycle Relief is helping lead some of the most innovative mobility programs that help get kids to school and healthcare workers to visit rural, remote areas. I didn't agree with President George W.…”