Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the First Amendment protects every citizen's right to free exercise of religion, and we, in Congress, must be zealous and vigilant partners with the Constitution in that enterprise. From Charleston, South Carolina, to Charlottesville, Virginia; from suburban Maryland, where racial bias incidents are up 80 percent in my congressional district in 2017, to California, Oregon, and all over the country, America has seen a surge in threats and violence against individuals and religious real property in our country, all in an effort to deter our citizens from practicing their faith, or simply to assault or kill them for doing so. There has also been a rise in threats made by telephone, in person, by email, or by phone all over the country, including to churches, synagogues, and mosques. In the first 7 months of this year, there were 63 reported incidents against mosques across 26 States, spanning from Florida to Hawaii. Clearly, Congress must act. We have excellent legislation in H.R. 1730 to expand our law to include threats of force, as well as to toughen up the penalties for this kind of conduct. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.”