Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, our colleague across the aisle a moment ago talked about the District of Columbia being special. There is nothing special about being second class, which is what has happened to the residents of the District. For two centuries, the people of the District of Columbia have been disenfranchised, denied fair representation, excluded from our great democratic experiment. Over 700,000 residents--who just like my constituents and your constituents--work hard, pay their taxes, and contribute every day to the betterment of our society. Yet, they do not have an equal voice in this Chamber. Mr. Speaker, it is time to remedy this great injustice. Eleanor Holmes Norton should have the same opportunity that every one of our Members does: To see her name on that board for every vote, to walk into the well and cast her ``yea'' or ``nay'' on behalf of the constituents she represents. We thank Congresswoman Norton for her service and for her tireless fight to bring dignity to the residents of Washington, D.C. House Democrats committed to this moment when this body passed H.R. 1 more than a year ago. We observed then and we reiterate today: There are no constitutional, historical, financial, or economic reasons why the 700,000 Americans who live in the District of Columbia should not be granted Statehood.…”