Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand in solidarity with our UAW workers. I have seen many negotiations in my lifetime, but these are the most important I have ever witnessed, and I am likely to, in my career. The industry is at a crossroads, and quite frankly, the domestic auto industry's future is at stake. We must manufacture electric vehicles here in America to stay at the forefront of innovation and technology in the world. We are competing in a global marketplace, and these workers are critical to it. They are the backbone of the American economy. This is not a talking point moment. This is where the rubber is meeting the road. Too many people are trying to make this an either/or, that you can protect the environment or you can protect the worker, but you can't do both. We can and must do both. There are a lot of important issues on the table right now, but let's talk about the autoworkers. This industry was near bankruptcy in 2008 and 2009, quite frankly, because of poor management decisions. Nobody wanted to see the auto industry go bankrupt, so the workers stepped up and said they will give up their cost-of-living adjustment to help save this industry. In reality though, it is 2023, and those workers' wages in real terms are 10 percent less than what they were making in 2008 and 2009. They just want their wages to keep up with inflation. Workers need to be able to support their families. I have talked to these workers. I am in their halls.…”