Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague from the incredibly strong city of Flint. I had a unique relationship with Congressman Dingell, who we lovingly called ``The Dean'' in Michigan. Because I was a young activist, ``radical,'' always out there protesting for clean air, protesting for good-paying jobs, and he was the person who, even though we had different styles and different approaches to various issues, he never reduced or tried to silence my voice and many of the voices of the young people who were really trying to get the Clean Air Act to be put in place and have corporate polluters be held accountable. As I transitioned into elected office in the Michigan Legislature and became a State representative, within a few months of being a State representative, there was a corporate billionaire who owned a bridge, and there was this whole, huge controversy around whether or not he had a permit or whether or not he was following the environmental impact statement process that is there on the Federal level. This is a community where one in five children has asthma. This is the community I was raised in. It was the first issue that came before me as a member of the State legislature in Michigan, and I was at a loss. Many people said, Congressman Dingell, The Dean, has historical, institutional knowledge of this company, and you should sit down with him and talk to him.…”