Political Quotes

“Madam President, I want to talk about the tragedy this week in Oklahoma. This is the 2-year anniversary of the Joplin tornado we had 90 miles from my home, a district that I represented for a long time before I came to the Senate and still get to represent now as part of our State. But I want to be sure we take time yet again today to let people in Oklahoma know that our thoughts are with them, our prayers are with them. First responders are continuing to search and rescue. Their recovery efforts are happening. Words clearly cannot describe the loss these communities and the community particularly of Moore, OK, have had in the last few days. I know the Nation is praying for them. I am too--for the people who lost children at the local elementary schools. The thought of sending somebody to school in the morning and them not coming home that day is a tragedy that will affect people's lives forever. The friends who are lost, the family members who are lost will always be part of the ongoing impact that they have on that family and that community. In Joplin, MO, 2 years ago we had 161 people die. The community has come back in incredible ways, but you never want to minimize in any way the loss of those 161 lives. Every one of them had a story to tell, just as every one of the people lost in Moore, OK, and in other places in Oklahoma in recent days has a story to tell. It was a big storm. It affected people.…”