Political Quotes

“I want to compliment the Rules Committee for bringing this bill forward today. One of my friends spoke a little earlier and said that Congress cannot determine wealth or it cannot set wages. Yet every year for the 7 years that we have both been here, Congress has given our senior citizens a COLA, cost of living increase, on their Social Security check. For each of those 7 years, we have given retired Federal employees a cost of living adjustment on their check. For each of those 7 years, we have given our military retirees a cost of living adjustment on their check, not for what they are doing but for what they have done. And no one stood up and said we should not do this, because everyone realized that the cost of living has gone up. This week speaker after speaker came to the podium and said that people should value work, and I agree. But if people should value work, then work must have value. And so, yes, the least fortunate in our society, those who by and large have the toughest jobs, they deserve a wage increase. I want to compliment the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], and I want to compliment the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley] for bringing this bill to the floor today. It is long overdue. Let us help those people out.”