Political Quotes

“Again, I thank my colleague from Georgia for the great leadership he shows in the Rules Committee and on the floor. Mr. Speaker, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made many comments. Some of them, I am going to do my best to refute comment by comment; others, I am just going to talk about in general. Their one charge is that Congress should stay out of the business of governing D.C. Article I, section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress explicit jurisdiction over the country's seat of government. The extent to which Congress should oversee or intervene in the governance of the District is a debate for another day, but it is clearly our responsibility. Current law compels congressional oversight, and we must exercise responsibly that jurisdiction. That includes acting to stop legislation that clearly violates the constitutional freedoms of the citizens of the District. Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that women are protected by law, both Federal and D.C., from discrimination on the basis of pregnancy. Their personal medical decisions are also private under HIPAA protections. This discussion is not about how someone chooses to conduct their personal affairs. It is about whether the D.C. government may force an organization to hire, retain, and promote someone who actively opposes their central mission and core beliefs.…”