Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Cicilline for organizing this Special Order hour. I rise to mark Pride Month. Pride is an important opportunity for all of us, regardless of our orientation, to come together and celebrate our Nation's diversity and to keep striving to perfect this Union, to make sure that there is truly freedom and equality for all. As a gay person growing up in New Hampshire, it wasn't always easy for me to see a path forward and to know that there would be a place for me in my community. But I am really fortunate that my family and my community welcomed me for who I am. I couldn't be more proud today to be able to serve them in Congress and to continue this fight for equality. All people deserve to live their lives as their true selves, without fear of harassment, discrimination, violence, or imprisonment. But we know many LGBTQ+ Americans don't have the same legal protections that are guaranteed to others. No one should be a second-class citizen in this country, and they shouldn't be a second-class citizen anywhere in the world just for being LGBTQ+. Unfortunately, we know that far too many people face violence and persecution just for being who they are. In Afghanistan today, LGBTQ+ people have been harassed, attacked, and sexually assaulted due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. I called for the State Department to allow LGBTQ+ Afghans to access the U.S.…”