Political Quotes

Bob Menendez

The Public Record

Robert Menendez is a prominent Democratic politician currently serving as a member of the United States Senate, representing New Jersey. He was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and has since been re-elected multiple times. Menendez has played a significant role in various policy areas, including foreign relations, immigration reform, and healthcare. He has served on several Senate committees, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he has been an advocate for human rights and democracy abroad.

Quotes by year · 1994–20267,142 total · peak 2023 (749)
1994: 7 quotes1995: 15 quotes1996: 5 quotes1997: 38 quotes1998: 39 quotes1999: 34 quotes2000: 22 quotes2001: 21 quotes2002: 18 quotes2003: 20 quotes2004: 16 quotes2005: 26 quotes2006: 49 quotes2007: 79 quotes2008: 36 quotes2009: 349 quotes2010: 275 quotes2011: 559 quotes2012: 492 quotes2013: 391 quotes2014: 522 quotes2015: 628 quotes2016: 413 quotes2017: 375 quotes2018: 601 quotes2019: 99 quotes2020: 85 quotes2021: 582 quotes2022: 485 quotes2023: 749 quotes2024: 93 quotes2025: 11 quotes2026: 8 quotes

★ Featured Quote

May 31, 2026

As Members of the New Jersey delegation, we will continue to hold the Trump Administration accountable for their unlawful cruelty and we won’t rest until Delaney Hall is closed for good.

— Bob Menendez

Most widely reported

by number of sources
  1. I rise in strong opposition to the bill that is before us today. We hear a lot of nice rhetoric coming from the proponents of this legislation. We hear that the bill is about revenue sharing. We hear that the funds will be used for conservation and coastal restoration. We hear that the bill is about providing parity, and at the same time, there is a lot of rhetoric, but underneath the rhetoric and the rosy picture being painted, one thing is clear: This bill isn't about conservation or infrastructure or environmental restoration. This bill is about one thing and one thing only: another giveaway to Big Oil. It is about paving the way for oil drilling up and down the Atlantic coast. It is about expanding drilling in the gulf, even as those communities work to recover from the BP disaster. It is about turning the Arctic wilderness from a wildlife haven into an oil field. We have seen this from the majority before--a legislative agenda focused on giving handout after handout to Big Oil no matter what the cost to our constituents. The majority party, the party of so-called fiscal conservatism, has no problem breaking out the checkbook when it is time to give billions of dollars of tax subsidies to oil companies. They see no issue with capping the oil industry's liability for the economic costs of offshore oil spills at $134 million--for spills that we know can cost tens of billions of dollars, but their liability is limited at $134 million.…3 sources2016govinfo.gov
  2. since the March 2003 start of the Iraq war, more than 19,157 members of our Nation's Armed Forces have been injured, more than 18,777 of them wounded in action. Imagine that you are one of those wounded. You are an enlisted marine serving your country in Iraq. Your convoy is attacked by Iraqi gunmen and your transport explodes, killing several of your fellow soldiers and wounding many more. You are seriously wounded, so you're medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and then transported to an appropriate medical facility in the U.S. for further stabilization and treatment. As you begin the long road to recovery in the hospital, you may be approached by a Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, counselor who provides you with information about VA medical benefits and vocational rehabilitation and employment services. You may or may not meet with someone from the VA. But you're not ready to think about those things yet. You just want to get better and rejoin your fellow marines in Iraq. Several months later, as you convalesce, Department of Defense, DOD, determines that you should be discharged due to the seriousness of your injuries. But, the discharge process won't become official for at least nine months, and you can't access VA services until it does. This leaves you in limbo, caught somewhere between the DOD and VA systems. You finally return home, still convalescing from your injuries and while there, you finally receive your discharge papers.…3 sources2006govinfo.gov
  3. I recognize the importance of ensuring that our partnership continues to thrive on shared democratic values to prevent backsliding.2 sources2018congress.gov
  4. I rise today in strong support of the Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017, but first I would like to offer my strongest condemnation of the terrorist attack allegedly carried out by ISIS this morning in Tehran, which claimed the lives of 12 people. Attacks on civilians in any corner of the world must be strongly condemned by the United States, and I offer my condolences to the people of Iran and the families who lost loved ones in this latest act of terror. If anything, these events remind us that the entire Middle East is increasingly under siege, and the United States and the entire international community must unite to confront terrorism and extremism in all of its forms. That means holding governments that continue to foment, fund, and encourage terrorism accountable. While the people of Iran suffered a heinous attack today, the unfortunate reality is that the violence, volatility, and profound human suffering that imperils the Middle East are all too often linked back to the Government of Iran. Across the region, this regime continues to pursue policies that threaten the national security interests of the United States. It continues to support terrorism and exert influence through the growing power of proxy actors throughout the Levant and Yemen.…2 sources2017govinfo.gov
  5. I am very pleased that we have been able to work on an agreement on the unanimous consent request that the majority leader just propagated that would provide for votes on these 22 joint resolutions of disapproval over the administration's proposed arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Emirates. I thank the bipartisan group of cosponsors of these resolutions. The majority leader and our staff are diligently working through an unprecedented process. I would also like to briefly engage the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Risch, in a colloquy. I thank the chairman for agreeing to quickly take up two priority pieces of legislation. Earlier this year, I led a bipartisan group of Senators, including a number on the Foreign Relations Committee, in reintroducing legislation to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its devastating actions in Yemen, gross human rights abuses, and the murder of American resident Jamal Khashoggi. I understand the chairman has also been working on such legislation, and we have agreed to use his legislation as a base text to which we will be able to offer amendments, including those that reflect the bipartisan consensus contained in my bill, the Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act.…2 sources2019govinfo.gov
  6. I oppose this amendment because my distinguished colleague and friend put it in a very narrow context. The reality is that this amendment suggests that all agreements, proclamations, or declarations entered into between the United States and Mexico will be preserved. The problem is Congress does not have a clear picture of the international agreements, arrangements, and supporting documents that the Trump administration negotiated with Mexico. I requested those documents for almost 2 years as the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Yet the Trump administration was afraid to put them up for congressional and public scrutiny. Without knowing what they say or how low they may have stooped, I don't see how any Member can take an educated vote on this amendment to consent to that which Members don't even know exists. I, therefore, oppose the amendment for those and other reasons. Point of Order Mr. President, I raise a point of order that the pending amendment is not germane to the underlying resolution and, therefore, violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Motion to Waive2 sources2021govinfo.gov
Apr 23, 2026

I rise today with more heartbreaking stories about the victims of the Trump administration's violent and immoral immigration actions. In my visits to Delaney Hall, I have met with fathers, mothers, and even a pastor who pose no threat to…

govinfo.gov
Feb 12, 2026

I have said for months that no one is safe in Trump's America. From New Jersey to Minnesota, mothers, fathers, children--no one is safe. We have seen people like Greg Bovino and his masked paramilitaries come into our communities and cause…

govinfo.gov
Feb 4, 2026

in the span of 12 weeks, our country was shaken by the tragic killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who lost their lives because of the violent and reckless choices that the Trump administration has made. When I went to Minneapolis…

govinfo.gov
Jan 22, 2026

last week, a mother of three, a U.S. citizen, was killed in broad daylight. You would think in that moment Republicans would find their voice to speak out against the cruelty of this administration. Her children were robbed of memories…

govinfo.gov
Jan 9, 2026

I rise today because I could not leave Washington this week without calling out House Republicans for their hypocrisy. They have been silent while DHS agents shoot Americans in broad daylight and then smear them as domestic terrorists. At…

govinfo.gov
Jan 8, 2026

Yesterday our Nation witnessed the killing of a fellow American in broad daylight, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her name was Renee Nicole Good. She was a concerned citizen and a mother. The loss of her life was entirely preventable. This…

govinfo.gov
Jan 7, 2026

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans ended 2025 by failing to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits causing healthcare costs to skyrocket for millions of Americans. Since President Trump took office, electricity prices have gone up by 13…

govinfo.gov
Sep 11, 2025

24 years ago today, our Nation was changed forever. I remember that day as a high school student. Standing along the Hudson River, a cloud of smoke and destruction hung over the New York skyline. There was palpable fear and terror in the…

govinfo.gov
Sep 10, 2025

I rise today in memory of Sarah Katz, an empathetic, driven, and compassionate young woman, whose life was tragically cut short 3 years ago today. A native of Jersey City and graduate of Elisabeth Irwin High School in New York, Sarah…

govinfo.gov
Jul 22, 2025

I rise today frustrated by the chaos and harm that is being caused by House Republicans under the direction of the Trump administration. This week, the House is coming to a standstill because Republicans refuse to address the Epstein files…

govinfo.gov
Jun 26, 2025

10 years ago today, our Nation made a remarkable step toward equality with the legalization of gay marriage. This was a day that came after decades of advocacy by individuals and organizations across the country, including Garden State…

govinfo.gov
Jun 17, 2025

I'm the victim of a political 'witch hunt' and 'weaponization' at the Justice Department.

nbcnews.com
May 10, 2025

There were a lot of opportunities for DHS, for ICE to…

motherjones.com
May 6, 2025

Last month, an air tourism helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Jersey City killing six people, including three young children. This tragedy is yet another example of the threat that nonessential helicopters pose to public safety…

govinfo.gov
Apr 1, 2025

In recent weeks, the Trump administration and House Republicans have set their sights on the Federal judiciary, calling for unprecedented changes to our courts, attacking the character of dedicated Federal judges, and attempting to…

govinfo.gov
Mar 27, 2025

More than 700,000 New Jerseyans sent me here to be their voice in Congress and to address the challenges they face each and every day. Many of those constituents have sent me messages advocating for what is most important to them…

govinfo.gov
Feb 5, 2025

I thank my incredible colleague Glenn Ivey for convening us here today and for the opportunity to speak. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with our Nation's Federal workers, including the more than 22,000 who live and work in the…

govinfo.gov
Jan 28, 2025

This whole process has been nothing but a political witch hunt.

nytimes.com
Nov 20, 2024

I was not present during Roll Call No. 474. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 474. ____________________

govinfo.gov
Sep 23, 2024

I feel like that voice is lost. And I think it is something that is critically important to make sure that they are a part of the process.

congress.gov
Sep 23, 2024

From your perspective, how has Boeing historically and more recently handled the tension between prioritizing safety while also being a moneymaking enterprise?

congress.gov
Sep 11, 2024

On August 21, New Jersey lost one of the greatest champions in our State's history. Bill Pascrell was more than just a Member of Congress. He was a friend, a mentor, and someone who was loved and admired by many, myself included. Bill was…

govinfo.gov
Sep 11, 2024

23 years ago, the events of 9/11 forever changed our Nation. Family members, friends, neighbors, and loved ones left their homes that morning never to return. Firefighters from across our district answered the call that day. Port Authority…

govinfo.gov
Jul 23, 2024

Increase awareness. More information for communities to put pressure on those local actors to try to make those changes in a quicker fashion.

congress.gov

Politicians like Bob Menendez