Political Quotes

“this Sunday, June 19, is Juneteenth, a day we celebrate each year as a reminder that liberty and justice must reach all corners of our great Nation. On June 19, 1865, nearly 2\1/2\ years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and more than 2 months after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, a number of slaves in Galveston, TX, learned that the institution of slavery was no longer. There was no media, no press, no Internet, and no television at that time. As we celebrate Juneteenth, I hope we take a moment to reflect on what it represents, the celebration of liberty and freedom for all Americans. Sadly, 151 years later, we have much work to do to ensure that all citizens are treated equally, no matter their race, religion, national origin, or whom they love. We must ensure all of our citizens can assert their right to vote. Our Nation continues to struggle to make the ballot box more accessible for those who continue to be disfranchised in a number of areas, including ex-felons. They have done their time. Let them be a part of society. We want them to come back and be citizens and a part of the network of our great communities. Let them vote. Here in our Nation's capital, Washington, DC, more than 600,000 residents in the District of Columbia--that is how many live here-- continue to face taxation without representation. I have been here a long time, and I have always supported Statehood for DC. Why not?…”