There is nothing holy about that. Nothing.

I think that one of the largest threats that we face in our country today is the unmitigated assault on our democracy, and that starts with the assault on particularly African American and black voters in our country.

And if I may, how are all of these efforts that we are seeing today any different from what we fought against in the Civil Rights Movement several decades ago?

You know, I am speechless, right, because, I mean, that is one of the things that we confront when those who are charged with carrying out our voting laws are also running for office and abusing that.

I thank the chairwoman for the generous introduction and time on this bill. Madam Chair, the fact of the matter is that innocent children, families, and the elderly in Puerto Rico are dying. They are breathing poisoned air, and they are…

I commend my colleague, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, on her legislation, Recognizing Poverty Act, that tackles the inadequacy of our current poverty measured.

We do not truly understand the actual status of where people are.

the official poverty measure is largely based on 1950's, family arrangements, and spending patterns

The people caring for our own children--

We are not doing enough by our own people in a democracy that is supposed to be by the people and for the people.

The idea and this metaphor of a bootstrap started off as a joke because it is a physical impossibility to lift yourself up by a bootstrap.

I am testifying today not only as a Member of Congress, but as a former child of a family in poverty and who has family that continues to live in poverty.