Charles Rangel: “My colleagues, as we have the opportunity to debate whether or not our brave young men and women are fighting in wars in…”

“My colleagues, as we have the opportunity to debate whether or not our brave young men and women are fighting in wars in foreign lands that have not been approved by the Congress, as we talk in terms of trillions of dollars as to the national debt that we have acquired and think of ways that we can reduce it, and as we look at our revenue code and recognize that it is just so totally unfair and should be reformed and revamped, millions of people have awakened this morning unable to really consider these important issues because they are without work. Millions of people have lost their self- esteem, have lost their jobs, and some have lost their health insurance. Many have lost theirs homes, others have pulled their kids out of college, cars have been lost for inability to pay, and creditors have been just nightmares to them. Included in this vast amount of people are African Americans, many who have served this country, hardworking people that find themselves not at the 9.2 so-called unemployment rate but at a 16 percent unemployment rate. And this doesn't take into account the millions of people, and especially African Americans, that know that there are no jobs for them. And to be going to the unemployment office just to be counted among the faceless unemployed doesn't make sense. Included among them are veterans that have fought for this country.…”