Charles Rangel: “My colleagues, I once again rise asking that we immediately consider extending the Federal Unemployment Compensation…”

“My colleagues, I once again rise asking that we immediately consider extending the Federal Unemployment Compensation Act. It seems as though I walked into this movie before, last year, and we were begging once again that we throw away the labels of being Democrat or Republican and reach out to make an appeal as to what makes this country different from other countries. This is the only country in the world that no one wants to leave and everyone wants to come in. And it's not because of the differences we have with the rich and the poor. It's that always in this country we extended hope. We allowed people to believe that they were never really truly alone. And then we find a circumstance that Americans, hardworking Americans are trying to fulfill that American Dream--once again not to become a Wall Street broker, and certainly not to be living a life of poverty, but to join that middle class that has been the engine for hope and economic advancement for our country. And we find this situation now that, through no fault of their own, these dreams have been shattered. People have not only lost their jobs, but they've lost their self-esteem, they've lost their savings, they have not been able to send their kids to college. And so what is it that we can do since it's abundantly clear that in this Congress there is a gridlock? And we don't want you to lose hope because there's things that Americans can do.…”