Political Quotes

“I want to take up where the chairman left off. This is $26 billion that is paid for, and my Republican friends on the other side of the aisle don't want to do that, even though it is paid for. It will bring back teachers and it will bring back first responders. And instead, they want a $700 billion tax break for the rich that is not paid for. So that doesn't make any sense to me at all. Madam Speaker, 160,000 education jobs could be lost if we do nothing, including 8,000 in my home State of New York. Congress can't sit by and let these jobs disappear and hurt our children. This assistance is critical to States as they struggle through the recession. This includes a $10 billion education jobs fund that will save 140,000 teachers. It is not a payoff to the teachers union, it is a payoff to our children and for the future of this country. This will prevent deep cuts in education, health care, and social services. So, Madam Speaker, we should not play politics with American jobs. I continue to urge support for this bill to ensure that Americans are working and our economy is well onto the road to recovery.”