Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, for the whole day today the Republican leadership blocked consideration of a raise in the minimum wage. Then the majority whip, in relation to my speech that I made, said, ``This is blatant politics and blatant hypocrisy.'' His words clearly should have been taken down, but the Speaker disallowed it. Now the Republican leadership shamefully is not allowing us to consider a clean version of the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema health reform bill, even though the American people want it. The American people want to know that if they lose their jobs, they can continue to have health insurance. The American people want to know that if there is a preexisting condition used as a excuse not to give them or a loved one health insurance, that that cannot be used as an excuse anymore. It has bipartisan support in the Senate, and is supported by the President. It represents the minimum that can be done to provide additional health security to the American people. Again, the Republican leadership is blocking it, taking this bill and weighing it down with all kinds of strange things that do not belong in this bill. They know it is going to kill the bill. That is their real motive, to kill this bill. They can pretend they are for health care reform, but in reality what they are doing to this bill kills the bill, and the American people ought to know that.”