Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from New York for yielding. ``Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.'' Those words appear on the Statue of Liberty that stands tall in New York Harbor. Today, we are here in this Chamber doing violence to a model that has served this country well. We have a humanitarian crisis in this country: tens of thousands of unaccompanied children have fled violence in Central America and migrated to our southern border. Our response has not been consistent with the notion that America is a country of individuals from all over the world, and a compassionate one. Lady Liberty is crying right now because of the callous response of House Republicans. Some of the children who have come here may not have a valid legal basis to remain, but some will. If a child has a credible fear of persecution; if a child was abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent; if a child was victimized by a highly violent criminal act and suffered emotional or physical damage, under current law they have a valid legal basis to remain. House Republicans are threatening to take that away, inconsistent with our values. That is why I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule and on the underlying legislation.”