Political Quotes

“I want to thank my good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois, Robin Kelly, for once again presiding over this important CBC Special Order hour, as well as her co-anchor, the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, who is right across the Hudson River, and who so ably serves the communities of Newark and beyond. Mr. Speaker, this evening we have heard from so many distinguished members of the Congressional Black Caucus, most recently from the gentlewoman from Texas, with whom I serve on the Judiciary Committee, about the importance of the moment in time in which we find ourselves right now related to not just the Confederate battle flag, but perhaps more importantly: What is the legacy that we want to have as Americans, as Members of Congress, in dealing with the complicated issue of race? It is an honor and a privilege to once again have the chance to come to the House floor to have this conversation. This is a most distinguished venue from which to speak to the American people, an appropriate one, I would add, given the House's constitutional relationship to the people of America, this, of course, being the only institution that was envisioned by the Founding Fathers as one in which the people serving in the institution would be directly elected by the people. The Senate's Members, of course, in its original constitutional version, were elected by the State legislature.…”