Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague from the Silver State for anchoring the CBC Special Order on this incredibly important topic related to the ongoing problem, I would argue, epidemic, of police violence largely directed at communities of color. The most recent situation, of course, occurred in Ferguson, Missouri, with the tragic killing of Michael Brown, and we all join our colleague, Lacy Clay, as well as the CBC chair, Marcia Fudge, in pushing for justice, which we believe is most likely to occur through a Federal investigation that is now ongoing. But, unfortunately, the problem brought to light for so many across America, particularly the neighborhoods that I represent in Brooklyn, New York, by the killing of Michael Brown is all too familiar for many communities across this great Nation. In fact, back in July of 1967, President Lyndon Baines Johnson appointed what came to be known as the Kerner Commission, an 11-member commission to study the causes of civil unrest in urban America that had been taking place since 1964 and into 1965 and throughout 1966 into 1967, prompting Lyndon Johnson--one of our greatest Presidents, though that is not often acknowledged, given the leadership he demonstrated on domestic issues--to appoint this Kerner Commission. The vice chair of the commission was the then-New York City Mayor, John Lindsay, a former distinguished Member of this House.…”