Political Quotes

“I appreciate my colleague's effort to boost funding for a successful assistance program such as the Merida Initiative. The flow of drugs into the United States is a serious concern and more emphasis should be put on both the demand and supply side of the issue. However, I cannot support an amendment to take from another very successful program such as the Fulbright Program. The Fulbright Program is our flagship public diplomacy program. It has run for over 70 years and boasts more than 370,000 alumni that are now in leadership positions and have a positive connection with the United States. These alumni include 37 current or former heads of state, 57 Nobel Laureates, 82 Pulitzer Prize winners, 29 MacArthur Fellows Foundation, 16 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, and thousands of leaders across private, public, and non-private sectors. There are 1,300 U.S. institutions that actively participate in the Fulbright Program, either receiving or sending students to become global citizens, a requirement in today's interconnected economy. In our challenging times, Mr. Chairman, we cannot hinder such an effective diplomatic tool as the Fulbright Program.”