Political Quotes

“as we move toward welfare reform, I want to report an extraordinary standing-room-only hearing by our Commission on Black Men and Boys here in the District last night. I established this 12-man commission after noting serious challenges facing black men about a year ago; just as by focusing on women and children, we made good progress. The problems of black men are deep: 6 percent of the population, 50 percent of inmates in jail, half of all HIV cases. The devastating effect has been on the African American family. This began with a flight of jobs, manufacturing jobs, from the African American community, replaced by an underground economy and an underground culture. We have to do something about those jobs. The lead witness last night was Darrell Green, the legendary football star who started his own foundation to assist youth and who spoke about manhood and about his own policy work. The commission is drawing its own action plan that the city has said it will carry out. I am grateful to the minority staff of the Committee on Government Reform, which is working with me to translate the commission's work nationally to benefit other districts.”