Political Quotes

“Government's most solemn obligation is to protect the people it serves. Since 9/11 our government has rightly placed much of its attention on defending the American people from terrorism. But we should not forget that government has a responsibility to safeguard the public from all forms of violence, including violent crime. Violent crime exacts a terrible price. Its costs are measured not only in the number of lives lost but in the number of citizens who live in fear that they or someone they love might be the next victim. Data released on Monday show that violent crime in the United States has fallen over the past few years. However, we cannot become complacent. Despite the positive national trend lines, certain American communities have become less, rather than more, secure. The Federal Government has a particularly strong duty to protect its citizens from violence when that violence is linked to a crime that crosses State or national borders. That is why our government has worked hard to stem the flow of drugs entering the United States through Mexico and to combat drug-related violence along the southwest border. But these efforts, while essential, are not enough. To protect the American people, we must protect the full length of our southern border. As Federal programs like the Merida Initiative choke off drug routes through Central America, narcotraffickers have increasingly turned to the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.…”