Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, in the last 18 days, nearly 1.5 million Americans have been cut off from their emergency unemployment benefits, and tens of thousands more Americans will lose their benefits every week without congressional action. Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported that 2.3 million children live with a long-term unemployed parent, triple the number since the recession started in 2007; and losing unemployment benefits will be devastating to so many of these families. This is unconscionable. And what have my Republicans colleagues in the House done to address this issue? Nothing. Speaker Boehner's refusal to have a vote to extend emergency unemployment benefits is shortsighted, bad for our economy, and devastating for the 1.5 million Americans who have been cut off from this vital lifeline. Congress is set to adjourn in 24 hours; and instead of offering a solution to extend emergency unemployment benefits, this rule does not allow us to preserve this important assistance and ignores the serious needs of our constituents. It is outrageous that the House of Representatives would leave town again without taking action to renew this critical program to help struggling American families. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring this important legislative fix to the floor without delay to resolve this problem for our constituents.”