Political Quotes

“Let me thank the gentlelady for yielding. I also thank you and your staff for coordinating not only this Special Order but each Special Order each and every Monday night, or the first night when we are in session, but especially tonight as we close out Black History Month. This is such an important time for this discussion. I also thank you, Congresswoman Christensen, for your visionary and bold leadership as you continue to make history. Truly, you have done remarkable work here in this body. It is really especially poignant that this year during Black History Month, the Republican leadership has proposed a budget for fiscal year 2011 that will fall most heavily on the backs of the most vulnerable in our society: African Americans, Latinos, and the poor, those who have been shut out of the American Dream. At a time when we should be remembering and uplifting the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to the history, culture, civil rights and economy of America, we are literally during this month debating steps that will severely undercut and undermine that legacy. Can we, Mr. Speaker, cut nearly $750 million from the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, the WIC program, while we have a record high unemployment rate throughout our country, but especially among African Americans? We can't do that. The unemployment rate among African Americans is over 15 percent.…”