Political Quotes

“Today we honor the tradition of defining our party's agenda for this Congress. I take this duty seriously. Because I take our times seriously. We live during an extraordinary moment not only in the history of America, but in the history of the world. And it is my goal--and the goal of my caucus--to look to the future and seize the opportunities that such times offer. Social Security has been one of the great triumphs in the history of our government. It has lifted millions of seniors from poverty into dignity and provided an essential safety net for disabled citizens. But soon our Social Security system will be unable to sustain itself. A program created for security will itself become insecure. Social Security works well for those at or near retirement. And, for these men and women, Social Security must remain the same and provide the same benefits. But for future retirees, the future is less certain. That is, of course, if we fail to act. Then we will know the outcome: the retirement of the baby boom generation will place an unsustainable burden on younger Americans. The President is right to call on the Congress to rise to this crisis. I believe we have an opportunity to rise above partisanship, to do what is right rather than what is expedient, and to leave a legacy of leadership for our children. This Congress will continue to meet the challenge of our generation, to fight and win the war on terror.”