Political Quotes

“I want to thank the gentleman from California both for his longstanding leadership and the history of his emphasis on how important our children are. As a founder and chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I'm delighted to have joined with my colleague, Congresswoman Bass, and various cochairs of the Foster Care Caucus on the bipartisan legislation that the Uninterrupted Scholars Act is, and the bicameral legislation, and to also add appreciation to Chairman Kline of Minnesota and to Senator Landrieu for her leadership and partnership. I know of her great interest on the issues of both domestic adoption and international adoption. Certainly, unfortunately, the system of foster care has many times, when it has not been intended to, been, if you will, a place of hopelessness. This legislation wants to provide a lifeline to foster care children, particularly as they approach adolescence and high school and going on to college, so that they can be taken out of the abyss of hopelessness. I've had the opportunity, of course, to be able to meet with foster care children both in my district and here when they've lobbied on the Hill, and their stories are both of passion and commitment to having a future, a commitment to serving the Nation, a commitment to making a difference. Why shouldn't they have the opportunity to make a difference? Why can't they be considered just like those who have different lifestyles, if you will, in terms of a family situation?…”