Political Quotes

“the function of this Congress is to answer the question: Who are we? And one of the most defining characteristics of who we are is that we are a meritocracy. That is the reason why we are as strong and as wealthy and as influential as we are all over the globe. People come from all parts of the globe to America because they know that they will be judged here on the basis of their goodness as a member of society and their ability as a contributor to our economy. That's all this legislation does. The people that it is directed to have no more control over their sexual orientation than the color of their skin. All we are saying is that you will be judged on your ability to contribute, not on any other artificial distinction. As a sponsor of ENDA, I would have favored the further amendment by Congresswoman Baldwin, but the fact is that this is a civil rights struggle, and struggles take time. But this measure today is a powerful sign of enlightenment and progressive change in America. It is defining legislation. I urge all my colleagues to vote for it.”