Political Quotes

“If we defeat the previous question, I am going to offer an amendment to the rule to bring up a desperately needed $220 million aid package for the people of Flint, Michigan, who have been without clean drinking water for the last 2 years. Mr. Speaker, we have known about this manmade catastrophe for more than a year, and we didn't give the waiver last night to Mr. Kildee's amendment. We have provisions to deal with manmade catastrophes dealing with a variety of issues, prominent among them when a freight rail goes off the tracks and causes their freight, that may very well be harmful to a community, to pollute that community. We act, as we should have here. The Republican majority continues to do nothing about this, hiding behind House rules to block funding and justify its inaction. I really don't understand it. I said last night to all of our colleagues, if it was any one of our communities--and I might add a footnote right there, there are other communities in the United States of America that do have problems with lead poisoning, and it augurs well that we should consider them as well. However, we all know the circumstances of Flint, Michigan. Mr. Speaker, American families are being poisoned by lead- contaminated water. When that happens, we have a moral responsibility to act now. We can't wait any longer. I have heard around here that it is a local and a State responsibility.…”