Political Quotes

“I have been in the Senate during 9/11, for Hurricane Katrina, for the 2008 financial crisis, and I still have never experienced anything like what we are seeing today. These are truly extraordinary circumstances, and the stories I am hearing from my constituents and from people across the country are crushing. Some of the most heartbreaking stories are the ones about people who want to do the right thing in this moment but are having to choose between staying home, as public health experts say we must, and paying the rent or putting food on the table. I am hearing from workers like Cristal Westwood from Auburn, WA. She and her husband just welcomed their first child on February 7 of this year. They both have autoimmune diseases, but her husband's job is not allowing him to work from home. And she says: This is an extremely stressful situation for our family. We have the option for my husband to take leave without pay for the next month or so, but that would mean we wouldn't have any income coming in to support our family. He could use up all of his sick and vacation time, but that would mean he doesn't have any left for the rest of the year in case something happens. Both of those options don't seem right. I agree. That is not right. A pastor in Tukwila, WA, shared similar concerns from a parent in their congregation with school-aged children who worries: What if they call off school? I don't have anyone to care for the kids.…”