Political Quotes

“I thank Chairwoman Maloney for her tremendous leadership on so many issues, including reproductive rights, and for holding a hearing earlier in her committee on abortion and inviting several of us to testify. I am very proud to be here as the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This is our Special Order hour, and I couldn't be prouder to be dedicating this Special Order hour to this critical issue of women's freedom, because that is what we are talking about is women's freedom. The leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court represents an unprecedented, unlawful, and unjust attack on our constitutional reproductive rights. Reproductive rights groups and Black and Brown folks on the front line of this fight have been sounding the alarm for years that this day would come. The leaked draft opinion is a culmination of decades of insidious work from the extreme right, who have rigged the system in their favor. I speak to you, Madam Speaker, today as one of the one in four women in America who have had an abortion. For people to understand how I ultimately decided to have an abortion, I have to start with the birth of my first child, Janak. Janak was born at 26\1/2\ weeks while I was on a 2-year fellowship in India. She weighed only 1 pound 14 ounces, and upon birth she went down to a weight of just 21 ounces. Janak was so small, she fit into the palm of my hand. She was no bigger than a medium-sized squash.…”