“On behalf of all Members of Congress, I am so pleased to welcome Judy Chu to the House of Representatives. As the first Chinese-American woman elected to Congress, her victory is a source of pride to many.”

“Because of the efforts of the NAWJ, there are more young women in law school, more women lawyers, and more women judges than at any time in American history. You are truly changing the face of justice in America.”

“The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 makes dramatic investments in ensuring that higher education is more affordable, and it does so at no additional expense to the taxpayers – in fact, it saves money. This legislation transforms the financial aid system to put students first, and gives students and their families more reliable and effective loan options.”

“I am particularly pleased to appoint Jared Polis to the Board of Visitors given the strong ties between his congressional district and the academy near Colorado Springs and his expertise in the field of education coupled with his commitment to our national security,” said Speaker Pelosi. “Loretta Sanchez will continue her service to the board, bringing her leadership and strong background in issues pertaining to our national security.”

“The passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act out of the Senate HELP Committee is further evidence of great momentum in Congress for reforming health care for America’s middle class. After decades of trying, this puts us one step closer to real reforms that will put patients and doctors – not insurance companies – in charge of their own health care and provide Americans and American businesses with the choice of quality, affordable, accessible health care they need and deserve. It will give Americans stability and peace of mind that they cannot be denied care or coverage for pre-existing conditions.”

“The American people deserve nothing less than a full explanation of why so many people lost their homes, their life’s savings, and their hard-earned pensions,” said Pelosi. “To avoid a financial crisis of this magnitude in the future, the commission will conduct a thorough, systematic, and non-partisan examination of the failures in both government and financial markets. The men and women we are appointing today bring great experience and credibility to the work of the Commission.”

“Father Floyd was spurred to act on behalf of the poor by his deep faith. As we are instructed in the Gospels, he ministered to the needs of the sick and the hungry with deep respect. He once told me that God loves poor people in a special way; indeed He does, through the love of Father Floyd”

“It gives us the opportunity to say thank you — thank you to the Netherlands on this 400th anniversary on your participation in making America a great country from the start, your leadership in making the world a safer place by your participation and leadership, not only in Afghanistan, but in Iraq, as part of NATO.”

“Today, the Obama Administration allocated nearly $9 million to the City of San Francisco to combat homelessness. These critical funds will help many families most in need in our community pay for their housing costs.”

“This is so important to the middle class. You cannot be denied care from a pre-existing condition. If you change jobs, lose your job, or start a new business, you still have health care. This is very important to the entrepreneurial spirit of America. Inaction is not an option for us. That is why we are still on schedule to do what we have planned, to vote on this legislation before we leave for the August recess.”