“The thoughts of the world are with the people of Burma as they struggle to recover from the catastrophic cyclone this weekend. It is our hope that the worst in Mother Nature can bring out the best in human nature.”

“The holiday of Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican people over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is a holiday of great patriotism and pride. In America, it is also a celebration of the determination, patriotism and rich contributions that Mexican Americans, and all Hispanics, have made to the United States.”

“Americans don’t have to wait for the statistics to know these are very hard times. For the fourth month in a row, the economy lost jobs in April. The economists said the contraction was not as bad as expected — 20,000 jobs were shed versus an anticipated loss of 75,000. Not as bad as expected is cold comfort.”

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to some 1,100 Miami Dade College North graduates about realizing the American dream.”

“Always be open to and ready for new opportunities that present themselves to you. Prepare for the possibilities the future holds for you. Follow your passion.”

“U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a speech before Alabama Democrats on Friday night accused President Bush of leading the nation into war, into debt and politicizing the nation’s Justice Department.”

“Today’s jobless numbers, combined with slowing consumer spending and nearly flat wage increases, are additional evidence of the need for Congress and the President to work in a bipartisan way on additional steps to get our economy back on track.”

“Today, as gas prices increased a record 18th day in a row, the FTC will take the long overdue action of moving forward on efforts to examine the manipulation of energy prices. I thank the FTC for heeding our call to protect consumers by using this new authority to probe oil and gasoline prices and punish those who manipulate the price at the pump.”

“As May begins, we again celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, recognizing the contributions, reflecting upon the history, and embracing the diverse cultures of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across the nation.”

“The Congress will respond rapidly to the growing urgent need for international food assistance. This is not only a humanitarian issue; it is a matter of national security as well.”