Speeches

“Today we focus on moms. We focus on women and say, ‘Thank God being a woman is no longer a preexisting medical condition.’ With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Our work is far from finished. HIV and AIDS is a really resourceful disease. That virus, ever mutating, just when you think that we have it in our sights, it changes. So, we have to be resourceful in our approach to the HIV/AIDS virus because we will not allow HIV and AIDS to claim so many lives when we have within our means the science, the prevention, the care the search for a cure – to make a difference. One of the most exciting parts of it is that we will now be able to have an AIDS-free generation of transmittals from mother to child, which is quite a remarkable – among other remarkable aspects of it.”

“And I hope the message that comes out of this Congress is: there’s a discussion going on, but there’s a values decision that has been made in favor of the American people – that if we have to thread a needle to get a result, let’s do that. But let’s not unravel the whole sweater, because that would not be a comfort to the American people.”

“I’m here to say thank you to Peg Yorkin, to say thank you to Eleanor Smeal for her leadership of even more years than that, and to thank the Feminist Majority for making such a tremendous difference in our country about the respect that people should have for the decisions that women make for themselves, personally, professionally, and in every way.”

“So we have said, we have made that claim. This is, as I said, unprecedented, but is a necessary move to end the Tea Party stranglehold on our government and restore basic services which millions, on which millions of people rely. Didn’t take ‘yes’ for answer, 200 signatures and I wish for unanimous consent to submit this letter for the record.”

“And so many of my colleagues from the House Democratic Caucus and our Republican colleagues as well. I want to acknowledge the presence of [Congresswoman] Nydia Velázquez and thank her and the [Congressional] Hispanic Caucus for taking the lead in passing the DREAM Act in 2010 in the House of Representatives. Thank you, [Congresswoman] Nydia Velázquez.”

“So, I hope that, again, in the interest of the American people, Republicans will take ‘yes’ for an answer to their own proposal and let us sit down and get to work for the American people. Shutting down government, shutting down government should not be an option that is taken lightly by any of us here.”

“This is about defunding the Affordable Care Act. On a day when millions of people are logging in to find out how they can enroll, it’s really a remarkable, historic day where people can receive the values, the promise of our founders of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A healthier life.”

“Don’t exploit them. Don’t use them. We owe them too much. On the battlefield, we leave no soldier behind, and when they come home, we leave no Veteran behind – and all that they know and love. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“But all of these things can be the legitimate, not all, but the stuff about the jobs initiatives and investing in the future of the legitimate debate of priorities that is the budget debate. And that’s what I hope that the Republicans will allow, something they asked for, the regular order, something they asked for, the $986 [billion] in the bill, something I think we all want: keeping government open.”