Speeches

Leader Pelosi. “As our guests come in, I’m proud to be joining them as we celebrate in the week of the one year anniversary of the signing of the historic health care bill, which also contained important other legislation relating to education and to our young adults.”

“I would like to acknowledge Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, and Chairman of the CBC Institute, Bennie Thompson. I would also like to acknowledge two founding CBC Members still serving in Congress: Congressman John Conyers Jr. and Congressman Charles Rangel. Other Founding Members include Congressman Ronald Dellums, Congressman Louis Stokes, and Delegate Walter Fauntroy.”

“Leader Pelosi. Good morning. This is a very special month for us because 1 year ago we passed the historic Affordable Health Care Act, which has made a difference in the lives of the American people.
I’m very honored to be here with some of our very special guests, who will be introduced by our colleagues to tell their stories about how America’s families and businesses are affected by the Affordable Health Care Act.”

“Thank you very much, Gail McGovern, for your leadership and the leadership of the American Red Cross. I want to join you in acknowledging the generosity of Safeway and Walgreens for making this Saturday a free one for this very, very important initiative. Thank you, Pia, for all that you have to do, with all that you have been through, to be thinking about how to help other people. And that’s of course what Gabby Giffords is directing and that you are enthusiastically supporting.”

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his hard work to help keep the government open. While many of us will not agree on the legislation before us today, we know it is necessary for us to proceed. So I don’t rise to support or oppose the legislation but instead to comment on the situation that we are in.”

“Thank you, Dr. Katherine Nordal for the honor of the Outstanding Leadership Award. And thank you for your outstanding leadership on behalf of America’s 60,000 practicing psychologists and the millions of patients they serve.”

“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all very much for joining us, weathering this bit of a storm–planes a little later, but here we are to attend to some very important business. I am pleased to welcome all of you to this hearing of the Steering and Policy Committee, under the leadership of our Chair, Rosa DeLauro; Congressman Ed Markey, the Ranking Member of Natural Resources Committee; Congressman Elijah Cummings, the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee; and Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, a leader in sustainability in the Congress. Congressman Rob Andrews, thank you for your leadership. Jared Polis, thank you for your joining us. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, all the way from Hawaii, and the first one here I think.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentle lady for yielding. I commend her for her leadership on the very important issue–the health and well being of the American people. I rise in opposition to the amendment that is on the floor today and also the underlying bill of which it is a part. The American people are desperate for jobs. They have sent us here to work together to create jobs. In the sixth week of this new Majority, not one piece of legislation has come forward to create one job. Showing the lack of ideas to do so, the Republican Majority has chosen instead to change the subject, to take up a bill of such consequence without hearings, without really an open process, to make amendments to it with the allusion of open debate.”

“I do want to just mention, before we go into the questions and answers that, again, as we gather here, in Wisconsin right now, we are watching an extraordinary show of democracy in action. Wisconsin’s workers, teachers, and public servants must have a seat at the table to fight for good wages and a safe workplace.”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the amendment presented by Congresswoman Eshoo on behalf of the public interest, the people’s interest, free elections, and a healthy, transparent, and open public discourse. More than one year ago, the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending–secret unlimited corporate spending–and influence over our campaigns and our public policy debates.