Speech
Speech
June 7, 2012
“For the 25 years that I have been in Congress, and the time before, a special focus [I] have always had - heartbreak for us - on the AIDS issue and those who were afflicted by it, especially our young teens, many of them who were homeless and [in] communications that we have had with them over the years, tells me that it takes a very special kind of person, a person like Adam Tenner, for eleven years to not only minister to the needs for prevention and testing and the rest, but to listen and accommodate the thinking and the priorities of these young people. I know they are possessed with great wisdom now aren't they Adam? And they are teenagers. They are teenagers and it's really a big, wonderful opportunity to save lives, to improve the quality of life, to stop the progress of HIV and AIDS in young people and if you're young, and you're on the street, and you have HIV and you're broke, it's really a challenge."
Speech
May 25, 2012
“I love that song, especially the second verse that Martin sang: ‘oh beautiful for patriot dreams that sees beyond the years.' That's exactly what the people who envisioned this bridge did. They saw beyond the years in many ways - certainly as a physical structure, but all that it stands for. ‘Thine alabaster city gleams undimmed by human tears.' That's San Francisco, isn't it? It reminds me of San Francisco every time I hear it sung, never more beautifully than Martin Scott. Usually you hear him, he's a member of the Park Service, but we hear him down at Glide Memorial on Sunday mornings. Martin, thank you so much for lifting us all up with your beautiful voice and that beautiful song. Thank you. I'm rather overwhelmed. I didn't know this is what I was coming out to this morning."
Speech
May 16, 2012
"It's a very important day; as we gather here, in the floor of the House we're debating in the Violence Against Women Act. Some of the women engaged in the debate may be joining us to answer some of your questions momentarily - depending on the timing on the floor. Eighteen years ago it was, Members of Congress came together, in a bipartisan way, to make history: with the original passage of the Violence Against Women Act, we helped ensure that the victims of domestic violence would no longer have to suffer in silence."
Speech
May 14, 2012
"I just want to take this time and say that on behalf of our entire delegation, how pleased we are to be in Hungary at this important time. And why we are here at this important time. I want to introduce them, I'll do it by seniority. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, represents the Silicon Valley in the Congress of the United States, and she is a friend of, as Californians we all know, of Ambassador Kounalakis. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York state. Congresswoman Jean Schmidt of Ohio, who is with us. And of course, as Representatives in Congress, we're always on call, another Member who has to address some concerns in her district, so she may be joining us momentarily, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, first African American woman elected from the state of Alabama, a freshman Member."
Speech
April 4, 2012
"Good afternoon everyone. I'm pleased to call to order this important meeting of the Steering and Policy Committee with appreciation to our Chair, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, who will preside over today's presentations. I'm also pleased to be joined by the Chair of our Caucus, Congressman John Larson of Connecticut and the Ranking Member on the Natural Resources Committee, Congressman Ed Markey, former Chair of the Energy-Security Select Committee. Also, pleased to be joined by Congressman Cicilline of Rhode Island, Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland, our Chairman, Sandy Levin, of the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia and, also from Virginia, Mr. Moran."
Speech
March 29, 2012
“Thank you Madam Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding and I thank him for his tireless efforts on behalf of America's workers, for his attempts to bring to the floor a bipartisan transportation bill, as has been the custom in our House. And as we do have the opportunity to do, by taking up the Senate bill."
Speech
March 29, 2012
“Thank you for bringing us a balanced budget to the floor, a balanced option on how we go forward, to the floor. Yes, we know we have to make cuts, we have to increase revenue, but most of all we have to increase jobs. Growth is what is important. And what a difference between these two budgets - the budget that Mr. Van Hollen is proposing, and the Ryan Republican budget, is that the Ryan Republican budget loses jobs. The Van Hollen budget, the Democratic budget, is a job creator. It's a job creator, it also invests in education - think of it, if you're a student and you have a student loan, on July 1st, your interest rate will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, Ryan Republican budget says: ‘that's just fine.' The House Democratic budget prevents that from happening."
Speech
March 28, 2012
“Thank you Mr. Speaker. I thank the Speaker for yielding and I'm proud to join him to honor the long and distinguished service of the House Parliamentarian, John Sullivan."
Speech
March 27, 2012
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I couldn't resist the opportunity to come to the floor to speak on the situation that we have before us. I thank the gentleman from West Virginia, for his ongoing leadership in terms of bipartisanship and constructive legislation to rebuild America, which is so important to us."
Speech
March 26, 2012
“Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I thank the distinguished Ranking Member of the Budget Committee for yielding. Tell him how proud he makes us all, for his important work in constructing a Democratic alternative to the Republican budget that is, Mr. Van Hollen's budget proposal, is a statement of our national values. It says to the American people: ‘what is important to you, about the education and health and well-being of our children, the economic security of their families, the health security of our seniors. Those are important values to us.' And those values are reflected in the Democratic alternative."