Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day.
Charles B. Rangel
A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty.
The promise of the American Dream requires that we are all provided an equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to our nation.
Encouragement of higher education for our youth is critical to the success of our collective future.
The War Powers Act requires presidents to seek the consent of the American people, through their representatives, before sending our troops into war. It is the responsibility of Congress to deliberate and consult with the executive branch before involving ourselves in a military conflict.
Immigrants have faced huge obstacles to achieving the American Dream, yet have persevered to overcome them.
Living in New York City, I am reminded by the Statue of Liberty that the United States of America has always welcomed those yearning to breathe free and seek a better life.
Since the Korean War, U.S. and South Korea have established an enduring friendship with shared interests, such as denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, combating aggression abroad and developing our economies.
Supporting mental wellness is crucial to any goal of decreasing gun violence in America.
Thousands of people may have been killed by hurricane Katrina and many more could die in its aftermath because of the President's refusal to heed the calls of governors for help in repairing the infrastructure in their states.
The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide health security by driving competition, lowering premiums, and protecting families.
By requiring all 30 million Americans age 18 to 25 to perform two years of national service, in the military or civilian life, we will be asking for a shared sacrifice from all American citizens.
The victor will be the one who gets the most voters out.
Hurricane season routinely strikes the Caribbean harder than the U.S.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was indeed a vital instrument of democracy, ensuring the integrity and reliability of a democratic process that we as a Country hold so dear.
The Iraq war took priority over domestic disaster prevention.
In the battle of Kunu-ri, more than 5,000 American soldiers were killed, wounded or taken as prisoners of war. Ninety percent of my unit was killed.
Today many Caribbean workers can be found in the hospital, construction, service and hotel industries, but there is also a growing professional sector.
To honor the legacy of veterans and the democratic principles they fought for, I am glad that I introduced the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act which was enacted in 2009.
As a high school dropout, I understand the value of education: A second chance at obtaining my high school diploma through the G.I. Bill led me to attend college and law school and allowed me the opportunity to serve in Congress.
In various fields, such as science, technology, sports, business and the arts, immigrants enrich our culture every single day.
Our immigration policy should be driven by what is in the best interest of this great country and the American people. Comprehensive immigration reform will strengthen U.S. security and boost economic growth.
No American should live in fear of going to work or sending their kids to school. Let's end the fear. Let's enforce existing gun laws.
We owe it to the flood victims of New Orleans to give them truthful answers as to why this event took place and to assure our citizens that tragedies like this will never happen again.
The people who couldn't get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black.
We can't have Harlem become one borough for the rich.
I am proud to represent New York's 13th Congressional District, which has one of the largest and diverse populations in the country.
When thousands of men and women work full time but need food stamps to put food on their tables, when they can't get health benefits, when they can't get paid sick days, then we must do whatever we can to stand up for them.
No one looks forward to a recount.
Meanwhile, our young men and women whose economic circumstances make military service a viable career choice are dying bravely in a war with no end in sight.
Since the enactment of the War Powers Act in 1973, which I supported then and support now, Congress has been reluctant to assert its authority when presidents decide to send American soldiers into harm's way.
Full participation in government and society has been a basic right of the country symbolizing the full citizenship and equal protection of all.
I applaud President Obama for launching his 'My Brother's Keeper' initiative that is aimed to empower our youth to achieve success.
I still remember March 31, 1981, when a deeply disturbed John Hinckley Jr. took aim at President Ronald Reagan and fired shots that hospitalized the Commander-in-Chief and two others, and left his Press Secretary James Brady paralyzed for life.
I am a firm believer that upon release, ex-offenders should be afforded a second chance to become productive citizens by providing rehabilitation and education that will help them join the workforce.
Since January 2003, at the height of the debate on the possible unilateral strike against Iraq, I have advocated for a reinstatement of the military draft to ensure a more equitable representation of people making sacrifices in wars in which the United States is engaged.
There were no weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein was not involved in the September 11th attack.
If there's no relationship with a father who's absent, nobody talks about it.
We don't windsurf in Harlem.
At least 23,000 civilians have also died in the Iraqi killing field and the U.S. is stuck in a quagmire.
I am struck by how casually we as a nation react to the carnage in Iraq.
The United States is historically a nation of immigrants.
The President is destroying the fabric of America with a combined policy of war, tax cuts for the wealthy, and reductions in spending for domestic needs.
Now is the time for the U.S. and the nations of Western Europe who engaged in the slave trade throughout this hemisphere to come forward in a positive way to assist in undoing the harm that was caused by their past colonial policies in the hemisphere.
As a nation we should commit ourselves not only to the fight against terrorism, but to economic justice, defeat of the AIDS epidemic and vestiges of discriminatory policies of all kinds.
Without question, conditions in the Haiti are worse since Aristide's removal, and continue to deteriorate.
Regardless of the nature of their crime or any rehabilitation that may have occurred, these ex-felons cannot participate in the decision-making process of this great Nation.
We love the ability of the people to influence the actions of decision-makers, of lawmakers and presidents to be removed from or elevated to office by the will of voters, and of the community to connect amongst diverse populations through the ballot box.
If we believe in our current penal process, then the penalties imposed by judges and juries should be the only sanctions for one's crime, not the invisible sanctions of the legislature.
The Klan had used fear, intimidation and murder to brutally oppress over African-Americans who sought justice and equality and it sought to respond to the young workers of the civil rights movement in Mississippi in the same way.
