Post by bot on Feb 12, 2017 21:09:24 GMT -5
Hoyer: Democrats Are Engaged, Empowered, and Ready to Fight for All Americans
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered remarks at the opening press conference for the House Democratic Caucus Annual Issues Conference. Below is a transcript of his remarks and his responses during the question and answer portion of the event:
"I want to thank everyone for being here… This conference is a misnomer. No one in America ought to think this party is in retreat. This party is energized and has been enabled by the 65 million people who voted for the policies we support and have pursued. As opposed to the 62 million, otherwise known as 3 million less people, who wanted to change those policies. We are engaged, empowered and ready. I want to thank New York’s favorite son, Joe Crowley. In case you thought it was somebody else. New York’s favorite son, Joe Crowley and… California’s favorite daughter, Linda Sanchez.
"We are less safe today in America than we were 4 months ago. Our allies trust us less. The American people have less confidence of what our direction will be from day to day, perhaps from hour to hour. We are dissing our allies—Australia, Mexico, others. We are in fact in retreat, around the world, from what is absolutely essential for global security and that is the full engagement of the United States of America.
"America can be so proud of what it has done over the more than half a century since the close of World War II. It has made this world a safer world. To make it a world, in many respects, more knit together, more understanding of one another, and a country that calls out those who violate human rights and international law.
"Like Leader Pelosi, I don’t know what the deal is that this President makes some equivalency between the United States of America, the most just and fair nation on the face of the earth, with the authoritarian government of Vladimir Putin. This country is less safe when we tell people you’re not welcome to come to America from seven countries who have sent us refugees who have never once committed a dangerous terrorist act in country and the rest of the world believes, perhaps, they’re not welcome either.
"What is the world to think when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence… are [told], ‘you don’t need to come to the national security meetings, but by the way, Steve Bannon, you come to the national security meetings.’ Our nation is less safe with those kinds of policies.
"So we urge the President and we urge our colleagues in the Congress of the United States on the Republican side of the aisle, who raise their hand and did not swear fealty to the President or to party. But raised their hand, as we did, and expressed loyalty, devotion, and commitment to the Constitution of the United States of America and the laws thereof.
"This country is a great country right now. It will be a greater country if we recognize our values, our strength, and all of our people. All of our people. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Not an authoritarian government. Not a government who says judges are ‘so-called judges’ or ‘so-called congresspeople,’ but who recognize that in America we have a system of government that represents all of the people. Now we represent more of the people than the President of the United States but together we need to represent all of the people. And if we do so we will be a more secure country.
"We’re here. Empowered, engaged, and committed as our Chairman has said, to fight for those values and those policies that made America great and will continue to make it great.
"And now, it is my great privilege to yield to the Vice Chair of the Caucus, Linda Sanchez."
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