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.
— Charles B. Rangel
I authored the Universal National Service Act because I believe that everyone in America should contribute to the greater good of America.
Dr. King's famous 'I Have a Dream' speech was delivered at 'The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom,' a call to justice beyond the traditional civil rights movement's focus.
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.
America's legacy has been crafted by generations of hard-working men and women who moved to the United States from all over the globe to pursue their dreams.
Not having insurance not only destroys your life, it destroys your fiscal life. It breaks up marriages. You cannot functions anywhere unless you have good health.
What are we Democrats fighting for? We are not fighting for salvation and going to heaven. But we are fighting for Medicaid, Medicare, health care, education, jobs, helping old folks.
The victor will be the one who gets the most voters out.
If there's no relationship with a father who's absent, nobody talks about it.
I've been beat up pretty badly. Pretty badly. Yet at the end of the day, everyone says I'm doing a pretty good job.
For a member to say, 'I'm a lame duck' violates political science 101.
I don't know whether the number of any particular Latino group has made or will make any particular difference in the issues that I am concerned with.
The challenges African-Americans are facing today are rooted in the system of slavery.
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.
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.
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.
The people who couldn't get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black.
After the threat of war is gone, we should not turn our backs on the men and women who eliminated that threat. We should embrace them and keep our promises we made to them.
As a Korean War veteran, I know firsthand and understand the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.
It's morally wrong, and economically self-defeating, that so much wealth flows upwards towards the richest of Americans, while millions work full time but still can't provide for their families.
I am proud to represent New York's 13th Congressional District, which has one of the largest and diverse populations in the country.
I applaud President Obama for launching his 'My Brother's Keeper' initiative that is aimed to empower our youth to achieve success.
We can't have Harlem become one borough for the rich.
Reapportionment is not friendly to a lot of communities and it hasn't been too friendly to mine.
I'm just glad that my community has faith and confidence in me.
My father was absolutely no good.
I am running for re-election no matter who runs.
No one looks forward to a recount.
If you are spending too much, you cut back on spending and you raise your revenues. And that's it.
I, for one, would think both about how far we have come as a country and how much further we need to go to erase racism and discrimination from our society.
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.
Without question, conditions in the Haiti are worse since Aristide's removal, and continue to deteriorate.
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 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.
I went to college and law school with the help of the GI Bill. That experience moved me so much, I dedicated the rest of my life to serving this great country and helping others succeed.
Those of us in the Congress must confront and overcome Republican intransigence to increasing the minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance and protecting food stamps.
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.
In various fields, such as science, technology, sports, business and the arts, immigrants enrich our culture every single day.
Our nation has come so far since 1968 when Dr. King was assassinated, but I know we can do better to achieve The Dream, and that is why I keep marching on.
I didn't ever want to leave Manhattan. I have an abnormal fixation.
I feel terrific.
Of course things get stagnant; people get too used to their environment, but that's why I'm in my district every week, at meetings with my constituents.
I have a record that I'm so very, very proud of, and no campaign is going to take that away.
I don't want to respond to rumors that have no basis at all... But I am willing to respond to questions that the public and the press should know.
If you got problems like unemployment, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and there's a guy that's always been there for you and for your family, then you say 'He's a nice guy. I don't know where he came from or how long he's been here, but Charlie Rangel's the man.' That's what I'm relying on.
I'm in the kitchen and I'm not walking out.
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.
Hurricane season routinely strikes the Caribbean harder than the U.S.
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.
Full participation in government and society has been a basic right of the country symbolizing the full citizenship and equal protection of all.
