Top 66 Charles B. Rangel Quotes

The challenges African-Americans are facing today are rooted in the system of slavery.

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.

From leading the world into the age of democracy to spearheading the technological revolution, America has always been at the forefront of greatness.

The promise of the American Dream requires that we are all provided an equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to our nation.

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.

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.

Since coming to Congress in 1971, I have been fighting to help create an environment where the goals of the National Work and the Family Month can become a reality.

Living in America means enjoying freedoms that people in many other countries cannot.

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.

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.

Under Saddam Hussein, the nation of Iraq possessed and used chemical weapons against both their own Kurdish population and Iranian military forces.

We don’t windsurf in Harlem.

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.

So many deaths could be prevented if measures were implemented to expand background checks and keep individuals like John Hinckley from ever buying firearms in the first place.

As the wealthiest nation on Earth, we have made a commitment to provide health care for those over 65. In order to pay for this, each of us should contribute the same, flat percentage of our earned income.

This country was founded upon the principle that we are all endowed with certain inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – those rights are what make America great, and they belong to each and every one of us.

I really think that most people around the world know how well-intended Americans are.

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.

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.

As a Korean War Veteran, I know too well the troubling nature of war. This is why I will always support a diplomatic answer before military intervention.

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.

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.

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.

I am struck by how casually we as a nation react to the carnage in Iraq.

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.

A default on our debts as a result of not meeting our obligations would be a disaster for the stock market, and Americans would see their retirement funds shrivel up.

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.

Encouragement of higher education for our youth is critical to the success of our collective future.

I am running for re-election no matter who runs.

I’m in the kitchen and I’m not walking out.

I am proud to represent New York’s 13th Congressional District, which has one of the largest and diverse populations in the country.

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.

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.

As a member of Congress, I believe Congress must provide oversight of actions by the Executive Branch as our system of checks and balances requires.

The right to vote should be considered sacred in our democracy.

As a veteran, I know firsthand the satisfaction there is in defending the democracy you so strongly believe in, but I can also attest to the trauma encountered from combat on the battlefield.

At least 23,000 civilians have also died in the Iraqi killing field and the U.S. is stuck in a quagmire.

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.

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.

I authored the Universal National Service Act because I believe that everyone in America should contribute to the greater good of America.

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.

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.

The people who couldn’t get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black.

The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide health security by driving competition, lowering premiums, and protecting families.

A greater tax deduction for students is not a handout. On the contrary, it helps those who are willing to meet the challenges of higher education to invest in our collective future.

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.

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.

When people are healthy and not hungry, they are stronger workers building a robust economy.

We must urge a national dialogue on better methods of curbing preventable gun violence, and address the need for mental health awareness and access to psychiatric services in this country.

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.

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.

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.

America was born as a nation of immigrants who have always contributed to its greatness.

Hurricane season routinely strikes the Caribbean harder than the U.S.

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.

I was proud to march beside some of the most notable Civil Rights activists, such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Joseph L. Rauh, Jr., from Selma to Montgomery.

Since most American students cannot simply pay their full tuition out of pocket, financing a college education often takes the form of loans, both private and from the government.