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Pelosi Remarks at Moms Summit: Addressing the Needs of America’s Families in

August 15, 2018
Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston, Texas for a press conference following ‘Moms Summit: Addressing the Needs of America's Families', which featured panels on the health, economic security, and civic engagement and leadership of American women, with national leaders, academics and advocates. Below are the Leader's remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Thank you! Thank you very much Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Clearly here today, it is obvious that you command the respect of your community and when you put out the word, it happens. And here, as you said, we have the benefit of the intellectual resources of everything that has an effect on a child from maternity to law enforcement, protection against – moms, the Violence Against Women Act. Everything in between in terms of mental health and the rest. So it's a very valuable, valuable presentation and I thank you for it because I came here to listen. To hear the community say what would really make the biggest difference.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, as you know, is a force of nature. She honors our oath of office by protecting the Constitution of the United States, protecting and defending, she honors our veterans and our men and women in the military by honoring the responsibility to keep the American people safe. She honors our values as a member of the Budget Committee as she discussed in her comments. But let me just say this about what she was saying about education and our children.

We just saw a tax bill that gives 83 percent of the benefits to the wealthiest one percent and is going to pay for it by diminishing Medicare, Medicaid, disabilities benefits, Social Security. That's not a statement of America's values. But what is really important for people to know is that northing brings more money to the Treasury to reduce the national debt, to create jobs, to create growth than investments in education. Across the board.

[Applause]

When people say we're going to cut education funding because we have to reduce the debt, it's really a dumb thing to say, because it's the complete opposite that is true. That's why I'm so pleased that we're at Houston Community College, I thank Dr. [Rola] El-Serag, Dr. [Carolyn] Evans-Shabazz and I thank the Chancellor [Dr. Cesar] Maldonado for the work that they are doing because community colleges are the bridge. They are the bridges for families to succeed economically, the bridge for people to further their education if they wish. The bridge for lifetime learning which is necessary as our economy is changing.

And so with that I salute Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. We are here for the people, to lower their health care costs, that's important to families, to increase their paychecks, that's important to families, and to have cleaner government that says your views are what should dominate our policies.

Dr. King said it so well: the ballot, legislation, your life. It's all connected. And what anybody wants, the vote of anyone, to know what the values are, what the values are of our children, our children, our children.

Again, as a mother of five, while children were growing up it bothered me that one in five children lived in poverty. That's my reason, that's my why, that's my purpose for being involved in politics and, again, when I came to Congress – and she came later, Sheila Jackson Lee – to see her form a Children's Task Force to be concerned about every aspect of children's lives, she's really a champion. And I salute her for that. And I thank you for the invitation.
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Issues:Health Care