"But here we are again. Last year, the Senate overwhelmingly, in a bipartisan way, passed the Violence Against Women Act. Last night, they did [again]. Now, we’re calling upon the majority in the House to bring that bill to the floor. Delay is not an option, every moment of delay is harmful to women – a delay when so many women are still forced to suffer in silence in the face of abuse. It’s not an option when women fear for their lives, really – in their own homes, or in the workforce. It’s not an option when the safety of millions of Americans – members of the LGBT community, Native Americans, and immigrants are at stake, particularly with the delay in the House..."

“The President’s objectives match the priorities of House Democrats. It is time to create jobs through manufacturing, investments in education and training, and support for clean energy jobs and a modern infrastructure. It is time to heed the President’s call for real progress to reverse the rising tide of climate change, enact comprehensive immigration reform, and prevent gun violence."

“Today, the Senate acted to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act, protecting and preserving a critical line of defense for women and families against domestic abuse. This is the second time the Senate has voted to renew and expand this landmark law in the 501 days since it expired. House Republicans refused to bring this comprehensive legislation to the floor last year; now, it’s time for them to follow the Senate’s lead, allow a vote on this strong, bipartisan measure, and send this bill to the President’s desk without further delay."

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner calling on House Republican leadership to cancel the upcoming nine-day House recess until an agreement is reached to avert the sequester.

“The repeal of the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy ensured that any American can serve the nation they love regardless of whom they love. Now, founded on that same principle, all of the loved ones of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen will enjoy more of the benefits, rights, and responsibilities of their fellow military families."

“Although Pope Benedict XVI is stepping aside, the world will continue to be inspired by His Holiness’ spirituality, leadership, and vision for the future. We all thank him for his legacy of concern for children and wish him well.”

"Well, I think that sequestration is a bad idea all around. It should be something that is out of the question. The fact is we’ve had plenty of spending cuts – $1.6 trillion dollars in the Budget Control Act – what we need is growth. We need growth with jobs and if you have spending cuts – the education of our children and other investments like the National Institutes of Health, where you are hindering growth, you’re not going to reduce the deficit..."

“To protect and defend, that is the oath of office that we take and we had a very informed discussion about gun violence prevention throughout – I would say that was part of almost every discussion that we had. Our theme has always been reigniting the American Dream, building ladders of opportunity for those who want to work hard, play by the rules, take responsibility. In introducing President Clinton today, our distinguished [Democratic Whip], Mr. Hoyer, talked about – well, he’ll tell you – but how the President is a living manifestation of the American Dream and he helped make it possible for so many people."

“San Francisco is blessed with one of the largest and most vibrant Asian-American communities in the country, and I am proud to represent the beauty of our city in Congress. In each generation, the Lunar New Year commemorations of local families remind us of our history as a city and a nation of immigrants – of how every wave of newcomers makes America more American. This year, we will take inspiration from those stories as we work to enact comprehensive immigration reform for our nation."

“To protect and defend, that is the oath of office that we take and we had a very informed discussion about gun violence prevention throughout – I would say that was part of almost every discussion that we had. Our theme has always been reigniting the American Dream, building ladders of opportunity for those who want to work hard, play by the rules, take responsibility. In introducing President Clinton today, our distinguished [Democratic Whip], Mr. Hoyer, talked about – well, he’ll tell you – but how the President is a living manifestation of the American Dream and he helped make it possible for so many people."