We respect our elders. There is wisdom that comes from experience, and I am not going to stop learning from wise counsel.

The absence of diverse voices leads to policies and programs that adversely impact African-Americans.

Promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging fitness are so important for our children's development and reducing the nation's epidemic of childhood obesity.

The Ferguson Grand Jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown is a miscarriage of justice. It is a slap in the face to Americans nationwide who continue to hope and believe that justice will prevail.

Black lives do matter, and our lives do hold value.

I don't believe this nation will elect a socialist.

There is this real divisive theory that if we allow more immigrants to come into this country, that they're going to take our jobs. It is simply not true. Every person I know who wants to work in a hotel and change sheets can do it.

In order to govern, you have to win.

We need to address hunger, job training, justice. I can't do it alone. We need to elect people who understand the urgency.

I'm a very direct person just generally. I don't use a lot of words unnecessarily. I try to get to the heart of the issue, address it and go on to the next thing.

Ethnic sensitivity both on-camera and behind it demonstrates a corporate understanding of the benefits of diversity and a genuine respect for the audiences' needs.

You make budget cuts based on what you want to accomplish. You have to decide what is our priority going forward as a country. You cannot do it on the backs of any one group of people... There has to be some balance.

Historically, people of color and the Diaspora have been at the bottom of the barrel, even as it relates to immigration. If we don't engage in the discussion, then what is it that we're saying to people? That we don't care?

Having been a mayor, we prioritized based on where we want our city and our country to go.

I think what we do really want to do is make sure that we take chemical weapons away from Syrians. And I do as well believe that because of the threats that have come from the United States, that Russia and Syria both understand that there needs to be some action.

This is not about race or affiliation, and it isn't about black versus blue. All lives matter.

I want to raise up the next generation of young people who are going to run this community. I need for them to understand government and how it works.

I'm not about sound bites. I'm about substance.

We are world leaders, and we need to act like it.

If we lower the payroll tax, will Americans let us raise it again? I don't think so.

We need to tell the American public the truth. We need to let them know they're not the only ones struggling.

We've lost our way if we turn our backs on millions of Americans in need.

A nation cannot be truly great without a moral compass.

To put it simply, my support of Israel will be just as strong the day after Prime Minister Netanyahu's address as it is today.

It is our job, our responsibility as their representatives to help them. If we choose not to do that, we should not be their representatives.

I especially remain firmly opposed to a nuclear Iran and will review all related policies and proposed actions from that position.

I think calling what Paul Ryan is doing a 'budget' is lending some validity to it. It is not a budget. If it were a budget, he could justify his revenue projections, he could justify his cuts, and he can't. This is a scheme to rob the poor and give to the rich.

Inviting a foreign head of state to address the Congress is a clear breach of protocol and practice, and undermines the U.S. presidency.

You would be amazed how many people call my office looking for work every day.

The times when black women have been successful in confronting and overcoming the structural and institutional sexism and racism that persists in our society have been when we are thoughtful and strategic about speaking up. It's when we've done what it takes to introduce and implement our ideas and our plans to make things better.

Faith and service to others were pillars in Rev. DeBose's life. I knew him as a very kind person and an outstanding public servant.

Unfortunately, my colleagues in Congress have unfairly burdened the Postal Service with a costly, unfunded mandate to pre-pay health care for retirees. No other agency or business has to pay these costs in advance - and neither should the Postal Service.

Any staffing changes that disproportionately cut the number of African Americans at CNN - intentionally or otherwise - are an affront to the African American journalism community and to the African American community as a whole.

Civil rights is unfinished business. Make it your business.

Civil rights in this country is unfinished business, and racism is alive and well.

I'm a very direct person just generally.

As members of Congress, we may disagree with the administration's position on foreign policy matters, but the fact remains: the Executive Branch is tasked with handling diplomatic matters.

We're going to do things that are going to make this country better and reduce the cost of health care.

Anyone that I know who wants to work in these fields by the sweat of their brow, the bend of their back, picking lettuce and fruit, can do it. We don't want those jobs. Let's be real about that.

We'd rather pay farmers millions of dollars not to grow crops than to feed children.

Men and women wonder if merely walking or driving justifies being followed, stopped, or questioned. This practice and the presumption of guilt so often associated with people of color must come to an end.

We have a community where almost 50 percent of the people in the city of Cleveland alone have some type of record. I represent one of the poorest districts in America - out of 435, I'm 422.

I just believe in common courtesy.

Any time something goes wrong, Republicans pick on women and minorities.

If Paul Ryan wants to talk about the soul of America, I ask him to look into his own soul. Because if he is saying we have no soul, he certainly has a hole in his. He needs to understand that every single person in this country has a right to expect that their government will take care of them in their greatest need.

This country must break the cycle of childhood obesity. Unless we reverse course, this epidemic will continue to put more of our children and the future of our nation at risk.

I'm from Cleveland, Ohio, which has one of the largest Jewish populations in a single district in the state of Ohio and almost anyplace else in the United States.

In a nation growing increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that the organizations tasked with keeping us informed reflect the same diversity.

I thank Secretary Clinton and her team for recommending me to serve as the permanent chair of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. It is an honor for me and the people of Ohio. I am happy to serve and look forward to a great convention and our ongoing efforts as we work together for a strong party and a successful election.

I've never been one to try to find a niche for myself. I've always tried to wait and see what comes.