James R. Walkinshaw

“America's strength in the world has never been that we are perfect. It is that, unlike our adversaries, we have consistently aspired to lead by example and with our values. Building the capacity of a local community abroad to combat deadly diseases like malaria, Ebola, tuberculosis, and HIV is not just the right and just thing to do. It serves American interests. Disease outbreaks do not respect borders, and investments in global health protect Americans at home. That is why the dismantling of USAID is so dangerous. USAID isn't a charity.”

“I am reclaiming my time. Madam Speaker, I will just give one agency, Social Security, an agency that has been under assault by this administration. It is estimated that 10,000 times a year, Social Security falsely declares somebody dead. Imagine that. You wake up one morning, and your own government says you are dead. It happens oftentimes because States send bad information to the Social Security Administration. Time after time after time, the IG has recommended that Social Security and this body make improvements in that process.”

“I will just give one agency, Social Security, an agency that has been under assault by this administration. It is estimated that 10,000 times a year, Social Security falsely declares somebody dead. Imagine that. You wake up one morning, and your own government says you are dead. It happens oftentimes because States send bad information to the Social Security Administration. Time after time after time, the IG has recommended that Social Security and this body make improvements in that process.”

“The bipartisan package makes progress on important veteran healthcare priorities as well as funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund, but our work is far from finished. When it comes to ensuring that our Federal Government is leading by example and tackling one of the most enduring and largely unaddressed national priorities in the post-COVID world, we must upgrade our building standards to ensure we have the highest possible air quality.”

“Mr. Speaker, 2 months ago, I was a local government official not far from here, in Fairfax County. In the 6 years I spent in that role, I learned that the people best positioned to make decisions about the local policies in their local communities are local leaders after listening to that local community. My colleagues across the aisle who are advocating for these bills, with due respect, know very little about the District of Columbia, know very little outside of perhaps their walk from their apartment in Navy Yard to this Capitol complex.”

“These eight Senators provided support to President Trump's attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. It is a brazen attempt by Republicans to further whitewash a conspiracy and a violent insurrection while lining their own pockets with taxpayer dollars. It is a trifecta of the type of corruption that shakes Americans' faith in Congress: contempt for the rule of law, a secret backroom deal, and self-enrichment. This Republican Senator slush fund is yet another example of the corruption that has taken hold here.”