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"Our beautiful coastlines are the birthright of every American, and I don’t want to see the California coast sold to oil companies with a track record of ecological catastrophe," said Congressman Garamendi. "Here and abroad, we’ve seen dozens of oil spills that have despoiled natural habitats and destroyed tourism and fishing economies. Just last year, a massive oil spill from an offshore oil rig near Australia lasted nearly three months, spewing at least six million gallons of oil over 9,000 square miles. There are better options."

"Almost all economists agree that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other jobs bills approved by President Obama and Congressional Democrats prevented the complete collapse our economy last year. Nevertheless, no one should be content with an economy hovering near double digit unemployment."

"Once again, where local and state governments are unable to afford needed transportation improvements, we see the federal government stepping up in a big way," Congressman Garamendi said. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act continues to put our country on a path to recovery through smart investments in transportation, education, health services, and other needed sectors, creating jobs for people throughout our communities. There is much more to do to fix our economy, but let there be no doubt, without ARRA, we would be in much worse shape and countless more Americans would currently be unemployed."

"California’s crumbling transportation infrastructure needs this landmark investment to ease congestion and leave a lasting legacy that will serve California well for decades to come," said Garamendi. "Without this and additional jobs bills, most economists agree that the economy could soon slip back into decline. This occurred with both our Great Depression and the Japanese recession of the 1990s. We must learn from history or we are doomed to repeat it."

"We are at the crossroads of history. We can either choose to expand health insurance coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans or let the insurance industry continue the status quo of pre-existing conditions, high premiums, and record corporate profits. There’s still time to pass a bill that does the right thing for the American people."

"Since Senator Bunning insists on testing the financial wherewithal of millions of unemployed Americans, the least we can do is test his resolve. If he wants to filibuster emergency legislation that impacts millions of Americans, let him filibuster for real. Lock the doors; hand him a glass of water; and bring in the phonebooks. If he complains about being late for a basketball game like he did on Friday, I know a few thousand constituents with some more pressing complaints directed at the distinguished Senator from Kentucky."

“Today is a day for celebration. CSU has been a pillar of growth for California for fifty years, and I congratulate all the administrators, faculty, staff, and students that have made it a success. But today must also be a call to action. We must unite to say it’s time to increase investment in education and California’s future."

"Senator Jim Bunning and his Senate Republican colleagues have put millions of Americans in the cross hairs of their extreme ideology. By blocking the unemployment benefit extension, Republicans have ripped away federal unemployment benefits from over a million jobless workers who will become ineligible in March. How many homes will be lost because of this unbelievably callous act? How many children will go to bed hungry because Bunning was more interested in cheap theatre than governance?"