Floor Speeches

Congressman Jared Polis Remarks Urging Safe and Orderly Withdrawal of US Troops from Afghanistan Thursday, February 17, 2011 Mr. Chairman, the ongoing war in Afghanistan is, quite simply, the wrong war in the wrong time and in the wrong place. Intelligence experts agree that a terrorist threat to our Nation does not emanate from within the borders of the nation of Afghanistan. There is a very real terrorist threat to the people of this country; but by its very nature, it is a stateless menace. I... Read more

Congressman Jared Polis Remarks Supporting Amendment to Save Money by Eliminating Redundant Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Czar Thursday, February 17, 2011 This amendment is typical of many of the proposals from the other side of the aisle that paint with a broad brush the entire Federal Government. This is a complex world. A President needs an ability to govern. The President relies on many of these executive positions to effectively govern this country. It is not a Democratic or ... Read more

Mr. Speaker, this bill, it's important to talk about what this bill would do and how the Patriot Act really cuts to the heart of what it means to be American, that sensitive balance that we have between protecting what makes it special to be an American, our rights as individuals, our civil liberties, balancing that with the need for national security. I am opposed to the rule and the bill. We need to have law enforcement make sure that it has the provisions it needs to combat the very real thr... Read more

Madam Chairman, this spending bill is simply unacceptable on many levels. This is a bill drafted for a sound bite, not sound policy for the American people. Handcuffing the EPA is proof of that fact, and I have and will continue to oppose those attempts and propose amendments where possible. This CR arbitrarily kills jobs, hurts the public health, and is a slap in the face to protecting our environment and clean air. This CR will set our country back decades by curtailing scientific research si... Read more

Mr. Chair, Americans' top priority is creating jobs. But six weeks into the 112th Congress, the Republican leadership has yet to bring a single, solitary jobs bill to the floor. Once again, we are here today to exercise one of our primary constitutional responsibilities as members of Congress--to pass appropriations legislation to fund the many basic and essential programs the federal governments, on which millions of Americans rely. Today is an incredible opportunity, for Republicans and Democ... Read more

Congressman Jared Polis Remarks Against Reauthorizing the USA PATRIOT Act Thursday, February 10, 2011 Mr. Speaker, the Patriot Act is a bill that has been plagued with abuse since it was first passed, and today's rule is yet another example of short-circuiting the system that our Founding Fathers set up. If there were ever the need for the close supervision and congressional oversight of a law, it is a law that discusses how and under what conditions a government can spy on its own citizens. Aft... Read more

I rise in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill. First it was repealing patients' rights, then a budget resolution with no budget. Every one of us in this chamber was elected to congress with a goal of creating jobs and growing our economy. Yet there hasn't been any talk about that. And today the republican leadership has brought to the floor another piece of political posturing that takes us away from the goal of creating jobs for millions of Americans and establishing economic stabili... Read more

Madam Speaker, last weekend, the world watched as what began as a sunny Saturday morning in southern Arizona ended in tragedy and horror for our Nation. Violence of this kind has no place in America, and our grieving Nation will spare no expense to find out how this tragedy happened and ensure that it can never be repeated. Last Saturday was a dark day in our Nation's history and a day which I will never forget. My thoughts and prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her family and her staff. M... Read more

Congressman Jared Polis Statement on H.R. 2, REPEALING THE JOB-KILLING HEALTH CARE LAW ACT Friday January 7, 2011 Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill, the most expensive one-page bill in the history of Congress, and it costs the taxpayers a little over $200 billion the first 10 years alone, and over $1 trillion overall. Not only have the Republicans, as the first bill that we are doing a rule on and facing here on the floor, put forward the most expensive one-... Read more

Madame Speaker, I just returned from the signing of the repeal of Don’t ask, Don’t Tell. The President spoke wisely and strongly and welcomed those that were discharged under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy to consider reenlisting. President Obama said, there will never be a full accounting of the heroism demonstrated by gay Americans in service to this country. He continued, as the first generation to serve openly in our armed services you will stand for all of those who came before you and yo... Read more