Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement on the escalation of violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip: “I am deeply troubled by the escalation of violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of rockets have been fired into Israel from Hamas-controlled Gaza in the past week. No country should be expected to tolerate these kinds of constant indiscriminate attacks against its people, and Israel has every right to defend its citizens and borders. “The fact that Hamas has fi...
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Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement in commemoration of Independence Day: “Two-hundred, thirty-eight years ago, a group of delegates who shared the belief that all men are created equal, signed a document that forged one of the greatest democracies in the world. This Fourth of July, we come together once again to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our great nation. “I would like to take this opportunity to recognize all our act...
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Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: “Fifty years ago, on July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act. This landmark legislation prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Furthermore, governments could no longer discriminate or prohibit access to public buildings, and Jim Crow laws were terminated in the South. “Over time, t...
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Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby: “I am deeply troubled by today’s Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case. Once again, women’s reproductive rights are under attack. “I believe that every woman should be able to make her own health care decisions. Unfortunately, the Court’s ruling has set a very dangerous precedent. “We must continue to protect women’s rights in the face of these new threats to repr...
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Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement to mark the 5th anniversary of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill: “On June 22, 1944, our nation made a commitment to help our veterans access higher education and prepare for their futures after military service. Recently we celebrated the 70th anniversary of that promise, and today we commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which was passed in 2009 to fill a growing gap in benefits. As we commemorate this importa...
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Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement on the deaths of the three kidnapped Israeli teens: “Words cannot truly begin to describe the sorrow I felt today when I learned of the deaths of Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha’er, and Naftali Frenkel. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these young men, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. “The individuals who kidnapped and caused the deaths of these innocent teens need to be held accountable for their cru...
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Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement to mark the 20th Annual National HIV Testing Day: “While there is currently no cure for HIV, we can all take steps to keep ourselves and loved ones as healthy as possible. National HIV Testing Day is about taking control of your health and finding out your status. The early detection and treatment of HIV through regular testing allows people to live longer and helps prevent the spread of the virus. “HIV remains one of the m...
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Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement in commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s rulings striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8: “One year ago, the Supreme Court cases of United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry made civil rights history. The judges ruled 5-4 that DOMA was unconstitutional, and dismissed legal efforts to defend the Proposition 8 ban that prevented gay and lesbi...
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Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) made the following statement on the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision: “The Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision dealt a severe blow to voter protections nationwide. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) has stood as an essential safeguard against racial discrimination in our political system for decades, but Shelby County significantly undermined its effectiveness. “When it comes time for voting, voter suppre...
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Today, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Homeless Caucus, Reps. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) and Eddie Bernice Johnson, in conjunction with the office of Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), hosted an important briefing on violence against the homeless. “Thankfully, we have seen a decrease in the number of homeless Americans in recent years,” said Hastings. “However, those facing homelessness still face real threats from violence. My home state of Florida has long been at the top of the list of states ...
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