I organized the meeting with Ambassador Dermer, and I invited key congressional Democratic supporters of Israel to attend, there were a wide range of views that were discussed, but one thing we all agreed on emphatically is that Israel should never be used as a political football.

Steve Israel

Categorized in : U.S.

I actually share her view and understand her frustration when any government attempts to ban secular symbols like Santa Claus or Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer or Christmas lights.

Steve Israel

frustration christmas light

As a result of the current universal benefit, the poverty rate for seniors in America is about 10%. Without the universal benefit, it would be over 50%.

Steve Israel

senior would-be america

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would expand research on embryonic stem cells by increasing the number of lines stem cells that would be eligible for federally funded research.

Steve Israel

cells would-be numbers

Look. I have always rejected the argument that members of Congress cast their vote because they're Jewish or not Jewish. I didn't cast my vote as a Jewish member of Congress. I cast my vote as a member of Congress.

Steve Israel

argument congress vote

Because there still exists a significant pay gap, women tend to earn less than men over the course of their lifetimes. Compounding the problem, women tend to spend less time in the workforce than men.

Steve Israel

pay-gap gaps men

As you know, Social Security functions under the premise that today's workers will help finance benefits for retirees and that these workers will then be supported by the next generation of workers paying into the same system.

Steve Israel

benefits generations today

Our Nation's immigration laws are disrespected both by those who cross our borders illegally and by the businesses that hire those illegal immigrants.

Steve Israel

immigration borders law

I make my decisions and my judgments not based on what a prime minister of another country says, but based on what my principles tell me... how may DNA guides me.

Steve Israel

dna decision country

You can be sure that I will always consider how changes to Social Security will impact people with disabilities when considering the various proposals offered for reform.

Steve Israel

impact reform people

Plus, 40% of our debt is owned by foreign interest. I can't support a plan that passes along cost burden to our children and makes us more reliant on foreign dollars.

Steve Israel

dollars support children

I always try to keep my constituents as up-to-date as possible with what's going on here in Washington.

Steve Israel

quitting never-quit trying

It is estimated that raising the retirement age to 70 would cut the shortfall by about 36%. But this proposal has some drawbacks. Women and men who have worked jobs that require manual labor all of their lives may not physically be able to do work until they are 70 years old.

Steve Israel

cutting retirement jobs

For these reasons, women tend to rely more heavily on Social Security in their retirement than do men.

Steve Israel

social reason retirement

The President and I agree that Social Security needs to be preserved so that we can ensure that all Americans receive the retirement benefits they've been promised. But we disagree as to how best to fix the system.

Steve Israel

president retirement needs

I believe that social security should be a universal retirement guarantee and not means tested.

Steve Israel

retirement mean believe

After 9/11, the businesses in my district and throughout the New York metropolitan area saw firsthand the result of a lack of availability of terrorism insurance.

Steve Israel

availability saws new-york

Since Social Security was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 to ensure economic security for American workers, poverty among American seniors has dramatically declined.

Steve Israel

poverty senior president

There is nothing that Bernie Sanders can do that would make me switch sides. I have an obligation as a superdelegate, number one, to reflect the will of the people in my congressional district … and, number two, to reflect my own priorities.

Steve Israel

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There is nothing that Bernie Sanders can do that would make me switch sides. I have an obligation as a superdelegate, number one, to reflect the will of the people in my congressional district … and, number two, to reflect my own priorities and my priorities.

Steve Israel

politics

I was skeptical before. I remain skeptical.

Steve Israel

politics