Emanuel Cleaver quotes:

Hope is the motivation that empowers the unemployed, enabling them to get out of bed every single morning with unbounded enthusiasm as they look for work.

I have family in Tanzania. I can't even explain the joy of riding through the Tanzania national park and seeing giraffes run across the road and elephants over in a pond and baboons running.

Social Security is a covenant that should not be broken.

Community colleges need to be upgraded. We got to have training for real jobs. We've got a lot of jobs that are going unfilled because we don't have the technology in the heads of graduating college students to deal with them.

There are people walking around the streets of Kansas City who are unemployed, while one of our largest employers is not only sending jobs aboard, but then turning around and making a statement about preserving jobs.

We may be a nation of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, but first and foremost we are all human beings and Americans.

First of all, do I think there's some racists in the Tea Party? Yeah. I'm an ordained United Methodist pastor; there's some racists in the Methodist church. I don't know if there's a body that does not have some racists in it.

Let's do more than say the 'Pledge of Allegiance.' Let us live it!

Hope fills the holes of my frustration in my heart.

We have Democrats saying dumb things every single day, and Republicans as well.

God did not burden the United States with a diversity of backgrounds, ideas and religions, He blessed America with them.

Congress is unable to do the work of the American people because too many politicians believe that compromise means capitulation.

The truth of the matter is the tone is toxic here in Washington, and we have been exporting it around the country.

America, I am a strong believer that how we treat each other matters.

We've gotten to the point now where Republicans and Democrats have nothing in common besides being members of the 'caustic caucus,' and we can't get anything done.

[Raul Castro] is one of the most amazing human beings I've ever met.

There is more power in unity than division.

We can be fervent in our disagreements without being factitious with our beliefs.

This deal is a sugar-coated satan sandwich. If you lift the bun, you will not like what you see.

One thing I've learned - and I've said this to Republicans and Democrats - is, bees cannot sting and make honey at the same time. They have to make a choice. Either they are going to be a stinger or a honey-maker, and I contend that honey is a symbol of legislation and, the nuclear language used by members is the stinger, and you can't do both.

You would think that if any group in America had 20% to 25% unemployment, it would generate all kinds of attention. The Labor Department would understandably and necessarily begin to concentrate on what can we do to reduce this level of unemployment. Congress would give great time on the floor for debate on what can be done.