Rep. Charles Rangel

Last Sunday, as NATO members met to discuss their upcoming plans for the war in Afghanistan, some members of the Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Against the War (IAVW) publicly returned their medals in protest of the repeated decision to continue putting Americans in harm's way. Their message highlights the sharp...

In the April 20 Wall Street Journal article, "Obama's Misplaced Sympathies," Jason Riley comments on my role as chairman of the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control and enactment of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Yes, the bill did include enhanced criminal penalties for crack...

When I was growing up in Harlem, college was a remote possibility even for the most fortunate black and Hispanic students. But times have changed for the better, and today's young minority men and women should expect nothing less from themselves than a college degree. Moreover, they should demand nothing...

After Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to pass the so-called "Ryan Budget," Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proclaimed that he was "happy to say we have taken another step on the path to prosperity." But given that this budget makes across-the-board slashes to social safety net programs...

It has been widely reported that the presumptive Republican candidate for President, Gov. Mitt Romney, recently suggested that in order to pay for his proposed income tax cuts, he would tinker with federal tax deductions. While there has been a lot of coverage of his proposal to eliminate...

Republicans call it "Obamacare," and Democrats call it the Affordable Care Act. Whatever you call it, healthcare works. Rather than trying to repeal the healthcare law that that has bettered the lives of Americans young and old, Republicans should join Democrats in finding ways to expand it so that no...

The collapse of the American housing market that began in late 2006 has brought our economy to its knees and left Americans from all walks of life without a home or struggling to keep a roof over their head.

A culture of deregulation and irresponsible consumer lending that was widespread...

The recent payroll tax deal struck by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama will keep an average of $1,000 in the pockets of 160 million American families through 2012 in addition to enabling tens of millions of seniors to continue seeing the doctor of their choice under...

In August of 1963, the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a heartwarming speech that called for racial equality and social justice for all Americans, a speech that envisioned a greater America and a more unified people. Dr. King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and preached...

In the midst of the holidays and the season of giving, Congress remains unable to give the American people what they're calling for. I am deeply troubled by our government's inability to extend the payroll tax cut for 160 million working Americans and extend unemployment benefits for 2.1 million who...

Home ownership has been one of the greatest pillars of the American Dream. Every day, people all over America take comfort in knowing that they have a place to call home. For many others however, that piece of security is out of reach. Now, as thousands of Americans take to...

As we gathered around the table with our loved ones for Thanksgiving, we counted our blessings despite the many challenges we are facing as a nation. We have experienced many economic and social plights in our history but have always prevailed. This indomitable spirit can be traced back to the...

Hundreds of people braved the November morning chill to wait in line as early as 6 a.m. before the doors for the Rangel Career Fair at the City College of New York on November 14, 2011, where I invited nearly 90 companies and organizations who had jobs available for my...

In the City of New York, law enforcement has stepped up its vigilance on the protesters at Occupy Wall Street. We are hearing a lot of comments as to whether or not their freedom of speech and right to protest are being attacked. Of course we do have a constitutional...

I am particularly glad to see that the Multi-faith coalition, such as Catholics United, Judson Memorial Church and a range of other faith leaders have joined together to call attention to the Occupy Wall Street movement. The common faith tenets -- compassion, mercy, justice, human dignity, and caring for "the...

America has again found itself at a crossroads where we must band together to lift our economy and remain globally competitive. An educated populace is crucial to our recovery. Instead of cutting funds for our teachers, students, and schools, we must keep investing in our education system to foster a...

Forty-eight years ago, on Aug. 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to deliver his inspirational "I Have a Dream" speech which paved the way for America to embrace people of all backgrounds, regardless of color, religion, and gender. This Sunday, we...

The longest war in the history of America turned ten years old today. So far over 1,800 American soldiers have been killed and more than 14,000 wounded. While we take this time to thank our troops for their service, we should remember the sacrifices for this war are paid only...

These days in our country, people are mad as hell. And I don't blame them: They are frustrated that millionaires and billionaires in our country are not paying their fair share. They are upset that we bailed out the banks yet have failed them. They are angry that they can...

Now that we have managed to avert a catastrophic financial disaster and the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling has been raised, we have to concentrate on the untold crisis of youth unemployment. While the nation gained over 117,000 jobs in the past month, teenage unemployment rate is at a historic high...