“Our friends in New York … passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That’s New York, and that’s their business, and that’s fine with me.”
— Gov. Rick Perry to GOP donors July 22 in Aspen, Colo., according to The Associated Press.

“Obviously, gay marriage is not fine with me. My stance hasn’t changed.”
— Perry on Thursday, clarifying his statement on New York’s passage of a bill that legalizes same-sex marriage, according to the Family Research Council, a Christian advocacy group.

“It is my hope that federal lawmakers will see through the partisanship and realize that preserving Pell Grants not only helps students but also is in the best interest of the U.S.”
— Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, to The Daily Texan in an email Friday.

“The state has reduced appropriations to institutions of higher education, which has resulted in tuition increases. Accordingly, cutting Pell Grants would make an already bad situation worse.”
— Zaffirini in the email.

“I’m committed to expanding opportunity wherever I can find it.”
— California Gov. Jerry Brown, after signing into law the first half of the California DREAM Act last week, according to the Los Angeles Times. The bill will allow undocumented students in California to access private financial aid.

“It’s seen as a civil rights issue in the Latino community, especially for youth. The farmworkers’ struggle is not necessarily seen as what it once was. This is an issue of the now, an issue of the moment, part of the Latino agenda and part of the future.”
— Jaime A. Regalado, director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs, remarking on the significance of the DREAM Act within the Latino community, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“We either have the rule of law or anarchy. There is no in between on that. We are very rigid on that point.”
— Carol Helm, director of Immigration Reform Oklahoma Now, a group which opposes the DREAM Act, according to the Tulsa World.