"The Middle East is literally going up in flames, as is California, and Katrina's problems haven't been solved, and Congress' response is to criticize Federal judges"

This quote by Alcee Hastings is a criticism of Congress' reaction to the numerous crises taking place in the United States. He is pointing out that the Middle East remains in chaos, California is dealing with ravaging wildfires, and the victims of Hurricane Katrina are still struggling to rebuild their lives, yet Congress is instead concentrating on criticizing Federal judges. This implies that Congress is not taking the necessary actions to resolve the problems at hand, and is instead wasting time and energy on assaulting the judiciary. This quote is a call to action for Congress to prioritize the needs of individuals and take significant actions to attend to the crises taking place in the United States.