Published May 1, 2015 at 10:37 a.m.

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a speech on the U.S. House of Representatives floor on Thursday, Rep. Marcia Fudge apologized to the riot-torn city of Baltimore and the family of Freddie Gray, who died after he was injured by police, for federal policies that don't help the poor.

"When you disinvest in education, when you provide no places for kids to play and no summer jobs, Baltimore happens," the Warrensville Heights Democrat said. "When you refuse to provide resources for job training for decent housing and you have a lack of resources to the communities of highest need, Baltimore happens."

Here's a transcript of the rest of her speech, along with a video:

"The budget we are working on this week continues to prove that the majority of people in this House care little about the plight of the poor and underserved communities. There is a lack of concern for education.

"I sit on the Education Committee as we are talking about reauthorizing ESEA, and the majority passed out of committee the ability to block grant all title I funding. So now children who are poor, disabled, or minority will be at the mercy of their State to determine what kind of education they get. Ohio has one way to do it; Indiana has another way to do it. It all depends on what your ZIP Code is anymore as to what your educational attainment may be. They, further, have reduced Federal funding for education every year of their plan.

"I work in a body where the majority wants to block grant Medicaid. So State by State they will determine who qualifies, who is sick enough to qualify. I work in a body where there is no value placed on our greatest asset, which is our people. These are the people who want to reduce block grants and community funding and community policing.

"Our communities are crying out every day for our attention. Did what happened in Baltimore get our attention? It should have, and it did. Was it right? No. Violence is never right. But we have to hear the cries of the people in need.

"So today, I want to say to the Gray family and all of the people who are in the streets in Baltimore: I apologize. I apologize for a body that has failed you. I apologize for people who only give lip service to the poor. I apologize because we could do better to make your lives better.

"Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility as the leaders of this Nation to take care of the people who need us the most.

"Miss Gray, I apologize."