Political Quotes

“I wish to start today by thanking the distinguished Senator from Utah for his courtesy. I appreciate it immensely. It has been a bit of a long and tortured process to get here today. I appreciate the opportunity to speak first. All of us work across our States. In communities such as Kearney and Scottsbluff, NE--and I walk those streets often, whether it is in a parade or calling on people--I am struck by the number of small businesses that fill the storefronts. These businesses are the heart and soul of the community. They contribute to the Little League, they give high school students their first jobs, and they ask ``how are the kids doing'' when you stop in to see them. They symbolize what it truly means to be a community. They also symbolize the single most powerful job creating force in our Nation. Sixty-four percent of the new jobs in our Nation are created by small businesses as they expand and grow. So when their livelihood is threatened by an ill-advised policy, we all in the Senate agree that something must be done. Shortly after the health care bill was passed, I, like my colleagues, began hearing from small business owners who were very concerned about a provision that was put into the health care bill on page 737. As the number of concerned job creators continued to mount, I knew, and others in the Senate knew, we had to do something about it.…”