Political Quotes

“Madam President, reserving the right to object, I first would like to associate myself with the comments just uttered by the senior Senator from Iowa. I think many of us are frustrated that we have been sitting around together for quite some time without moving forward. But, as I remarked earlier today, the U.S. Senate is a body that requires the unanimous consent of every single Senator, and each Senator has the right to withhold his objection or consent to any process moving forward. Over the last day and a half, we have seen a lack of willingness to collaborate, to come together to find unanimous consent to move forward on both the consideration of a number of amendments, including those offered today, and a time agreement. It is not because there weren't many people who were willing to do so. In fact, most of the Members of this body were interested in finding such an agreement. But it is the right of each and every Senator and the privilege of each and every Senator to withhold that consent if he so chooses, and that is the situation we find ourselves in today. So, Madam President and others, I would recommend that just in 1 hour, we will see this postcloture time expire, and we will move forward under regular order to finish consideration of this broad bipartisan piece of legislation.…”