Political Quotes

“Mr. President, you know very well, because you are such a leader on the issue of jobs for America, that the Senate passed a very important bill last week. It is called MAP 21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century. What it did was reauthorize our transportation programs as they relate to highways, our bridges, and our transit systems. This was a very difficult bill to get done because it took a lot of compromise. My friend in the chair knows this. He comes from Vermont where they have had a lot of issues with rebuilding their roads after disasters, and he knows how important it is, especially in those rural areas, to make sure we have a good transportation system both in our roads, our freeways, and our mass transit. We got this bill done. It was remarkable, 74 votes. Actually, it would have been 75 votes. One of our colleagues was at a funeral and he was for the bill. So three-quarters of the Senate supported that bill. We excitedly found out some House Members were very happy with it and they have introduced it and that bill, MAP 21, is sitting over in the House. There is a lot at stake, and they are not moving this bill. They could take that bill off the desk and they could pass it in 15 minutes. I served in the House. I know the rules. It is not like the Senate, where we can filibuster and do amendments and all the rest. It is a very quick process. They have not done that.…”