Political Quotes

“I will be brief. But I just wanted to thank the Senator from Illinois for, in his very direct way, putting this issue before the American people. The Senator and I served on the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives for many years. And I serve here on the Budget Committee. I have never seen a situation like this before. The Senator talked about the no budget no pay legislation. While he was fighting for that in the House, I was here in the Senate fighting for that as well; and some of us over here gave our pay to charity during that period. I know that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle do not want to have another Government shutdown. As a matter of fact, some of them are going to introduce legislation to pass a permanent continuing resolution and avoid such a shutdown. Frankly, I am glad they are thinking along the lines of avoiding a shutdown. But that really begs the question of the day. That is the cowardly way out. If we cannot get our act together, we admit it now, we are introducing legislation to just keep the Government going at the old rate even though, by the way, things are changing and we need to react to what the people want. But they will continue it going to avoid the heat of a Government shutdown. The fact is, where is the budget? Tonight, late at night, there will be a rush at mailboxes all across this country of people mailing in their tax returns. They have to get an extension if they do not meet the deadline. Where is this extension?”