Political Quotes

“in comparison to recent battles this Congress has fought over the budget, the legislation we consider today represents progress. Instead of government by crisis and hostage- taking, we have before us an agreement negotiated by the Senator Murray, a Democrat, and Congressman Ryan, a Republican, a negotiation in which neither side got all that it wanted, but both sides found acceptable middle ground. That is not a common event around here these days. Significantly, by reaching agreement, they have offered us a way to avoid a potential government shutdown in 2014. And they have provided a way to offer some relief from the damaging impact of sequestration. So I will support this agreement. But I will not do so without reservation. Despite what it offers, this budget agreement falls short of what I believe we need to accomplish in three significant ways. First, while the agreement provides some modest relief, it leaves more than half of the irrational meat-ax cuts of sequestration in place over 2 years. As a result, important programs to protect and promote national security, public safety, health, transportation, education, and the environment will remain under-funded. A balanced package that included measures I have recommended to close loopholes that allow profitable corporations to avoid taxes by sending their revenue and assets to offshore tax havens would, if passed, do far more to address these problems.…”