Political Quotes

“It is my honor to yield 5 minutes to my colleague on the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern). Mr. McGOVERN. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, yesterday at the Rules Committee, Chairman Dreier said this: ``There's no way we're going to have a transportation bill unless it is bipartisan.'' Mr. Speaker, it was music to my ears. I thought the chairman had a revelation, because that's exactly the tune the Democrats have been singing for weeks, that we need a bipartisan transportation bill. We've been saying this month after month after month. Transportation bills have always been bipartisan. Our colleagues like to criticize the Senate for inaction, but even they passed an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill this year. Mr. Speaker, actions speak louder than words. Instead of taking the bipartisan path, my Republican friends have tried one partisan approach after another, and they have failed every time. And the partisan march continues today. Last night, nine Members of the House submitted amendments to this bill, five Democrats and four Republicans. Then, not 2 minutes after the chairman said what he said, my Republican friends approved a rule on a straight party-line vote to block every single Democratic amendment. Let me review this for my colleagues because I think it is important. First, the underlying bill was written by Republicans in a back room without any Democratic input, none.…”