Political Quotes

“In recent years, many Americans have expressed dissatisfaction with Congress. It seems that every other day there is an opinion poll in which Members of Congress are ranked at the bottom of the list of trusted professions. I am concerned about the way in which Americans will view this debate. It seems to me that we are almost promoting the perception that every Member of Congress is being corrupted by lobbyists. Certainly, that is not an accurate reflection of reality. We must restore the public's confidence in Congress, but we need to find careful solutions that do not create more problems than they solve. During my years in the Senate, I have fought to reform the political system. In 1988, I introduced a bill to ban honoraria--the speaking fees that Members of Congress were receiving from special interest groups. That measure was eventually enacted into law and now those fees go to charities. That measure was a step toward ensuring that Members of Congress are responsive only to those paying their salaries--the taxpayers. Senator Levin deserves commendation for his more recent efforts to craft gift reform legislation. However, I am concerned that his gift ban bill may actually create more uncertainty as Members of Congress try to determine what is permissible.”