Political Quotes

“Mr. President, well, soon we are going to vote on cloture, and we will move toward, I hope, concluding our consideration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. I have spoken, as our Presiding Officer knows, over the last few days quite a bit as to why the legislation we are considering today is so important. I think that as we prepare to take this vote, though, we ought to take maybe just another minute or two and reflect on the bill's merits and the needs that it will address--important needs it will address-- for our country. In my opening statement, several days ago, I reminded the Senate that the state of our Nation's infrastructure currently ranks and rates at a C-minus according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. That is not the infrastructure that the American people want or need in the 21st century. In the jurisdiction of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which Senator Capito and I are privileged to lead and which the Presiding Officer is a new member of, this bill includes language that will make historic investments in our roads, our highways, and our bridges--a 34 percent increase, if you will, over the last 5 years. The bill will also reauthorize our drinking water and our water sanitation programs at robust new levels. As we take this vote, I think it is important to reflect on our past efforts. I want to go back in time and why this vote is so important today.…”