Connie Mack: “As I said a minute ago, I really am serious now in raising questions about the sincerity of our colleagues on the other…”

“As I said a minute ago, I really am serious now in raising questions about the sincerity of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle who purport that they are in favor of Ed-Flex but, yet, want to bog this piece of legislation down with a whole series of amendments they know are controversial. There is nothing wrong with us dealing with controversial amendments and controversial issues. We do that throughout our entire political careers. The question is the timing of it. The question is the approach. I am, again, dismayed by the attitude that is being projected here. I, again, question sincerity. Recently, we went through a 5- or 6-week period at the beginning of this new Congress with a very contentious issue dealing with the impeachment trial. But each side made a sincere effort to work with the other, and as a result I think we did a credible job. I think most people in the country think we did a credible job. Yet, on this the second piece of legislation we are considering, we are being forced to offer cloture motion after cloture motion after cloture motion--three so far. There should be no question in anyone's mind that the intention here, I believe, is now to kill this piece of legislation because it goes against their political interests. It goes against their philosophy. In all honesty, the differences in the approach about education in America is clear.…”