Tom Harkin actually said...

"Tom Harkin will never again work in the United States Congress."

"Thank you so very much, Senator Harkin, for being the champion of so many people who cannot speak for themselves or are afraid to do what I am doing here today."

"But I think our responsibility is twofold: one, to look at what's happening to the lowest income students in this country, what's happening to their lives; and then our obligation to protect taxpayers..."

"I'm going to do it in the nature of our obligations as lawmakers here and representing both taxpayers and low-income students to make sure that they get value."