Political Quotes

“At this point, I suggest to the Senator from Oklahoma, I think he has read it. I think he understands it. Certainly President Bush's father understood it when three times in a recession he said we cannot leave these unemployed families in this terrible, perilous situation. We have to extend unemployment benefits. It is a very basic concept, supported by Republican and Democratic Presidents alike, as well as economists and business leaders in my State. When I say to them, what can we do about this economy, they say give some spending power to these poor people who are out of work. That is pretty fundamental. I want to give the Senator from Oklahoma all the time he needs, but a week has passed. Is another week going to have to pass, or are we going to be able to come to a resolution and help these families, including over 100,000 people in my State of Illinois? We have the fifth highest unemployment rate in the Nation. I think this Congress can do something. It should do something. I want to give the Senator from Oklahoma his opportunity, but I think a week is enough to read a seven-page bill.”