Political Quotes

“Mr. President, if I could ask any time that we use from now until the managers arrive on the floor be for debate only. I ask unanimous consent for that purpose. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I say to my friend I had no assurance that what came from the House--the defense portion of this bill--was going to be ``preconferenced,'' and that it was going to be the final bill. So to expect for me to honestly examine the House-passed bill without knowing what the disposition of it would be on the Senate side is a little much. During the intervening time, the Senator from Oklahoma and I have found items in this bill that have nothing to do with the defense bill. For example, $65 million for Pacific coast salmon restoration for States including Nevada. I know there are rivers coursing through Nevada all the way to the Pacific Ocean, but the point is there is $993,000 in grants to dig private wells for private property owners. We have a list of provisions which we were able to uncover which we find controversial and should be open for debate and discussion. But it is over, and we are moving forward. I hope the Senators whose amendments have just been made and ordered will come to the floor so we can debate and vote. I thank the Senator from Illinois, and I yield the floor.”