Political Quotes

“Madam President, I will try to be very brief. I know time is constricted. When I first came to the Senate, we had Members on both sides who had principled positions on any number of issues, but we rarely, if ever, because of our principled stand, denied the opportunity for debate and vote. The Senate is here for the purpose of debating and voting. Sometimes we win, and sometimes we lose. The consequences are recorded, and the bill goes forward--as this one would--to be combined with the House, to go to conference, and finally issue a resolution. We are not talking about just any piece of legislation here; we are talking about the national security and national defense for our Nation. There are important issues that need to be debated and need to be voted on. Yet we are denied that opportunity. Someone on our side was denied that opportunity. The other side has every right to say: Well, if you are going to play that game, we are going to play that game. That is not how the Senate should operate. The Senator from New York and the Senator from Washington on the Democratic side have principled amendments. I don't support the amendment from the Senator from New York, but it ought to be debated and it ought to be voted on and it ought to be worked through. That is why we are sent here. No wonder the public across the Nation is so frustrated with us--because we are in total stalemate. Senator McCain and Senator Reed have made every possible effort to move this process forward.…”