"I think we can do better than this. And my hope is that not to defeat the bill, but to make the bill better."
"The intention is not to take down the bill. The intention is to make the bill better."
"We are talking about worldwide war. And I think this authorization will not limit that in any way."
"I will not vote for something that does not limit the President's power but simply gives a rubber stamp."
"The power to initiate war was Congress'."
"We are not going to defeat terrorism by having war in 60 some odd countries and dropping drones on everybody."
"I agree completely with the authors of this that we should be doing something."
"In fact, most of the Founding Fathers would disagree with you on saying that Article II gives the President the authority to commence in war."
"The initiation of war is congressional duty, not the President's at all."
"Madison wrote that the executive branch is the branch most prone to war. Therefore, the Constitution with steady care granted that power, vested that power in the legislature."
"I do, frankly, though, blame the policymakers often. And I think they deserve some rebuke or some discussion of what the policy is."