Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, it was my hope that we could dispose of this resolution rather quickly, but it appears it is going to be somewhat prolonged. So let me just make the point that the wrapup continuing appropriations bill that we await action upon in the Senate governs four bills with the possibility that they may inject a fifth, the District of Columbia bill, even though it is working its way separately through the entire process. It has likewise been hung up in the Senate. If, in fact, the Senate puts the District of Columbia bill on this final wrapup omnibus bill, that is their right to do so, and we will have to deal with it. The other four bills are hung up at this late date, and I agree with the gentleman from Wisconsin, that is indeed late, but they have been hung up not because of any inaction of the House of Representatives. In fact, three of those bills worked their way all the way through the entire congressional legislative process, went to the President of the United States before Christmas, and he vetoed them. Last week we put them in one wrap up bill to work their way through subsequently, with the good hope that the President might work with the Congress and reach some agreement on them. Frankly, no agreement has been reached to date, and the process drags on for those three bills. Those were the Commerce, Justice, State, judiciary bill, the Interior bill, and the VA-HUD bill.”