Political Quotes

“I thank my colleagues. Let me say that it is my clear view and opinion that if the Lee amendment is passed, the Sandy supplemental will die. There is strong feeling--led by this Senator from Louisiana, to the Senators who are arguing for that position--that if we want to debate about how to pay for a disaster, I will do that. We will do 50 percent cuts and 50 percent revenue, but they never will offer one penny of new revenues to pay for anything. I am not budging on this point. This amendment, if adopted, will kill this bill. I will go 50 percent revenue. We will raise $25 billion, and $25 billion we will cut, but I am not going to keep cutting the discretionary budget--which, by the way, is not out of control despite what we hear on Fox News. It is mandatory spending that is rising rapidly because the ``greatest generation,'' which gave us the greatest Nation the world has ever heard of, is aging, and they need hospice care, Social Security, and hospitals. If they want to cut them, go right ahead. I am going to be a little more gentle. No. 2, we can do this together if we want. So just know this argument is not a small argument for the chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee nor for our colleagues. I yield the floor.”