John Kerry

I ask the leader further, what options, then, might be available to the minority at this point in order to try to make clear our serious determination to see this issue properly addressed in the U.S. Senate?

As we all know, the cynicism of the American people is, regrettably, growing with respect to their view as to how politics works in their own country. Increasingly, that is reflected in their attitude about campaigns and voting. And many…

With respect to the campaign finance reform bill the leader mentions, it is clear, is it not, that bill ultimately passed after the repeated efforts of the membership of the House to make it clear that they would not accept leadership…

With respect to the problem of the Patients' Bill of Rights, is that not the No. 1 issue of concern of Americans--young, old, middle aged, of all walks of life--that is the one thing most on the minds of the American people that they want…

So the only thing standing in the way of a similar expression of what we know to be a majority of the U.S. Senate prepared to vote for campaign finance reform, the only thing that stands in the way is the leadership of the Republican…

Credit unions were never intended to be simply alternative, tax-exempt commercial banks.

I believe that, in good conscience, the Senate should be opposed to that language because it will set back our efforts and set back our progress.

I would simply ask the minority leader if he might draw any parallel or distinction between the way this bill is now being handled and other bills are handled, versus the tobacco legislation and the question of cloture on that?

Just so the legislative record is absolutely clear here, there was, in the underlying bill, a change in section 418 of the Social Security Act which actually transfers money to the child development block grant. What we arrived at was an…

Then shame on us. We ought to be prepared to do it. But don't do it at the expense of stopping kids from smoking. The Senator just made my argument. The Senator from Georgia said between 1980 and 1992 we reduced drug use in America by 30…

Let me say to my friend, if the funding is so jeopardized, as he suggested it is, then shame on us. Then we are not serious about the drug war. Shame on us.

Isn't it a fact, though, the unanimous consent request that the leader is proposing, while it ostensibly sets up a Democrat-Republican alternative, it is not, in fact, allowing for the Democrat alternative on the marriage penalty to be…

A key finding is that: Younger adult males are highly sensitive to price. This suggests that the steep rise in prices expected in the coming months could threaten the long-term vitality of the industry by drying up the supply of new…

Again I will reclaim my right, and I will answer the Senator. He keeps coming back with this notion that what we are spending the money on again has nothing to do with the purpose of stopping kids from smoking, even after I have just…

I simply say this to my friend from Texas. Let me read him a quote: It is clear that price has a pronounced effect on the smoking prevalence of teenagers and that the goals of reducing youth smoking and balancing the budget would both be…

I hear the Senator from Texas, but if that were true, then he would come to the floor with an amendment that would somehow give the rebate to the actual smoker. By coming to the floor with a marriage penalty tax that costs some $52…

I ask the Senator further, having acknowledged, then, that to raise the price of tobacco you basically wind up essentially where we are in this legislation, or somewhere near it, because any time you raise the price of tobacco--and, being…

Let me come back to the Senator again. I understand where he wants to put the money, but he didn't answer my question. I ask him again to answer the question, How does he propose to raise the price of tobacco?

I just wanted to ask the Senator, first of all, how he intends to raise the price of tobacco.

I would assure the Senator that it is neither the intention of the Senator from Arizona nor myself that that be the case. It is our understanding that the language in the managers' amendment is clear with respect to the fact that we do…

The Senator is aware, obviously, that Minnesota settled a lawsuit. Minnesota settled a lawsuit, and other States have settled lawsuits, and in those settlements there is, in fact, the same kind of structure contemplated in this bill. That…

I simply ask those listening to this debate who measure these things to think about the history of who has defended the poor people and who has defended the interests of the working families of this country. It would be absurd to suggest…

Is the Senator not aware that each of those responsibilities which are designated to existing entities are already existing programs and existing efforts? Most of the requirements, whether it is money in public health, money in farmer…

That is exactly what I said in my comments: 52 percent versus 48 percent. That is almost even. But when you take that 48 percent and look at their income levels, you have the largest percentage----

But, if the majority leader will yield for a minute, I think we just agreed it is going to take 60 votes. The question is, we are never going to get to the point of understanding whether we can muster the 60 votes if we can't even have one…