Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to speak on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, otherwise known as the omnibus. Three months ago, it was unclear if we would get a budget deal that would lift the caps for both defense and nondefense spending. It was unclear if we could really not head to a showdown. It was not clear if were heading to a shutdown, and we were not clear if we could cancel sequester. I am proud to say, as the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, that the committee has completed its work. We have done it in a bipartisan way and in a way that there will not be a shutdown of the government. We have canceled sequester, and we have done this in a responsible way. The House is working on the bill now. We shall be voting on it tomorrow. Tomorrow I will talk about the national implications of the bill when it comes before the Senate, but today, as the Senator from Maryland and for Maryland, I wish to talk about the public investments this bill makes to support the Nation's needs, which also supports Maryland's needs, which supports Maryland's jobs. As the vice chair of the committee, my first job--and as the Constitution requires--is to be the Senator from Maryland, and I require myself to be the Senator for Maryland. I am proud to say that this bill does make the kinds of public investments that I believe will help America's and Maryland's future.…”