Political Quotes

“A long time. Certainly, I have not been in the Senate since that happened. But I do think now we have a better opportunity. If our committee could mark up a Defense authorization bill--and maybe it would take a week or two. Maybe we would have to work Friday or Saturday to get it done, but we should do that. But we now have the opportunity for the leader to bring that to the Senate floor immediately and allow the amendment process to start. Once it starts, normally we can get the type of consideration by all of us as to a reasonable number of amendments, and we can get the bill, hopefully, through the Senate. That is what I think is the real plus of the type of reforms we are talking about that allow the right legislative process to work. As I said, it doesn't cover everything I wanted to cover. I would have gone further. But I do think it does give us a chance, allows us to do our work in the way that we should. Mr. McCAIN. I, again, would like to express my appreciation to Senator Schumer and Senator Cardin, Senator Pryor and my Republican colleagues, Senator Kyl and Senator Barrasso. But I would especially like to thank Senator Levin. We have known each other and worked together now for many years. We had very spirited and open and honest disagreements, but there is a level of trust and friendship that allows us, when committed to the same goal, to be able to--I believe, hopefully, in a very short period of time--achieve it. Maybe I am being a little bit too optimistic.…”