Political Quotes

“Under current policy, the motion to proceed has to be approved before anyone can offer any amendments. My friend from Alabama is talking about amendments. We cannot offer any amendments until we get the bill to the floor. So the majority leader is trying to bring up this bill to deal with housing because we have a housing crisis. It came out of the committee, everybody was ready to move on it, but he cannot get the motion to proceed approved. Now we are literally in no- man's land. We cannot offer amendments and cannot proceed on it. The majority leader has one of two choices: He could wait for us to reach an agreement--if we ever reach an agreement--or file cloture. He should not have to do that. He should be able to offer the bill and offer amendments and get started. We cannot do that. We have to approve the motion to proceed first. So the majority leader tries to condense the clock. People complain that we are not getting work done, so he files cloture on the motion to proceed. As a result, we have to waste one full legislative day before we can get through to the vote on the cloture. If we get to the vote on the cloture--this is on the motion to proceed. This does not deny the right of any Member to offer any amendments, whether germane or not germane. Let's say the majority wants to approve the motion to proceed and get 60 votes on the cloture--and, remember, this is the third legislative day. Let's say it is approved 95 to 1, because there was one objection.…”