Political Quotes

“I rise today to address this situation that the House of Representatives and, indeed, the country face today. I rise in support of the motion by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) to substitute the motion by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and to have an inquiry, but to have a focused inquiry, and one that has an expeditious end to it so that the Congress, which has an obligation to do the people's business, moves forward as quickly as possible and as fairly as possible. And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I want to ensure that we are actively working to address the priorities of the American people. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr has presented the House of Representatives with a referral and supporting documentation containing 'substantial and credible information that President Clinton committed acts that may constitute grounds for an impeachment.' It is now the duty of the House to determine whether or not to move forward with an impeachment 'inquiry,' and if so, what the scope of such an inquiry should be. This is an important matter. What President Clinton did was wrong, and he must be punished appropriately. However, instead of rushing to judgment, I believe we should pause to consider the long-term implications of our actions. I hope that the actions of this House will stand the test of time. I am concerned that they may not.”