Political Quotes

“Mr. President, when Senator Tom Udall announced last year that he would not seek reelection, he said, ``The worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent.'' Throughout his more than three decades of service to his State and to our Nation, Tom has demonstrated time and again his adherence to that principle. As New Mexico's attorney general, Congressman, and Senator, he has always treated public office as a public trust. Everyone who serves in this Chamber takes an oath to support and defend our Constitution. That remarkable document begins with three words Tom lives by, ``We the People.'' That commitment to our Constitution was put to the test in early 2019 when the President issued an emergency declaration that diverted $ 3.6 billion from 127 military construction projects that Congress duly approved and funded and the President had signed into law. Tom stood strong against this clear violation of the separation of powers doctrine that is so vital to our enduring Republic, and I was proud to stand with him. In a powerful floor statement on the resolution we introduced to overturn the emergency declaration, Tom got right to the point. He said: This is no longer about the president's wall. This is not about party. This is about protecting the very heart of our American system of governance. Congress--and only Congress-- holds the power of the purse.…”