Political Quotes

“One is to the lobbyist and one is to the world. There is a big difference. Now, as a matter of fact, it is very similar--if I could finish--it is similar to what the executive branch did, which we, by vote of 98 to 1, said a year ago we want to follow. We are on record here. This is the same kind of distinction the executive branch made in its rules they work under and have worked under longer than a year. Lloyd Bentsen lives by these rules over at Treasury. But we cannot? We cannot live by rules that say we cannot solicit lobbyists for certain things? But Cabinet secretaries can live by these rules? By a vote of 98 to 1 we said we could. These distinctions which are here, which the Senator from Louisiana says are difficult, are distinctions which come mainly from executive branch rules which have worked. Read these executive branch rules as you are reading the bill. Here is what we said a year ago: It is the sense of the Senate that as soon as possible during this year's session the Senate should limit the acceptance of gifts, meals, and travel by Members and staff in a manner substantially similar to the restrictions applied to executive branch officials. The vote was 98 to 1. Did we mean it? Do we mean to have gift reform?”