Political Quotes

“had this conference report been on a Senate bill, I would have offered a motion to recommit the bill to conference to strip this special State tax preemption provision from the bill. It is quite unfair, and I think everybody understands that. They are doing a political favor, because the Senators who represent that State are from another party. I do not understand why my colleague, who is a member of that party, would allow this to happen to his State. I thought we were here representing our constituents, not our party. I think it is disappointing that both my colleagues here in the Senate and the Congressman from the First District in my State allowed this to happen without at least raising their voice in objection. However, I understand the option is no longer mine to offer any kind of amendment or any kind of motion to recommit. Since this is a House bill and it has already been approved by the House, thereby dissolving the conference, I understand the rules. I think I know the rules reasonably well here--not quite as well as Senator Byrd or, hopefully, the Parliamentarian, but I have no illusions about what the outcome of that vote might have been. After all, a sweetheart deal is a sweetheart deal. I did want to draw attention to this provision. It is patently unfair. It has no place in this bill. The committees that put this bill together have no jurisdiction over the issue whatever.”