Haley Stevens: “I feel constrained to say, over the last recess I had the privilege of being able to fish at home on the river, and the…”

“I feel constrained to say, over the last recess I had the privilege of being able to fish at home on the river, and the men and women from throughout the country kept asking me one thing: What is gridlock? Why do we have gridlock? I think the American public is getting very disturbed about this. I have to say, it is obvious I am getting disturbed. We have worked a long time to frame a bill that I think is possible to pass both the Senate and come out of conference, and go to the President. I think it is one of the most contentious issues facing America today, and that is the continued funding of our defense system. I do not understand why we cannot get going on it. It has nothing to do with nuclear waste. It has nothing to do with delay on nuclear waste. Nuclear waste will be the subject of a cloture motion vote on Tuesday. I just do not understand why we have to be gridlocked on defense. Of all the matters that we ought to be dealing with, it is defense. Why should we have a gridlock on defense? The people in this country, I think, have a right to ask this Congress why should you gridlock on defense? This is a gridlock, as far as I am concerned. We have tried for 2 days to get this bill going and the delay has nothing to do with defense, I am told, nothing at all. If it has nothing to do with defense, why should anyone object to our proceeding with this bill?”