Political Quotes

“Again, Mr. Chairman, let me say how unfortunate I believe it is that we are dealing with this kind of amendment in this setting here tonight without really having much notice, much ability to understand the full implications. I do think that we need to appreciate the role of what the gentleman calls private organizations. We are really talking here about nonprofits, about mediators, about the kind of working out of complaints, working out of problems, informal work with landlords, the kind of thing that actually helps avoid legal action and avoid litigation. There is a lot that can be mediated, a lot of things can be worked out in the fair housing arena. There are many nonprofit groups that do a good job of doing that. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman apparently has lots of complaints about this, and there have been a couple of prominent cases. I am aware of that. But the notion that we would come in here tonight and make a change of this magnitude, of this importance, I simply don't think is responsible. So I will speak for myself. I am perfectly willing to look at this matter down the road. I understand there may be some issues here, but this is a pretty drastic amendment, and you are taking a whole area here of mediation and informal conciliation, things that actually keep things out of the courts, keep things out of the legal system and out of litigation. I don't know why we would want to do that. It seems reckless to me.…”