Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I objected earlier, and I want to express my appreciation to the good Senator from Rhode Island. I understand his concerns, but I want to take a minute just to explain the objection that we have. I don't think there is anyone in this Chamber who is indifferent to the plight of the long-term unemployed. However, this legislation falls under the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee and, as of yet, the committee has not had the opportunity to consider it. There are a number of concerns that Members on our side of the aisle have with the legislation, most notably the price tag. According to the CBO, a full 1-year extension of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program would cost $25 billion for a single year. That is the cost of this bill, and the bill contains no offsets to cover that cost. So the Senate Finance Committee needs to have an opportunity to consider this legislation to find a way to pay for it. In addition, the committee needs to have an opportunity to consider alternatives. Rather than simply providing additional benefits to the unemployed, hopefully we can come up with something that really helps them get back to work. Republicans are willing to consider such ideas and need to have an opportunity to do so through the committee process. It is on that basis that I object to my colleague's unanimous consent request. I thank the Chair for the time and the courtesy of my colleague. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.”