Political Quotes

“I have come to the floor a number of times during this government shutdown to say how absurd this has been for the American people, that we have found ourselves where we are, to have the government shut down, and those who brought forward a strategy to defund ObamaCare--the exchanges have opened anyway. That is why I never supported this strategy, because I did not think it was smart for the country, or achievable. We have been coming up against the debt ceiling issue, so I come to the floor today, after having come to the floor on several occasions, expressing my concerns and frustration. I thank our leader Mitch McConnell and the majority leader Harry Reid for coming together around an agreement ending the shutdown, to address the debt ceiling, even if on a short-term basis, so we can get out of the hole we are in, and start to deal with the big-picture problems facing the Nation. Around this, I was very heartened that a bipartisan group of Senators came together to solve this problem, led by Senator Collins from Maine, and seven Republicans and seven Democrats. Let me say among the 7 Democrats was my colleague from New Hampshire Senator Shaheen, who I see in the Chamber.…”