Cory Booker: “I would like to briefly say thank you to my fellow Senators who took time to come and listen to my maiden speech but…”

“I would like to briefly say thank you to my fellow Senators who took time to come and listen to my maiden speech but especially those who also spoke on the issue as well. They spoke with eloquence. They spoke poignantly about people in their State. And I pray they spoke persuasively. I thank Senator Hirono, Senator Menendez, my senior Senator, especially. I thank Senator Warren and Senator Blumenthal, who are still here. I thank, also, Senator Jack Reed and Senate Majority Leader Reid, as well, for their working on this issue. I finally want to say that I have already gotten word from people who actually saw some of the speeches from myself and my colleagues that even the words alone made a difference to them. At least they felt someone heard them, is understanding what they are going through. But that urgency persists, and my hope is that we, working together, can find a way to extend these benefits. Thank you very much. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.”