Political Quotes

“I take offense at the suggestion that nothing is good enough for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that nothing gets done. There are 160 ambassadorial employees--and of that rank--who have passed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee overwhelmingly with bipartisan support. Every year, we get the State Department's budget. Every year, we have a budget that is decimated, including for the issues that my colleague cares about. It is because those of us on the committee who believe in the power of diplomacy in the State Department work feverishly to restore and enhance the budget of the State Department that it has been able to carry out its mission. But the budget that the Secretary of State comes before the committee to defend and advocate for is a huge, huge consequence. Look, we are constantly doing things to protect the lives of American citizens in the committee. I could enumerate a number both of resolutions as well as legislative language that would have far- reaching--I mean, I am in favor of resolutions. They are an expression of sentiment. But legislation that puts into action within our laws the ability of countries that conduct blasphemy and other types of crimes against people who simply want to pursue their religious views--that would be far more consequential. So there is a lot that goes on in the committee, and a lot of it has actually been bipartisan.…”