Political Quotes

“Here is a piece of legislation where we were talking about inmigrant children--through no fault of their own; they were probably brought in as tiny babies--who have grown up in the United States and have reached the age of adulthood and they have a ceiling on them. They cannot go to college. They do not have Social Security numbers. So we were basically trying to give them a dream they could go out and be Americans. They could join the military, and after they did their military service get in line for citizenship. They could go to college, and if they did well, get in line for citizenship. In any other country, if you had the two legislative bodies--the House passed it by a majority; we passed it by a big majority, 55 votes--you would have a law. The President would be signing it, and it would be law today. That is what has happened to this filibuster rule. A lot of the steps we are taking do not necessarily get right to the heart of that, but I think the people understand that part of it. When I have gone home, people say: What happened? What is going on? Fifty-five Senators voted for the DREAM Act and it did not become law. Senator Harkin.”