Political Quotes

“last November, there was a call across this country that culminated in the November election. It was a call for a change in the way Congress does its business. We had nine new Democratic Senators. During the campaign, they called for change--and they will achieve change today. The legislation before us shows Congress heard this call for change. The change we have in this legislation, in fact, is big-time change. It is the most significant change in lobbying and ethics rules in the history of our country--some have said since Watergate, but I say in the history of our country. This is S. 1, which was the first bill introduced in this body this year--our first and most important bill of the new Congress. Why was it No. 1? The American people--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents-- knew our progress would depend on renewing the people's faith in the integrity of Congress. What does this legislation do? Among other things, it requires Senators to pay fair market prices for charter flights, putting an end to abuses of corporate travel. This legislation slows the revolving door by extending the ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress and senior staffers, and it prevents Senators from even negotiating for a job as a lobbyist until their successor has been elected. It puts an end to pay-to-play schemes such as the notorious K Street Project.”