Political Quotes

“what I said is, I ask that if we get a bill from the House to have a CR, a continuing resolution, for another few days, that we be allowed to take it up. Under the rules of the Senate and the Congress, I cannot initiate a CR here. It is a tax measure and constitutionally has to start over there. So I have said that if the Senate receives from the House a bill that continues funding for the Federal Government--I said through December 21--any reasonable time is fine with me--it be in order for me, after I talk to the Republican leader, to proceed to the bill. Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, reserving the right to object, we do not need to do that. Representative Jim Moran, Democrat of Virginia, one of the top members on the House Appropriations Committee, said this yesterday: Our bill is done, and it should go to the president immediately. . . . We're not holding it up. . . . I can't speak for Harry Reid. I can't speak for him. As far as I'm concerned, it should be done. A government shutdown is 2 days away. We have an agreement based on what all the appropriators on the conference report are saying. We can pass that and do first things first--prevent a government shutdown. I agree with the majority leader, a government shutdown is a terrible idea. He has said that repeatedly. We have all said it repeatedly. The way to avoid that is to get our work done. The work is done on the appropriations conference report.…”