Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the Republican-led Senate recently returned from the longest summer recess in more than a half a century. It is depicted here in the chart I wish to share with my colleagues. The black lines are when we are not working. Where there are not black lines is when we work, keeping in mind that many of our work days are not the work days of the people we represent. Some work days are 3 or 4 hours at the most. The Republican Senate just simply doesn't work. The chart represents the fewest working days since 1956. Our country has grown since then. But here it is. A picture is worth a thousand words. I won't say a thousand words this morning, but I will say a few more things. We are here today when the Republican-led Senate is on track to work fewer days in 2016 than in any year since 1956, when I was in high school. Republicans owe the taxpayers who fund their paychecks an apology--and they really do--for showing up to work fewer days this year than any Senate in all those many decades. One would think the Republicans would be embarrassed by their indolence--but apparently not. Instead of apologizing for their absenteeism, Republicans are demanding even more time off. Today I read in the newspaper--there are news accounts all over the country--that Republicans are whining about being asked to show up to do their jobs. They are asking for more weeks of recess. They are saying that Democrats are holding up what we are doing in Congress--how about that.…”