Political Quotes

“on Tuesday, 79 Senators moved to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to this bill, the China currency manipulation legislation. After the Senate decided it wanted to consider this bill, I spoke with the Republican leader about how the Senate could agree to consider a reasonable number of relevant amendments. The Republican leader responded with a patently nongermane amendment. That action pretty much froze the amendment process. Notwithstanding that impasse, earlier today 62 Senators moved to invoke cloture on this bill. Manifestly, this is a measure that a supermajority of Senators wish to pass. Now, since the Senate amended rule XXII in 1979, cloture has been a process to bring Senate consideration to a close. The fundamental nature of cloture is to make consideration of the pending measure finite. The terms of rule XXII provide that the question is this, and I quote: It is the sense of the Senate that the debate shall be brought to a close. Indeed, late this morning, the Republican leader stated, and I also quote what my friend the Republican leader said: If 60 Senators are in favor of bringing a matter to a conclusion, it will be brought to conclusion. That's just what happened a few minutes ago. So I repeat, that is what the Republican leader said. Now, notwithstanding the clear nature of the cloture rule to provide for finite consideration of a measure, a practice has begun in this Congress that has undermined the cloture rule.…”