Political Quotes

“Mr. President, on Thursday night, we had a successful vote on the small business jobs bill. It was an amendment that had been worked on for more than a week by Senator Landrieu and many others, including Members on the other side of the aisle. We were able to get the votes to pass the amendment--60 votes on it. Now we are back on the bill. I was told by the Republicans who voted with us on that amendment that it was appropriate before we moved to cloture that there be amendments by the Republicans on the legislation. I conferred with Senator Landrieu and, because Senator Baucus of the Finance Committee had to provide some of the money for some of the things we did, I conferred with him. We were told that there were three amendments they wanted to have: a Hatch amendment, one by Senator Grassley, and one by the Senator from Nebraska, Mr. Johanns. We agreed with those amendments. As happens around here and has for many years, when someone offers an amendment, it is very traditional to have an amendment opposite that, a so-called side-by-side amendment. I do not know what could be more fair. We have agreed to their amendments, that we would have votes on them. Our amendments are within the same subject matter of their amendments. I cannot understand why we cannot move forward in good faith on this legislation. Both parties claim they are friends of small business. This bill gives Members of both parties an opportunity to prove that.…”