Chuck Schumer: “I wish to salute our majority leader, Senator Reid, for what he said. The bottom line is, these are two very important…”

“I wish to salute our majority leader, Senator Reid, for what he said. The bottom line is, these are two very important pieces of legislation. The other side cannot come up with many substantive objections, none, as we have heard yesterday when they moved to block it. But they have had a policy of obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. Why, you might ask? How does it help a political party? How does it help a Senator to obstruct things that are motherhood and apple pie such as ethics and lobbying reform, the 9/11 Commission, things desperately needed, first by this town and second by the whole Nation and of course my State. The answer is very simple. When you are divided, as the other side is on about every issue; when you can't lead, as yesterday's immigration bill showed, the President's No. 1 domestic priority--fewer than a quarter of the Senators on that side voted for it--there is only one answer that can unify; that is, obstruct. There is one problem with that--there are two. The main problem is: It is wrong for America. It is wrong for America. The second is, it does not work politically. That is why we are seeing the fact that so many on the other side are so worried. So I wish to salute our majority leader. I will--and I know all the Members on our side will--stand with him side by side. If we have to meet at 2 in the morning, if we have to go into the August recess to get these things done, we will.…”