Political Quotes

“yesterday, an overwhelming bipartisan majority of Senators voted to move forward on Senator Hirono and Senator Duckworth's anti-Asian hate crimes bill. I was pleased the vote was so substantial, 92 to 6. Rarely do you see 92 Senators agree to move forward with any piece of legislation. But if there was ever a topic that deserves a strong showing of bipartisan support, it is standing up to bigotry and racism against a particular group of Americans. Today, we will continue to work on a bipartisan agreement regarding amendments. I have committed to start the process with the bipartisan Moran-Blumenthal amendment. I understand my Republican colleague from Maine has some modifications to the bill, which we welcome, and those negotiations are proceeding afoot. I expect the Republican leader and I, in consultation with the relevant committees, will be able to figure out an appropriate number of reasonable, germane, and non-gotcha amendments for the Senate to consider. We are working with Senators Moran, Grassley, and Collins in a very bipartisan way, and we should be able to wrap up this bill next week. By doing so, the Senate will deliver a powerful message to Asian Americans that their voices are heard, their concerns are felt, and that their government will take swift, decisive action to protect them. They are not alone. Before I move on, I just want to say to my Republican colleagues: This is how the Senate can work, even though it is closely divided.…”