Political Quotes

“In that letter Senators Ricketts, Barrasso, Cassidy, Cotton, Ernst, Graham, Mullin, Sullivan, Risch, and Wicker asked one thing of me before the first vote on legislation. They asked for 72 hours to read the bill. We met that request. The bill was posted at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, February 4. If they want until 6:45 tomorrow evening, that is fine with me. Actually, I will even offer to delay that vote until sometime on Thursday to give even more time for Senators to make up their minds. But I suspect they won't accept even that offer because they really don't want more time. They are just using it as an excuse. In fact, it will surprise no one that some of the signers of that letter actually did not wait 72 hours before they rejected the bill. Senator Cotton declared his opposition after 16 hours and 48 minutes, less than 25 percent of the requested time. Senator Risch took a little longer--an additional 15 minutes--to read the bill before announcing his opposition. Clearly, this wasn't about having 72 hours. That is OK. I can recognize when Senators grandstand. But this--this--is no time for grandstanding. This is a time for serious people to work together to solve serious problems. Mr. President, Senators are elected to vote, not to be afraid, run away, make excuses, when it comes to voting on the tough issues. Senators are elected to debate and deliberate, not just to say no when a former President instructs them to. We were sent here to make laws, not just to make speeches.…”