Political Quotes

“I have just come from a fair I am sponsoring, along with the D.C. Chamber of Congress, called ``Ask Me About Washington.'' It is a service we are providing to Members and staff, along with a free lunch, that we think may be especially needed this year. The Galleries are empty, my colleagues. There is a reason. This is an election year. They should be full. But our constituents need information and need reassurance that the barricades and the ugly security do not send a message that we are trying to tell them something: stay away; your Member of Congress does not want to see you this year. I do not think so, but that will be the effect unless we reach out and become more proactive. The fact is elected officials never want people to stay away. We cannot help it that the security is not as it was. It is being fixed. We sympathize with the Architect of the Capitol and the police board, but we have to do something in the meantime. I have distributed a fact sheet that I hope Members will send to their own constituents in their constituent mail simply telling them what are absolutely unknown facts for most of them: that Reagan National Airport will be 77 percent up by March 1; telling them everything is open, and all the rest. I think my colleagues will find it informational; and more than that, I think Members will find their constituents will find that they are getting word from Washington that they have not gotten in a long time, not since September 11.”