Political Quotes

“I rise to speak about the extension of unemployment benefits, something we talked about 2 weeks ago before we left town. It is something we talked about the week before that and the week before that. There has been a lot of talk, and there has been continued opposition from Senate Republicans. I am incredulous that we have seen week after week after week--it has been 41 days since the Congress let unemployment insurance lapse. It was on June 4, 41 days ago. It is not because a lot of us didn't want to see it happen. It is because of an obscure--less obscure to the public than it was--60-vote rule. The Republicans did not just oppose the unemployment benefits extension--there are a couple of Republicans who voted for it, but of the 41 Republicans there was overwhelming opposition, virtually 90 percent of them--it is not just that they voted no. Let them vote no. They actually filibustered. They actually blocked us from even voting on the extension of unemployment benefits. It is unfair to the unemployed who face a difficult job market through no fault of their own, and it is bad economics.”