Political Quotes

“First of all, this is a big deal, what we are embarking on now. It is something that--people understand it is the most important thing we do around here. Let me just say that my partner Jack Reed and I have been doing this a long time. I have often said how fortunate I am. You know, we hear all year out there in the real world about how everybody hates everybody in Washington; we want to compete with each other. But, you know, every year when we do the NDAA--that means the National Defense Authorization Act--it is the biggest and the most important bill of the year. Even though people think it is all happening inside this 2- or 3- day period, it is not. It is something that goes on all year long, and we have gotten to know each other very well. We know there are some areas where we have differences, but very rarely do we have differences that would impair our mission, and our mission is the most important mission that we have year-round. So I appreciate very much Chairman Reed, what he has been doing along with me, what we have done together. The NDAA has a long history of bipartisanship, and Senator Reed and I have worked together to get this bill through the committee with an overwhelming, bipartisan, 23-to-3 vote to bring it to the floor. That is where we are today. That is something you don't hear about in Washington, that you can pass something out of a committee by a vote of 23 to 3, but we did, and we did it because this is a bill that is done by the Members.…”