Political Quotes

“Thank you. I deeply appreciate your courtesy in permitting me to speak, and I appreciate your leadership in coming to the floor this evening and focusing on the importance of our being able to make goods and services in this country, particularly manufacturing. There is an element, as you referenced, that is the quickest way to jump-start the economy, that would be the largest source of family-wage jobs and which would tie into a whole host of contractors and subcontractors of people who make equipment operations in this country. You're right. Our Republican colleagues have offered up a proposal to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Act. I'm pleased to at least see something come to the floor, because the act expired 850 days ago. The notion of our transportation legislation used to be an area of bipartisan cooperation. It was something that people from both sides of the aisle worked on and came together to focus on how we strengthen our communities, how we put people to work and how we improve the environment, transportation, and mobility. Sadly, one of the casualties of the hyperpartisan environment was this notion that we worked together cooperatively in the legislation. My Democratic colleagues did not see the legislation. At first, I was concerned that they weren't brought in to be a part of this process that I always enjoyed as a minority party member back in the day. But now when we see the legislation, we understand perhaps why it wasn't as open and transparent.…”