Political Quotes

“As I have been listening to the debate this evening following the process, I, too, would offer my congratulations to the chair of the committee and the committee itself dealing with a very difficult situation. There are lots of pressures. They are not just faceless special interests, but we are dealing with businesses, with unions, with the military itself, concerns for their family, the armed services, and the traditions. All of these things make for a very complicated situation. But I relate to something Mr. Smith said a moment ago, the ranking member, talking about the really hard questions are not really being addressed. We are sort of pushing them down the road when the administration and the Pentagon offered them forward. I am concerned that we have yet to come to grips with the costs of between a half-trillion and two-thirds of a trillion dollars for our nuclear capacity over the next 10 years. Well, I am offering tonight an easy opportunity to deal with something that can make a big difference to support thousands of brave men and women who make up the Air National Guard, who have proven themselves, especially over the last 13 years, answering the call of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to protecting the homeland without wavering, they have responded time and time again when disaster strikes. But I want to focus on one particular area dealing with the Air Guard and Reserves' capacity to be able to meet their challenges.…”