Political Quotes

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the issue before this body is whether there is going to be an opportunity for amendments to be considered and voted upon. We have heard today that we have three Republican amendments--three Republican amendments that address a prohibition on Federal labeling, that address criminal penalties, that address salmon. We also have three Democratic amendments we would like to have votes on. Once upon a time--it now starts to seem like a fairy tale--this Senate was known as a great deliberative body. Well, a great deliberative body entertains ideas, discusses them, and votes on them. So in support and honor of the tradition of the Senate to put amendments forward and have them debated and voted upon, we are offering an alternative. I would ask the majority leader to modify his request and to do so in the following fashion: I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be the only amendments in order to the motion to concur with respect to S. 764 with an amendment: Sanders No. 4948, Leahy No. 4966, Merkley No. 4969, Sasse No. 4972, Paul No. 4947, and Murkowski No. 4954; that there be 1 hour for debate, to run concurrently, prior to votes in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that all amendments be subject to a 60-vote threshold required for adoption; and that upon disposition of the amendments, all postcloture time be yielded back with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER.…”