Political Quotes

“when we began the budget debate in Senator Murray's committee last week, I said that Senator Murray's challenge gave new meaning to the idea of playing a tough hand. Many thought her task was essentially ``Mission Impossible.'' The fact is, for all of us who know Senator Murray well, she has spent her whole life coming up with solutions to those matters that people said were ``Mission Impossible.'' She spent her whole life coming up with accomplishments that actually solve problems. I commend Senator Murray for all of her work on this matter. I think it is very clear that when we get the kind of bicameral, bipartisan agreement that addresses the major concerns we are debating here on the floor, it is going to be in no small measure because Senator Murray continued to reach out to all sides. I want her to know how much I appreciate that. I think we all understand these are complicated issues. At the same time, the challenge of coming up with a bipartisan agreement here is not rocket science in terms of identifying what the issues are. There are two issues here. One of them is taxes and the other is Medicare. The two of them in fact are inextricably linked in many respects, because I have heard some on the other side of the aisle say I will look at ways to reform taxes if colleagues on the Democratic side will look at ways to protect Medicare and at the same time hold down its costs. We have heard other Senators say the reverse.…”