Political Quotes

“this debate has shown the urgency of moving on both a short-term patch for funding transportation and a long-term solution. Senator Hatch and I, with the first amendment, offer a bipartisan path forward. We take ideas from the other Chamber. We take ideas from both parties. We take ideas that both sides can build on for the long term, as Chairwoman Boxer has recommended. There are important differences between the other body and the Senate. The other Chamber overuses pension smoothing. That creates two problems rather than solving one: They ignore the issue of tax compliance. That has always been bipartisan--paying taxes on taxes owed. Not tax hikes, not increases, not jacking revenues through the stratosphere, paying taxes on what is owed. The other body abandons important bipartisan initiatives, initiatives from Senator Burr and Senator Bennet to promote natural gas vehicles; from Senator Isakson and Senator Nelson to protect earned pension rights; and Senators Bennet and Crapo to make sure we can deliver water to farmers across the Nation. The American Farm Bureau has endorsed this amendment. The other body is saying: It is our way or no highway. I would ask colleagues, is that what we are sent here to the Senate to do, that we accept every dotted I and every crossed T from the other body and say that is just fine? Colleagues, we talk about regular order. How is it regular order to be a rubberstamp for the other body? This is going to be done this week.…”