Political Quotes

“Mr. President, thank you very much. I know our time is limited. I want to start on an issue that I think all of us are coming together on no matter what party we are in, and that is what has been happening to our military families. On Sunday, as noted by the Senator from Kansas a few moments ago, SGT Patrick Hawkins from Carlisle, PA, was killed in action in Afghanistan when his unit was hit with an IED, an improvised explosive device. Sergeant Hawkins was moving to the aid of a wounded Ranger when he was killed. Due to the shutdown, Sergeant Hawkins' family cannot receive the death benefit provided to soldiers to cover the funeral and burial expenses for that family. Today I am joining an effort with a number of Senators writing to urge Secretary Hagel to use whatever discretion he has to provide the death benefits to the Hawkins family as well as the other families so we can meet the promise we made to those families. I know the President is working on this issue, is working with the Office of Management and Budget and the Defense Department on a solution to this problem. Mr. President, I will move to the question of where we are now. This is a shutdown brought about by the tea party. We know that if Speaker Boehner would simply hold a vote on the bill that is before him, which would fund the government, this crisis would be over. So we should continue to take steps, No. 1, to open our government; No.…”