Political Quotes

“I worry that the Members believe that there is some easy way to solve these problems. The reason we do not come to a conclusion is because there are legitimate differences between Members, between parties when we are trying to solve them. Certainly a continuing resolution that is automatic does not solve it. It just puts it off and puts it off again and puts it off again. It is a way for us to find a deadline to solve the problem. I am talking about the practical results of how we legislate. If we face a deadline, we solve the problem. If we do not, it goes on and on. I have seen it happen for years. I have seen us come up to a deadline and finally pass the legislation. If my colleagues pass something like this, they may never get the legislation that they want. So they are making a tactical mistake when they try to pass something and think they are going to solve the problem. I understand the concern of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas), but that does not answer the concern. It does not solve the problem. Every time we run into a conflict and there is no deadline, we just put it off. That is the nature of the legislative business. So I say to the Members, we make a serious mistake if we think there is some easy way to solve this kind of a problem. Our continuing resolutions allow us to solve the problem. I remember President Reagan getting up and saying, I will never sign another continuing resolution the rest of my career.”