Political Quotes

“I take the floor today certainly not to defend the status quo or the present system we have, but rather to rise and thank my colleagues, especially the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), and all of the other sponsors, my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks), the gentleman from Washington (Mr. White) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), who have been fighting for the commission bill. And I also want to suggest that by voting ``present'' rather than ``yes'' on their own amendment, both the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn Maloney) will help us shore up the necessary majority to pass the Shays-Meehan bill. Three years ago Frank MacConnell stood up at a town meeting in Claremont, New Hampshire and asked Speaker Gingrich and President Clinton to commit to passing a campaign finance reform bill. The Speaker and the President shook hands on that. One year later, after no commission, Frank MacConnell came to Washington to ask Speaker Gingrich and President Clinton to commit to passing the McCain-Feingold, Shays- Meehan bill rather than establishing a commission.”