Political Quotes

“not that long ago I listened to my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), state all kinds of reasons as to what was wrong with the Shays-Meehan-McCain-Feingold bill, and he went on and on and on about all these problems with this bipartisan approach to campaign finance reform. It kind of made me wonder why the Republican leadership has gone to great lengths, such great lengths, to prevent a vote on this bill, if it is such a bad bill. It is incredible how far the Republican leadership has come to try to stop this debate. We were promised a debate; a full, fair debate, with integrity and honesty on the floor of this House, and we have not gotten it. The gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) knows full well that every public interest group in America who has been fighting for campaign finance reform supports the bipartisan approach, and he knows as well that every major editorial board in America favors the bipartisan approach. He also knows that Members on both sides of the aisle have been working for 3 years to get a debate and get a vote on meaningful bipartisan campaign finance reform, and he also knows that the other body just voted 53 votes for the same bill in the United States Senate. Well, we are going to get this bill sooner or later, because the American people will respond and newer Members will respond.”