Political Quotes

“With respect to the Biden amendment, I was handed a copy of it a couple minutes ago. But having read it, it is a sense of the Senate. I don't see any reason not to support the Biden amendment. I have no problem with the language. It basically says that we hope for a resolution to the diplomatic efforts under way, a positive resolution with respect to Iran not pursuing nuclear weapons. That is no problem for me. But it doesn't do anything other than say we wish you well. The amendment I have offered is an amendment that is in substance the bill that passed the House of Representatives in April with over 300 votes. At the time it passed, prior to the negotiations that were commenced at the end of May by the administration, as the Senator from Delaware suggested, when it passed in April, the administration opposed it. I suspect, although I will let the Senator from Delaware speak for himself, I know he is not a cosponsor of my bill that is in the Foreign Relations Committee, and, to my knowledge, Senator Lugar has not supported this legislation. The State Department has not supported my legislation. It is not surprising to me that they don't support this amendment. They don't generally support amendments that have to do with sanctions and forcing them to do things they don't want to do. We are a coequal branch of Government, and it is vitally important for us at a critical time--and I agree with the Senator from Delaware on this, this is a critical time.…”