Political Quotes

“I rise to say that I have the highest regard for my good friend from Michigan, and he knows that. We are good friends; but I have to oppose him on this issue, Mr. Speaker. This bill is a good bill. In fact, it is an excellent bill. I understand the concerns about not involving the committee, and I empathize with that and think we do not do a good job in that regard. But I think it is also fair for Members to understand, this Congress could not get a major DOE reform bill through this body with the President's signature. It would not happen. It will happen as a part of this defense bill. It is important that we understand a motion to recommit opens the entire conference up well beyond the scope of just this issue, and that is going to cause problems for every Member in this institution who has an interest in this bill, including issues like the pay raise. We just cannot say it is a free vote that we vote for the motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, there is a big problem here. It was the Secretary of Energy who, in 1993, did away with the FBI background checks.”