Political Quotes

“Mr. President, shortly we will be voting on final passage of the MILCON-VA appropriations bill. I would like to thank Leaders Reid and McConnell and Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman Cochran for their leadership and support in getting us to this point. I would especially like to thank my ranking member, Senator Kirk, for his cooperation and support in crafting this bill and steering it through the Senate. I am confident we would not be where we are today without his help and hard work on this bill. I also thank my colleagues for helping us to move this bill forward by rejecting dilatory amendments and by showing restraint in offering amendments to this bill. A number of Senators have filed amendments that are very important to them but are also controversial or not relevant to the bill. I appreciate their willingness to postpone debate on some of these issues so as not to bog down this bill. For example, I know Senators Webb and Warner feel very strongly about their amendments regarding the homeporting of a Navy carrier on the east coast, and I know the Florida Senators have equally strong feelings on this subject. I understand the Defense authorization bill includes a provision mandating a GAO report on this issue, and I appreciate the willingness of both delegations to postpone the debate on the carrier issue so we can focus on timely passage of this appropriations bill. Mr.…”