Political Quotes

“Mr. President, this week the Senate is considering a couple of fairly big items. We had a vote earlier this week on a budget proposal to fund the government for the next couple of years, and we also are going to be voting on a defense authorization bill that is very important to America's national security interests. As we brought this legislation to the floor, there has been something conspicuously and noticeably absent; that is, open debate--something that used to be taken for granted in the Senate, a right that was accorded to Senators. The nice thing about getting to the Senate, when you come from the House of Representatives, is that when you get to the Senate, one person can actually have the opportunity to get amendments voted on and have those amendments debated. In the House of Representatives, those of us who have served there, know there is a rules committee, and the rules committee decides what comes to the floor, what amendments are made in order, and how much time is allowed for debate on each amendment. It is a very structured process. What the Founders conceived for the Senate was something different. They wanted us to have an opportunity to openly debate the big issues of the day.…”