Political Quotes

“I will sit down in a moment to let my friend and colleague Joe Manchin speak. I want to point out for a moment a couple of things. My friend and colleague from the State of Washington is objecting to this measure that would allow all Members adequate time to review the bill and to vet it with constituents and debate it and discuss it and amend it on the floor. She said that we have to get a move on; the government has been on autopilot, meaning under a continuing resolution for too long. True. Absolutely true. But I find it stunning the suggestion that she is saying now that time is of the essence. Now, we didn't have the bill yesterday or the day before or the day before or the day before that when we were promised the bill. We didn't have it. We have it now. She identified the precise moment in history--the precise moment in 2024--when we can no longer move forward for another day. We have to get a move on right, right now. They are the only ones who know this. She also says it is bipartisan, bicameral; that it is a carefully negotiated agreement. That is great. That small handful of people who actually saw this bill and were involved in its final formulation, I am sure, will find that very comforting. For the rest of us who didn't see it until 2:30 a.m. this morning and the 330 million Americans out there who will have to pay for this stuff, that is not adequate notice. That is not a carefully negotiated agreement.…”