Political Quotes

“I have two amendments to establish legislative exchange programs on behalf of the United States Senate. These two amendments will authorize funds necessary to create formalized, cooperative relationships between the U.S. Senate and the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian Parliament, as well as between the United States and the National People's Congress of the People's Republican of China. The genesis of these initiatives is the hard work and deep interest that two of our colleagues have shown in pursing a deeper relationship with our counterparts in those two bodies. Senator Lott, during a visit to Russian 2 years ago, began a very fruitful dialogue with members of the Federation Council that has continued at many levels since. I myself had the opportunity earlier this year to meet with the Mr. Mikhail Margelov, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Federation Council, Senator Lugar's counterpart, and I look forward to playing host this fall to my counterpart, Mr. Sergei Mironov, the Chairman of the Federation Council. At that time it is our joint intention to sign a memorandum of agreement that will formalize a regularized relationship between our two legislative bodies. U.S.-Russian relations are at a point today that would have been unimaginable even a decade ago.”