Political Quotes

“in April of this year the Senate passed, with an overwhelming vote of 95 to 5, a bill called the charitable choice bill. It is obviously bipartisan legislation that was shepherded through this body by Senator Santorum, and a lot of work, over a long period of time, has been put into the efforts for passage of this legislation. Two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed its version, H.R. 7, by a vote--again, it was overwhelming--of 408 to 13. The regular process of the House and the Senate is that the bill will proceed to a conference on the differences between these two bills. Unfortunately, it is my understanding that we will be unable to reach an agreement today, this afternoon, before adjourning to go on break, to appointment conferees on the part of the Senate. There is, simply put, an objection on the other side of the aisle, and with so many Members who have left for the day, I will not ask for a formal consent agreement. But clearly, I am disappointed that we were unable to take the next logical regular order step in finishing this bill.”