Political Quotes

“A number of my colleagues have asked why I have made at least two objections tonight with respect to motions to lay on the table and to have reconsideration. And I just want to remind the Chamber that we are here to do the job of the American people. We are here to vote. Madam Speaker, earlier tonight, we had a voice vote of somewhere around $16 billion of continuing resolution spending to push forward government spending to the night of March 15. And it is my considered judgment, and the judgment of many of my colleagues, that we should have the right to debate that and vote on it. And we had nobody in the Chamber here when we thought, and we were under the good faith belief, that we would actually have a vote on that tonight. So the purpose of forcing some votes tonight was to call that question and to remind the Chamber that it is our job to vote. It is our job to be here and do the work of the American people. Madam Speaker, we have not had an amendment on the floor of the House in open debate since May of 2016, to the best of my understanding. We need to restore this Chamber. We need to debate. We need to vote. Madam Speaker, with that, I will withdraw my reservation of the right to object. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation is withdrawn. ____________________”