Political Quotes

On the recordMarch 3, 2016
Madam President, I come to the floor to talk about the pending legislation, which is very important. It actually enjoys broad bipartisan support, and I am optimistic we can get it done. Before I talk about that, I wish to comment on some of the things that have been said on the floor with regard to the vacancy created by the death of Antonin Scalia. First, the Democratic leader, Senator Reid, clearly wants to apply a different set of rules when Republicans are in the majority than he did when Democrats were in the majority. That is very clear. People may get lost in some of the arcane and convoluted nature of the arguments we make on the floor, but the American people understand hypocrisy when they see it. Clearly, in 2005, when President George W. Bush was President, Senator Reid made this statement: The duties of the Senate are set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Nowhere in that document does it say the Senate has a duty to give Presidential appointees a vote. We actually agreed with Senator Reid then. But to have him come to the floor and lambaste the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and others in a very personal way is surely beneath the dignity of this body and of any Senator. Somehow the Democratic leader feels as if the rules that apply to the rest of us simply don't apply to him. He comes to the floor and tries to provoke fights.…
Said by
John Cornyn
Republican · Texas

Share & report

More from John Cornyn

Mar 4, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following Members be permitted to speak prior to the lunch recess: Myself, for up to 15 minutes; Senator Murray, up to 10 minutes; Senator Cantwell, up to 5 minutes; and Senator Britt, for up…

govinfo.gov
Mar 27, 2025

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 148. There being no objection, under the previous order and pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 148…

govinfo.gov
Mar 10, 2025

Madam President, last week, I came to the floor to debunk some of our Democratic colleagues' myths, disinformation, mistaken information about the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. Ronald Reagan liked to say…

govinfo.gov
Mar 26, 2025

Mr. President, I have spoken before about my constituent, my fellow Texan, Elon Musk here on the floor and recounted the fact that it was really, maybe, probably--at least 15 years ago, maybe a little longer, when he came to my office here…

govinfo.gov

Other voices in this conversation