Political Quotes

“I think the Senator has raised a legitimate question. Are we as a body in the Senate to look in a bipartisan way to future arms control or are we not? It is a fair question given the action by this Chamber, which is a proper action, on the test ban treaty. I fought hard against that. The Senator was on the other side. We rocked the Halls of this Chamber with that debate. But that is history. I want the Senator to know that this Senator from Virginia firmly believes in an ongoing arms control process, firmly believes that this country should continue its leadership with this very important endeavor to try to make this a more safe world. But every arms control agreement that comes along is not the one we should buy into. I say to my good friend, if he says this Chamber is divided, I commit this Senator to work, so long as I am privileged to be a Senator, for arms control. But for some reason, the Russian Duma, although it is in comparison a very new legislative body, had the opportunity to take START II and accept it, just as President Bush had signed it, put it into force and effect--but how well you understand, they put conditions on and those conditions they knew would not be acceptable in this Chamber. So they intentionally blocked going into force and effect the START II treaty. I say to my friend, why did they do that?”