Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I come to the floor again today to once more honor another great Federal employee. I know the Presiding Officer and I, as well as some of our colleagues, recognize that in the State of New Mexico and the Commonwealth of Virginia and here in Washington, there are countless Federal employees who do great things in terms of public service and don't often get the recognition they deserve. As we debate the balance of this year's budget and think about the incredible issues in front of us in terms of our debt and deficit-- issues that have to be confronted--we also sometimes have to remember that our actions or our failure to act has enormous consequences on the people who defend our country, protect our homeland, or make sure the basic operations of government work. It could be making sure our Federal parks are open or making sure the folks here in Washington who are Federal police are on the job. Sometimes our failure to agree or our failure to come together on particularly the predictability of the balance of this fiscal year has an effect on their lives. That is not the subject of my purpose of rising today, but I do think it is important to bear that in mind as I continue the tradition that was started by Senator Kaufman last year of coming to the floor on a regular basis to honor Federal employees. Time and again, I have seen how the skills and dedication of Federal workers have yielded groundbreaking benefits for our country.…”