Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the subject of our debate today is that it is wholly inappropriate that at this moment in time some in Congress are deciding that they are going to hold hostage Homeland Security funding unless they get 100 percent of what they want. I think immigration reform is a terribly important issue. I was proud to join in one of the broadest, bipartisan votes in the past few years to pass bipartisan immigration reform. I was disappointed when our friends in the House didn't take up that legislation and pass it. Subsequent to that failure to act on the part of the House, the President has acted--and I believe there are even folks here watching these proceedings now who are beneficiaries of those Executive actions, some of the DREAMers. Now if this body wants to redebate immigration, that is a fair topic, a fair subject. And I, for one, would welcome that full-throated debate again. But it should not--it should not--be tied to a critical part of national homeland security funding. The remarkable thing is this is actually an area where both parties came to agreement on the size of the budget and the program prioritization. There was an agreement. But instead, extraneous items were added that now some are saying if we don't get these items we are willing to roll the dice or potentially shut down the most essential parts of our government at a time of enormous international and potentially domestic challenge.…”