Political Quotes

“let me first say I think our colleague has brought to the attention of the Senate through his amendment a very important subject. It is my hope and expectation that we can eventually have a meeting of the minds. I don't take great joy in putting a second-degree amendment up on important subjects such as this, but I felt it imperative so we can frame for our membership what I perceive as a very conscientious presentation by the Senator of a set of goals in which I concur with two-thirds of the Senator's objectives. But where I ask there be a reservation, those reservations are of such severity that I am compelled to put in the second-degree amendment. I would like to walk through the amendment which the distinguished Senator put forth page by page. The first section says: Reports on matters relating to detainment of prisoners by the Department of Defense. Ordinarily, a report is something we are happy to grant a colleague. But in this instance, I will point out where my concerns are. First: Reports required. Not later than 90 days after date of enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the population of detainees held by the Department of Defense and on the facilities in which detainees are held. That is, have been held more than 30 days. My understanding was originally it didn't have that, and 30 days to me is reasonable.…”