Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am pleased we will finally vote on the bipartisan amendment that Senator Inhofe and I have proposed. I thank the Commerce Committee chairman and ranking member. Before we vote I would like to respond to some remarks made on the floor yesterday. The junior Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Coburn, expressed some concern with the portion of our amendment that makes an improvement to the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act. As I understand one of Senator Coburn's concerns, it is the belief that the PSOB improvement I propose exceeds Congress's proper role under the Constitution. Section 8 of article 1 in the Constitution empowers Congress to provide for the ``general welfare'' of the United States. Supporting our first responders, and encouraging more Americans to serve their communities as first responders, who are our first line of national security, falls squarely within this clause. Congress can and does legislate in many areas that support the general welfare of our Nation, whether providing funds to fight violent crime through joint law enforcement task forces, or providing disaster aid to the states following natural disasters. Congress has traditionally acted to support our Federal system through beneficial legislation for the states. I find it difficult to understand how supporting all of our Nation's first responders, on an equal basis, exceeds Congress's proper and traditional constitutional role.…”