Patrick Leahy: “I do not know of anybody in leadership in either party that has ever given as strong, as powerful, as cogent, and as…”

“I do not know of anybody in leadership in either party that has ever given as strong, as powerful, as cogent, and as compelling a speech as my friend from Maine did. We are not here, any of us, from any State because we own a seat in the U.S. Senate. We are here to take full advantage of the fact that the Constitution gives us 6-year terms so that we can look at things carefully, think them through, and do what is best for the country. If the U.S. Senate is to truly be the conscience of the Nation, as it should be, we should be here voting the same way in an open session on the record as we would if we were voting in a secret ballot. We should be willing to stand up, all of us, all men and women, in this body and do what is right.”