Political Quotes

“I ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with Senator Thune, chairman of the commerce committee, regarding the DRIVE Act and the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA. I want to thank Chairman Thune for working with me to remove four provisions in the DRIVE Act aimed at carving out information from disclosure under FOIA, three of which were in titles of the bill falling under the commerce committee's jurisdiction. The removal of these four provisions is reflected in the second-degree amendment filed by Senator Inhofe, amendment No. 2533, to the McConnell substitute amendment. FOIA is our Nation's premier open government law and the foundation on which all our sunshine and transparency policies rest. It remains an indispensable tool for Americans to obtain information affecting public policy, consumer safety, the environment, and public health. The Freedom of Information Act falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and changes affecting this law should not be enacted without full and careful consideration by the Judiciary Committee.”