Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished senior Senator from Maine, my neighbor in New England. We actually still have some debates on this floor. We had an important one yesterday. Someone called it a ``C-SPAN moment.'' It was a focused and memorable discussion of a significant issue now before the Senate. It was an honest discussion about what is at stake in the debate we are having right now. The core question is how we are going to support the survivors, in what every Senator agrees is a heinous and deplorable crime. Late yesterday, Senator Feinstein spoke with powerful clarity about why the Hyde amendment has no place in what we are trying to do here, particularly when this legislation we are debating does not involve taxpayer funds. The Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund included in S. 178 is funded by a special assessment fine collected from convicted sex traffickers. It is intended to help survivors rebuild their lives. Now, whether taxpayer dollars should be used to ensure the full range of health care options available to this very vulnerable population is an important debate. We will have that another day. But the application of the Hyde amendment when zero taxpayer dollars are involved is unprecedented. It represents a very significant change in Federal policy. When asked why the Hyde amendment has resulted in such an outcry, Senator Feinstein said simply but powerfully: Because of what this legislation is. This legislation is about the raping . . .…”