Political Quotes

“I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I would ask my friend, the chairperson of the Budget Committee, who has done extremely hard work on the budget agreement, is the Senator aware that under the Simpson-Bowles plan-- which was embraced by many, many Members of this body, including on this side, including on the other side, including those who have now announced their opposition to the agreement, the Ryan-Murray budget-- that the Simpson-Bowles plan recommends scrapping COLAs, cost-of-living adjustments, entirely? It not just cuts them, but the Simpson-Bowles plan--I wonder if the chairperson knows--eliminates COLAs entirely for working age military retirees? The Simpson-Bowles plan, which was so embraced and everybody thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread, said: Defer Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for retirees in the current system until age 62, including for civilian and military retirees who retire well before a conventional retirement age. In place of annual increases, provide a one- time catch-up adjustment at age 62 to increase the benefit to the amount that would have been payable had full COLAS been in effect.…”