David Obey: “If I am not mistaken, he was the majority party whip when his party controlled this Chamber last year, and it took 110…”

“If I am not mistaken, he was the majority party whip when his party controlled this Chamber last year, and it took 110 days before the Republican-controlled Congress could get a supplemental to the President. So I think it comes with considerable ill grace for the gentleman to be calling the kettle black. Let me also suggest that if there has been any delay whatsoever associated with this process, it is due to two things: Number one, it is a little thing called democracy. You know what? We don't have a rubber-stamp Congress anymore. If we did have a rubber-stamp Congress, we could have finished this in 1 day. But that is not what our obligation is. And, secondly, and even more fundamentally, any delay in the process was not caused by the Congress. We had this job done 3 weeks ago. The delay was caused by fact that the President blocked the funds going to the troops when he vetoed the bill. So I would suggest that the gentleman recognize where the true responsibility lies. We have a right and an obligation to spell out what we think is in the national interest of this country. Pardon me if it takes a few days.”