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On Senate floor, Hagan pushes for bipartisan congressional action
Story Date: 2/29/2012
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 2/28/12
U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) took the Senate floor yesterday evening to urge Congress to put partisanship aside and work together on real action for the American people. The bipartisan colloquy was focused on passing appropriations bills so that the government does not operate on short-term stopgap spending measures.
Hagan’s remarks as delivered are below:
MRS. HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I AM PLEASED TO JOIN THIS
COLLOQUY TO HEAR THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE AND THE SENATOR
FROM -- THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS WORK TOGETHER ON THIS
ISSUE, I THINK IS SOMETHING OF PRIME IMPORTANCE. JUST AS
SENATOR ISAKSON WENT ACROSS GEORGIA THIS PAST WEEK, I WAS IN
MANY CITIES AND COMMUNITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED, AS HE SAID, WITH SUCH A LOW APPROVAL RATE OF
CONGRESS. THEY ARE ASKING US WHY CAN'T YOU WORK TOGETHER?
AND AS THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE SAID, WHEN YOU HAVE 47 IN ONE
PARTY AND 53 IN ANOTHER PARTY, AND TODAY YOU NEED 60 VOTES, IN
ORDER TO GET SOMETHING DONE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK
TOGETHER. AND THAT'S THE SENATE CHAMBER. THAT ALSO MEANS WE
HAVE TO WORK IN BOTH CHAMBERS, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE CONFERENCES THAT
ACTUALLY WORK SO THAT WE CAN GET LEGISLATION PASSED. AND IN
THIS CASE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, GETTING THE 12
APPROPRIATIONS BILLS PASSED. WHEN I WAS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA
SENATE, I WAS ONE OF THE COCHAIRS OF THE BUDGET. WE KNOW HOW TO
DO THIS. WE KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE. OBVIOUSLY IT'S A MUCH
BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE UP HERE. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY THAT WE WORK TOGETHER, GET THESE
BILLS PASSED. SO I'M JUST VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THIS DEBATE
GOING ON, THIS COLLOQUY. THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE STANDING
HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND PLEDGING TO WORK TOGETHER.
I AM PLEASED THAT SENATOR INOUYE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS COMMITTEE, AS
WELL AS THE RANKING SENATOR, SENATOR COCHRAN, ARE PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD. SO I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD
BOTH THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE AND THE SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS FOR
HOLDING THIS COLLOQUY AND BRINGING THIS OUT SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN
HEAR WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT AND THE COMMITMENT TO MOVE FORWARD.
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