Congress Quotes

"All the flower children were as alike as a congress of accountants and about as interesting"

"So with the end of the Cold War, it became increasingly obvious that there was no basis upon which any decision was being made, not in the White House, and certainly because of that, not in the Congress"

Malcolm Wallop, Politician

"But I made one mistake which I would never repeat as a member of Congress when I was in Washington, and that was when I was elected I didn't go on trips because I was so afraid of having someone accuse me of taking junkets"

Geraldine Ferraro, Politician

"It is statesmanlike for the administration and Congress to look to our nation's welfare beyond their terms in office"

Nick Clooney, Politician

"The founders were very worried that if parties developed in America, you might have something like the modern Italian system, where you have 20 different parties that divide Congress and the country and can't govern"

Michael Beschloss, Historian

"You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think"

Milton Berle, Comedian

"I obtained a job at the Library of Congress. I loved books, so I felt at home. I was going to end up, I thought, majoring in English and teach at the college level"

Tom Glazer, Musician

"Congress must not do something just for the sake of doing something. We must carefully and thoughtfully consider the implications of any action and whether that action will help or hinder our ultimate mission of protecting U.S. citizens from terror"

Richard Burr, Politician

"The Democrats' plan for 2006? Take the House and Senate and impeach the president. With our nation at war, is this the kind of Congress you want?"

Ken Mehlman, Politician

"Many critics of the Palestinians, especially those in Congress, think the current calm is merely the eye of the storm. That's why the House of Representatives approved a foreign aid package last week that forbade the direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority "

Suzanne Fields

"The photos were taken by African Union soldiers. People in Congress saw them. I thought if people could see them, there would be public outcry. No one would be able to say, We just didn't know what was going on there"

Nicholas D. Kristof, Writer

"The public conviction that a railroad linking the West and the East was an absolute necessity became so pronounced after the gold discoveries of '49 that Congress passed an act in 1853 providing for a survey of several lines from the Mississippi to the Pacific"

John Moody, Businessman

"I was sent there by the Free Congress Committee, headed by Paul Weyrich. Fred Smith and I were sent down as observers, with reporters' credentials, so we could witness the events"

Dixie Lee Ray, Politician

"The federal government seeks to control and regulate the Internet, but the last thing this Congress should be doing is trying to stifle public debate online"

Dennis Hastert, Politician

"It is important that Congress works to promote home ownership in Indian Country. These federal housing funds and programs will help young Native American families to stay on tribal lands in order to live, work and raise a family"

Rick Renzi, Politician

"I represent more Native Americans than anyone else in Congress"

Rick Renzi, Politician

"Illegal immigration presents a huge problem. That is why I decided to spend a week along the southern border to see firsthand how bad the problem is and, more importantly, what Congress can do to fix it"

Ric Keller, Politician

"As one of the voices of rural New Yorkers in Congress, I am committed to supporting efforts such as these that will make a real impact in people's lives"

John M. McHugh, Politician

"I am announcing my resignation from Congress so my colleagues can get back to work, my neighbors can choose a new representative and most importantly that my wife and I can continue to heal from the damage I have caused"

Anthony Weiner, Politician

"The problem... is that most members of Congress don't pay attention to what's going on"

John McCain, Politician

"As a Member of Congress from one of the fastest growing States in the country, we hire close to 2,500 new teachers a year, close to 5,000 support staff and faculty"

Jon Porter, Politician

"Finally, the House is working to require a comprehensive federal review of IRS regulations with a follow-up report to Congress on possible actions to reduce the tax paperwork burden imposed on small businesses"

Michael K. Simpson, Politician

"In coming to the Congress as a new Member and becoming a fellow Blue Dog, we have had an opportunity to share and really spend a great deal of time in examining the challenges that our Nation finds itself in in getting its fiscal house in order"

Jim Costa, Politician

"As a member of Congress, and a parent, I understand the importance of ensuring that families are able to provide a meaningful and proper burial for their loved ones"

Jon Porter, Politician

"We must shift the energy policy debate in America with an increased focus on alternative and renewable fuels and Congress must pass meaningful alternative fuels and incentive programs to help move the U.S. away from dependence on foreign oil"

Rick Renzi, Politician

"They're calling their Washington sources at the NRC or in Congress and they're not hesitating to give their opinion, but their opinion, frankly, in those early days was not very well informed"

William Scranton, Politician

"I have said, with respect to authorization bills, that I do not want the Congress or the country to commit fiscal suicide on the installment plan"

Everett Dirksen, Politician

"Congress should stop treating veterans like they're asking for a hand out when it comes to the benefits they were promised, and they should realize that, were it not for these veterans, there would be nothing to hand out"

Nick Lampson, Politician

"The government needs to help those in need, but members of Congress shouldn't take advantage of the situation and use a national tragedy as an opportunity to spend taxpayer dollars on their pet projects"

Chris Chocola, Politician

"Madam Speaker, before being elected to Congress, I ran a manufacturing business that did a significant percentage of our sales outside the United States"

Chris Chocola, Politician

"Anytime a large, emergency spending bill makes its way through Congress, the potential for mischief is great"

Chris Chocola, Politician

"Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984"

Ed Gillespie, Politician

"Having said that, I believe we must not compound the natural disaster of Katrina by creating a fiscal disaster in Congress - it is our duty to ensure that we reign in other government spending in any event, and especially in this time of national emergency"

Chris Chocola, Politician

"But the Congress has made the determination that certain kinds of information can be protected even though the American people may want to have access to information"

Alberto Gonzales, Public Servant

"The right of petition, I have said, was not conferred on the People by the Constitution, but was a pre-existing right, reserved by the People out of the grants of power made to Congress"

Caleb Cushing, Diplomat

"I don't want to talk about intelligence matters. I will say, however, that intelligence-community estimates should not become public in the way of this city and in the way of Congress"

Warren Christopher, Statesman

"Back in the mid-1980s, congressional hearings were held after we brought this litigation, and held up the first experiment. At that time, I went in front of Congress, along with the major agencies involved with this"

Jeremy Rifkin, Economist

"Congress will pass a law restricting public comment on the Internet to individuals who have spent a minimum of one hour actually accomplishing a specific task while on line"

Andy Grove, Businessman

"There is more selfishness and less principle among members of Congress than I had any conception of, before I became President of the U.S"

James K. Polk, President

"Very few men are fortunate enough to gain distinction during their first term in Congress"

John George Nicolay, Writer

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