Floor Speeches

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said Wednesday night that he is "disappointed" with the Obama administration's position on the use of medical marijuana, and called on the House to approve an amendment that would prohibit the Justice Department from fighting state laws allowing its use.

"I have been disappointed on this point with the Obama administration," Frank said on the House floor. "The Clinton administration was quite sensible on this. The Bush administration slipped back on this, and I hoped that… the Obama administration would be more sensible."

Sen Jim Webb (D-Va.) is looking to close a critical "loophole" in the administration's war powers, which could be used to take military action against Syria without congressional approval. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday criticized Republicans in a 20-minute floor speech for blocking any bipartisan agreement on deficit reduction for the last several years, which he said was due in large part to their allegiance to Grover Norquist.

"John Boehner could never go against Grover," Reid said. "Grover Norquist. This is the Grover Norquist Congress. Because Republicans shake in their boots."

The Senate majority leader said the stakes "are too high to let partisanship get in the way" of the issue.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) on Friday went "Animal House" on Democrats by saying on the House floor: "Dumb, dependent and Democrat is no way to go through life."

Gohmert explained that in a telephone call Thursday night with Tea Party supporters, he was asked how he can justify his opposition to new taxes on oil companies, while cutting money from healthcare programs and other social services. Gohmert said Democrats apparently "slipped in a ringer" into his "telephone town hall," and said he could not answer the person at the time.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he is hopeful that the Senate can complete work on the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, S.1925, on Thursday.

McConnell said Republicans are working with Democrats on an agreement to consider just a few amendments to the bill, and a short time agreement on those amendments.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday sang the praises of the bipartisan majority of senators who allowed work to continue on a postal reform bill, and said finishing the bill on Wednesday will show the House that the Senate can do "big things."

"I am very, very gratified about the work that's been done for the last many months, which will culminate today in the passing of this postal bill," Reid said from the floor. "It's going to be something that is going to send to the House a message that we can do big things."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) said Tuesday that the U.S. Postal Service needs adapt to 21st century technologies in the same way it did when Americans started moving by rail.

“We now have the ability to communicate with each other without sitting down with pen and paper, just as we had the ability to transfer information and knowledge by means of the railroad rather than the pony express,” McCain said.

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Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) announced on Tuesday morning that every time Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticizes President Obama on the Senate floor, she will take to the floor to defend Obama.

Boxer spoke shortly after McConnell again blasted Obama for failing to take steps to help the economy recover, and for focusing on government-based solutions that he said have failed. McConnell, who frequently uses his morning remarks to criticize Obama, said Tuesday morning that Obama has become just another politician who has failed to deliver results for Americans.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday morning agreed in principle to reach an agreement that allows for the quick consideration and passage of a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a bill Democrats have made a priority over the last few weeks.

Reid spoke Tuesday morning in favor of reauthorizing VAWA after the Senate agreed unanimously to re-up the program in 2000 and again in 2005, and said renewing the program would continue to aid women and children in abusive domestic situations.