“I hadn't seen a Chinese ambassador on the Hill before, ... In the past four months, the Chinese embassy has been more aggressive in trying to contact members of Congress.”
“This bill is like cutting down the tree with the bald eagle's nest in it when you could have just trimmed the branches, ... It proposes unreasonable solutions to reasonable concerns.”
“[Some lawmakers remain skeptical.] We're concerned that the administration still doesn't get what we understand within our communities, ... Frankly, local communities have done as much as they can, and now they need federal help.”
“The lobbying on CNOOC was particularly intense on both sides, ... It was really symbolic of the problems that we are having defining what our relationship with China will be in the future.”
“The public isn't clamoring for any more lapdogs in Congress -- they want more watchdogs, especially after Katrina and the challenges we face in Iraq and the issues of fiscal responsibility with the budget.”
“Where our Southern Border battles a great deal of illegal immigration, the Northern Border's threats are more often drug, gun, and money smuggling by criminal organizations, ... These unique threats call for trained law-enforcement professionals who are skilled in dealing with organized crime and our border's unique geography.”