These are just the words that were issued.

I'm not even trying to characterize the words.

But the American people need to hear these words

from the people that were sent to Congress to protect their interests.

We are watching Hakeem Jeffries live in the house.

His magic minutes now in this fifth hour.

We're going to watch a little bit of this before we're bringing the shot.

Let's go back live.

Says this was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate.

Let me just editorialize there briefly.

This should not be a hard vote, Senator Mikowski, this should be a hell no vote.

On behalf of the people you were sent to Washington to represent.

It's a hell no vote for us, because we're standing up on behalf of the American people. It should be a hell no vote for us because we're standing up on behalf of the American people. It should be a

hell no vote. But Mr. Speaker, these are the words. Senator Mikowski says this was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate.

And then she keeps it real.

As far as I can tell, she says,

but let's not kid ourselves.

This has been an awful process.

That's right.

Speaker, those are the words of a Republican senator, not us.

This has been an awful process, a frantic rush to meet an artificial deadline that has tested every limit of this institution.

While we have worked to improve the present bill for Alaska.

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