It's an honor to be presented with an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of my mentor, Mike Mansfield, who worked to strengthen and improve America's important relationships throughout Asia.
— Max Baucus
We strongly believe that individual advocates play an important role in developing a civil society.
I have learned some core lessons along the way. Among the most important, I have become a firm believer that a strong geopolitical relationship can be born out of a strong economic relationship, which often begins with trade.
I'm no real expert on China.
Failure to pass TPP sends a big signal. The United States is backing off, backing away. That will create a huge void here.
Politics abhors a vacuum.
You can't operate by hindsight.
Life has many twists and turns.
School prayer, abortion, and school busing are indeed controversial issues. I doubt that there ever will be complete agreement on the public-policy questions they raise.
If Congress can strip the federal courts of jurisdiction over school prayer cases, there is no provision in the Constitution immune from congressional tampering.
We Montanans take pride in our low crime rate and believe honest people can disagree without being disagreeable. Maybe extremist groups believe they can find a home in Montana because of our easygoing ways.
For our part, the U.S. government has an obligation to aggressively pursue every opportunity to expand trade, boost the economy, and create well-paid jobs here at home.
I love challenges.
U.S. agricultural products, including safe, high-quality Montana beef, face unscientific trade restrictions in many important markets.
I believe strongly that the opportunity is here for us in America to finally have a healthcare system that we can really be proud of. But it's got to be one where everybody is involved. Everybody: consumers, employers, providers, health-insurance companies, everybody.
My door is open.
The recovery of the Gulf Coast region will take years to complete.
I'm a very proud Democrat, but I also like results.
Trade and investment have come to be the foundation, the ballast, of the U.S.-China relationship, providing great stability.
The U.S.-China relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world.
We won't sit idly by when a crime is committed in the real world. So why should we when it happens in cyber space?
My basic advice to the Chinese with respect to the South China Sea is, 'Hey, guys, cool it.'
I don't want retired schoolteachers or any other good Americans to be duped by fraudulent organizations into giving money, thinking it is going to go to disabled vets, when in fact it's not at all. It's going in to pad the pockets of some scam artists. I want to stop this stuff.
I believe very, very strongly that when you serve, you serve the entire state.
We Americans have an obligation to come to China, to learn more about China. Why? Because with each passing day, it's going to be more and more in our future.
The Framers of the Constitution wisely understood that constitutional principles must not be sacrificed on the altar of political appeasement.
We all must make hatemongers unwelcome in our towns and communities. And we must stand by the heroes in this struggle, the police and county prosecutors who stand up to the extremists.
America's ranchers and farmers produce the highest-quality products in the world.
Increased trade is crucial to a balanced plan for stimulating growth and job creation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Health reform is an essential part of restoring America's economy and maintaining our competitiveness.
Fundamentally, legislation that is historic, that is comprehensive, that has a large number of senators supporting it is more durable.
Tax reform is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world.
Judge Roberts has assured me personally that he has a healthy respect for precedent and the hard-won rights of Americans.
Protecting basic rights such as freedom of expression enhances social stability.
A lot of America is stressed by Mother Nature.
It is my strong belief that the Chinese people are just as proud as we Americans are proud.
Cyber-enabled theft of trade secrets by state actors in China has emerged as a major threat to our economic and, thus, national security.
I think that the level playing field is so unlevel - it is tilted so much in favor of Chinese companies - that it's time for the United States to do a little bit more, see.
My blood, my roots, my soul is in the state of Montana.
I just like to have one foot in Montana and one foot out.
We've got to stand up for ourselves. That is, draw some lines, make it clear that after awhile, we're not going to get bullied or pushed around, because I think there are some in China who want to push the United States around. They want to bully us.
The Founding Fathers provided a way to reverse unpopular Supreme Court decisions: a constitutional amendment.
Americans have the right to say what they believe. But with that right comes the responsibility to respect our neighbors, respect law enforcement, and obey the laws.
Any bilateral trade and investment agreement must be comprehensive and address the full range of barriers to U.S. goods and services if it is to receive broad, bipartisan congressional support.
IRAs are intended for retirement.
Every American has a right to affordable, high-quality health care.
I know the problem of obesity. I got to tell you, I think that's tepid. I just don't think the bully pulpit is going to be enough to sufficiently fight obesity. We're going to have to have incentives in here.
Sequestration is leverage that should not be given up easily.
You're entitled to Medicaid regardless of your income. Don't worry about your health care.
