Matt Rosendale Quotes

I've taken legislation that people have been trying to pass for 10 or 15 years, and I got it passed.

Don't count on Congress. Laws come into being because people on the ground demand it.

You don't change minds in Washington with sweet reason. You do it to the white light of public opinion.

I got into lobbying kind of against my will at first. I frankly didn't want to be a lobbyist, but I realized that in lobbying I could do things politically that were interesting to me and do some what I thought would be good. I'm not sure it all turned out like that, but at least that was some of the initial thinking.

There are times in Annapolis when a governor's support can move an issue over the goal line.

I do not believe that I have ever before written to an individual legislator in favor of an individual bill, but ….

If you can’t move the public, you can’t move the Congress.

Members of Congress often have to have testimony to hang their hat on if they wish to do something for you or do something for the country.

Changing social policy is just dogged hard work.

If we want to influence the discussion in Congress, we can't oppose everything.

This legislation is in the President's interest, if only the President could be brought to see it.

Everyone who lobbies represents someone’s particular point of view.

Stop sending out press releases and start passing some bills...

If I could solve these problems with passing laws in the Congress, I would do so.

If it comes out of Congress, I think it has traction in America.

Presidents are evaluated not by what they did by the stroke of their own pen; it's what they persuade Congress to do.

I really focus on making sure that we pass good policy. I don't mind throwing my elbows around to get it done.

I began to get calls from constituents, 'Do you think you can ever get on transportation?' So when there was a vacancy created, I worked very hard to get there.

I believe with $200,000 I can pass our bill. I do not think we can get any legislation this session for land grants or changing line of road unless we pay more for it than it is worth.

Do you want to make a statement or do you want to make a law?

We have to tell the stories of the everyday Americans who are adversely impacted by these policies. That's how we were able to keep the Affordable Care Act from being repealed. People told their stories; people showed up at Town Hall.

When most people find themselves running afoul of the law, they might change their ways. When the Koch brothers found themselves running afoul of the law, David Koch decided to run for office so that he could change the law.

I taught policy and politics for seven years at a university. I told my students lobbyists are not a bad thing; they're absolutely vital.

It typically takes bipartisan work to build enough consensus to get things through our legislative process.

I can fight better on the outside. I can't fight too many Democrats on the inside like I can on the outside.