There is a great deal of information floating around about the gasoline tax -- both accurate and inaccurate. This will give citizens and elected officials the opportunity to sift through the most precise information and move forward with the facts.

Ham was a great senator and a great North Carolinian, but first and foremost he was a great American. He was the most special among us and he will be missed - God gave us the greatest when he gave us Ham.

Like your income tax schedule that you pay based on your ability, this is the amount you pay based on your ability.

North Carolina's emergency preparedness system is one of the best in the nation. North Carolina's emergency management team has been very proactive and this is yet another means for them to solidify our and planning preparation.

We work on a lot of issues. Obviously, the leadership and myself and the vast majority of the Democratic caucus would like to see [the lottery] passed into law. If the opportunity affords itself on Tuesday ... we will certainly take that.

I'm of the belief that the people want this, and the will of the people has spoken today.

I don't want to build a bureaucracy, but I want to see that we have safe water to drink.

He could debate an issue more articulately than anyone I've seen in my 22 years in the Senate.