Frank Murkowski: “I commend my friend from Alaska for his excellent amendment. It is about priorities, about setting priorities. I heard…”

“I commend my friend from Alaska for his excellent amendment. It is about priorities, about setting priorities. I heard the Senator from Alaska point out the minuscule percentage of Americans who choose to participate in this checkoff, and I commend the Senator from Alaska. He is right on the mark. As a matter of fact, this is one of the few issues--some would argue the only issue--in America where we have a total and complete annual poll. Every April 15, American citizens get to decide whether they want to spend a dollar of taxes they already owe--that they already owe--to this fund. And the participation, as my friend pointed out, has dropped from 26 to 17 percent.”