Political Quotes

“Mr. President, before I talk about the budget, I wish to commend the Senator from Georgia. As someone who has been in the real estate business for many years, such as the Senator from Georgia, he is absolutely right. If homeowners are stuck with a 20-percent minimum, the odds are it will crush the housing market. I can tell you this personally because I am helping my mother do the paperwork now for her home. If she was required to put 20 percent down, she would not be buying that home today. We hope to close on the home in the next 45 days. We are fortunate she is able to do that, but 20 percent would take her right out of the market, unable to buy the home she wants to retire in. So I say to the Senator from Georgia, I hope more people hear it in the administration, because if they don't hear that, as we know with the housing market, it is a critical component of our ability to pull ourselves out of the recession. I thank the Senator for making those comments and noting that. I know Senator Conrad was down here earlier, the chair of the Budget Committee, to talk about the budget framework. I first wish to say thanks to Chairman Conrad. Here is someone who has been on the Budget Committee for 25 years, since 1986, and has been chairman for many of those years, an unbelievable capacity and understanding of the budget and what needs to be done. He understands it. He clearly recognizes we have to have a balanced approach. For months, yourself, Mr.…”