Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I offer an amendment to H.R. 4820, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill. My amendment is simple. It expresses Congress' support for public housing authorities to conduct drug testing as a condition of receiving benefits. My colleagues across the aisle will argue that the purpose of this amendment is to punish. I want to be clear: The purpose of this amendment is to protect. It is to protect taxpayer-funded resources and ensure that they are available for those who truly need them and are prepared to make positive contributions to society. Drug testing would put drug abusers on notice and provide a clear incentive to get off of drugs and to work toward self-sufficiency. Shouldn't that be something we all support? We must have protections in place and tools to enforce them which discourage lifelong dependency and ensure these programs are used as they are intended, as a temporary safety net for our most vulnerable and needy, not a way of life for generations. I am under no illusion that drug testing alone would solve all the problems of abuse and dependency that plague our welfare system. However, I do believe that any tool that helps to accomplish this goal should be fully leveraged and fully supported by Congress. Drugs are absolutely ravaging our country. It can be seen in every community.…”