Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, it is important for us to understand what's going on here with this amendment. Or, more importantly, let's focus on what's not going on here! Exactly what does this amendment not do? In the first place, this amendment does not shift our priorities from a cold war defense to a post-cold war budget. As you can see from the charts in the well, which I requested from the Secretary of Defense who used them in his testimony before our congressional committees, that shift is already taking place. Defense spending is going down dramatically. The question posed by amendments like this is whether we pursue a rational, managed defense downsizing over the years or whether we gut our national security and our economy. As President Bill Clinton said in a letter yesterday to Budget Committee Chairman Marty Sabo, 'The committee has done a careful job in balancing the needs of the Nation, and I am prepared to work with you to oppose any cuts in the level of defense funded in the resolution.' Second is deficit reduction. Despite promises in some 'Dear Colleague' letters being circulated for this amendment, there is no deficit reduction in the amendment. It absolutely does not reduce budget outlays or the deficit numbers.”