Political Quotes

“I think we have now seen why this is such a difficult question, because there is no arguing with the fact that individuals suffering from disabling diseases, particularly such as spina bifida, which is a congenital birth defect, which, in most severe cases, can cause paralysis, deserve our compassion. There are some studies underway which have shown that one of the causes of spina bifida is a lack of folic acid. This is a disease, this is a defect which deserves our greatest attention because it is a debilitating, truly awful disability, and the compassion with which the minority leader speaks is justifiable. We all have compassion for these people, but we are considering an appropriations bill today. It is the most tortuous reasoning to say, when the minority leader has waited until July 29 to introduce a piece of legislation, and then without hearings in the relevant authorizing committee expects without the hearings and over the objection of the authorizing committee which wishes to explore what is clearly questionable scientific evidence on which any findings should be based, that this should be put in an appropriations bill.”