Political Quotes

“I thank the Chairman, and let me attempt to answer the question. The question is really not whether the gentleman from North Carolina objects to an earmark. It's not whether the gentleman from New York is for an earmark. Really, this is the people's House, and it's really up to the people to make the final judgment on each and every one of these earmarks, and the people simply don't know what these earmarks are. This is the people's House, and we've been told there are earmarks in this bill, there will be earmarks added in conference. We're told that the professionals on the Appropriations Committee are reviewing these earmarks. They're making a determination. That's what it's about. I grew up in Birmingham, and there was a Scripps Howard newspaper in Birmingham, and it had a searchlight on the front page. I'm sure some of you had a Scripps Howard newspaper in your community, and that was the truth going out, the light. The gentleman from North Carolina says he doesn't know anything about these earmarks. I don't know anything about these earmarks. The gentleman from New York may know all about them. The chairman of the committee may know about them. But really, the truth is that who ought to know, and who has a right to know and a right to make that judgment in each and every case is the people we represent, the people of the United States. It's their money. It's not our money. And that's what's so wrong with this process tonight.”