Political Quotes

“I want to say just a few words about missed opportunities and misplaced priorities. This is typically appropriation season, but this is only our second appropriation bill--and maybe final appropriation bill that we do all year. We typically have an open rule where any Member can bring any amendment to the floor as long as it is germane to strike spending and save money for the taxpayers, yet this year the Rules Committee only saw fit to allow 22 percent of the amendments offered to go onto the floor today. Typically, any Member can offer any amendment they would like to as long as it saves money. But instead of saving money this year, we decided to spend time doing things like H.R. 1460, recognizing the important role of pollinators, or supporting the goals and ideals of Railroad Retirement Day, or congratulating the Saratoga race course. These are suspension bills that take 10 minutes to debate on the floor; that's the same amount of time that we give for amendments. And so instead of doing amendments to save money, we're actually honoring racehorses and things like that.”