Jeff Flake: “I applaud the talk about cleaning up the extravagant spending in the past. I applaud it. I just don't see it. I just…”

“I applaud the talk about cleaning up the extravagant spending in the past. I applaud it. I just don't see it. I just wish that you would say, all right, this was a scandal. We gave out millions and millions of dollars to private bus companies and others. Yet how are we going to fix it? We are going to create a new authorized program, a new one on top of this. Instead of saying, let's go in and find the waste, fraud, and abuse that was there before, we are not doing that. We are adding a new program. What this amendment does is simply strikes funding for the new authorization so we don't do more. If we do need these expenditures that are risk-based, then let's take out the formula funding that we are already doing. If you are in the majority and you have the power to do it, please don't blame those in the past. I have no brief for what we did before. I didn't vote for the creation of the Department. But if there is waste and abuse, let's take care of it. Let's not add to it. And that is what we are seeking to do with this amendment. Don't go any further. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.”