Political Quotes

“I'd like to commend the chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and my friend, Mr. Regula, for his hard work and courageous action in putting this bill together. It has not been an easy task. But throughout the hearing process, as well as the subcommittee and full committee markup, Chairman Regula and his staff have performed tirelessly, professionally, and with the utmost sensitivity. Trying to put together a workable budget for the Departments of Interior and Energy, the Forest Service, and the numerous independent agencies under the Interior Subcommittee's jurisdiction is difficult. Add to this an effort to address the personal concerns of the members of this body and you have a very arduous, nearly impossible mission. But, Chairman Regula and his staff have crafted a good bill that I think is fair, fiscally conservative, and represents an excellent starting point for our 7-year journey to a balanced budget. Is this bill everything everyone wanted? Of course not. But then we can't--nor should we--ever go back to the fiscally irresponsible practices of the past. We must keep in mind that the fiscal integrity of this nation is our responsibility, and we must act accordingly. As the chairman has stated, the bill appropriates $11.96 billion in new budget authority for fiscal year 1996, $1.56 billion less than fiscal year 1995, and almost $2 billion less than the President requested.”