Political Quotes

“I think the gentleman from Texas missed the point entirely. It is not about mileage. It is about giving local contractors the opportunity. The offer I made to my colleagues on the right, my Republican colleagues, is put this amendment forward so that we have the opportunity in this legislation to work our way through this. We all understand there is a problem. We all want our local contractors, whatever that means, to have an opportunity at these jobs. There is a problem. The large national contractors are taking it all. They are coming into our communities and walking away with all of it. That's a problem for all of us who represent any military facility in this Nation. So let's move forward with this, put this amendment in, and then we will work it out. Maybe mileage isn't the best way. Local, maybe that needs to be defined. Forty percent, 39 percent, we can pick a number, or maybe no number at all. But we do know there is a problem, and we ought to be addressing it in this legislation this year. I would ask for your support. If you care about small businesses, then don't wait another year to solve the problem. I ask for an ``aye'' vote. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi). The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it.”