Sam Farr: “Mr. Chairman, I rise to put a little bit of a face on this across-the-board cut, squeeze and trim, the sort of idiotic…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise to put a little bit of a face on this across-the-board cut, squeeze and trim, the sort of idiotic approach to spending here in this United States government, particularly in this budget. We happen to have a global war of terrorism going on. In that global war, there are a lot of people that don't like the United States. But there is a program that the United States has that they very much like. They like it because countries are asking at an all-time high, send us more; we want more. More countries signing up wanting more people. What is that program? It's the Peace Corps. And guess what? It's funded in this program. You know what? The American public out there wants to join the Peace Corps at an all-time high. No, it doesn't matter. Just cut the program. Cut the program. Don't separate the good from the bad. Just cut it. Well, this is why it's also idiotic. Because, as you have heard, this program funds an international military education program. A few months ago at this roster, we had a Joint Session of Congress; and giving that address was King Abdullah of Jordan. Guess where King Abdullah found his love for the United States? Studying at the Naval postgraduate school in Monterey, California, where 500 foreign officers come and study along with our officers every year. But, no, that doesn't count. We want to work on trying to get mutual understanding to our allies. Cut that program. Cut it across the board.”