Zoe Lofgren: “I support the motion to recommit because its intent is to avoid a policy that I believe will have the effect of stifling…”

“I support the motion to recommit because its intent is to avoid a policy that I believe will have the effect of stifling voices of dissent, which will not serve this body or our country well. As the House is aware, every office will soon be getting a computer as part of our new CyberCongress initiative. I was interested on the details on it and did get the cost for the computer, which is $5,367.12. I took the specs for that computer and went to a normal vendor outside of the favorite inside vendor and asked them for an estimate. They came in with a cost that is $900 per computer, less for a better machine, 120 megahertz as compared to the 100 megahertz that the House has purchased. If that were expanded to all 435 offices, that would be nearly $400,000 that this House would save. Mr. Speaker, I think we ought to do that whether or not the motion to recommit is approved, but clearly if this motion is approved, we can save at least $150,000 just by making a better purchase on the new computers for each House office.”