Political Quotes

“I think what is frustrating in consideration of this deficit-busting, irresponsible, Republican tax-and-spend bill is a double standard. We have a bill before us that would increase the deficit by over $33 billion, yet we are not even allowed to consider these much smaller ticket items that are pressing national emergencies. Children in Flint still can't bathe or drink tap water because of toxic lead; families in New Hampshire are receiving little help for the opioid addictions ravaging their communities; pregnant women in south Florida are living in fear of the serious health consequences and birth defects related to Zika; and yet there is $33 billion for a tax cut for the wealthy. What piece am I missing here, Mr. Speaker? How is it that there is $33 billion for a tax expenditure, but there is not even $1 billion or $2 billion or $3 billion to address these pressing issues like Zika or lead or opioids? A dollar is a dollar. Whether you expend it as a decrease in revenue or an expenditure, it has the exact same economic impact. It increases our budget deficit, already over $400 billion; and here we have a bill that would increase it by over $30 billion. If we are going to move towards balancing the budget, Mr. Speaker, of course, we need to look at expenditures and we need to look at revenues. That is the only way you are ever going to get there.…”