Political Quotes

“The Polis-Markey amendment would reduce the funding for unneeded nuclear weapons programs by $298 million in order to reduce the budget deficit. At a time of decisions, at a time of choices, we need to ask ourselves: How much is enough with regard to nuclear defense? These programs included in this amendment have consistently been over budget and ineffectual. We simply shouldn't be increasing funding for them--yes, actually increasing funding for them. This amendment simply eliminates the increase at a time when we should be focused on deficit reduction. We all agree that we need to stop wasteful government spending. Congress has to justify every penny it spends to the taxpayers, the American people, the global markets. There just isn't any justification for spending an additional $300 million, on top of prior year appropriations, on weapons programs that aren't needed and aren't suited to our current conflicts in the war on terror. This account funds programs like the B61 Life Extension Program. This program to modify nuclear bombs was originally set to cost $32.5 million and be completed in 2012. Since then, it has ballooned to $4 billion and won't be completed until 2022. At the time that this nuclear warhead is finished, if it's even finished by 2022, it might not even have a mission or a delivery vehicle. Then there is the W78 Life Extension Program, which would create yet another nuclear warhead.…”