Christopher Shays: “This Congress in the last 2\1/2\ years has sought to balance the Federal budget and get our country's financial house in…”

“This Congress in the last 2\1/2\ years has sought to balance the Federal budget and get our country's financial house in order. We have sought to save our trust funds for not just future generations but present generations. And, thirdly, we have attempted as hard as we can to transform our caretaking, social, corporate and agricultural welfare state into a caring opportunity society. We have worked hard to help mothers get work, a opportunity for employment and training to be free from welfare. We have seen an agricultural bill, the Freedom to Farm, wean farmers off welfare. And yet when it comes to corporate welfare, we seem to find every defense possible to continue it. This amendment is not going to eliminate OPIC, it is going to reduce its administrative costs. There are some of us who would sincerely want to eliminate OPIC, totally privatize this operation. But, Mr. Chairman, this is a modest amendment. I support it. It is in line with everything we have attempted to do in transforming our caretaking, social, corporate and agricultural welfare state into what must become a caring opportunity society.”