Joe Lieberman: “I rise to speak against the Coburn amendment. I will file some statements in the Record, but I say to Senator Mikulski…”

“I rise to speak against the Coburn amendment. I will file some statements in the Record, but I say to Senator Mikulski and Senator Shelby, I thank them, before I get to the amendment, for the extraordinary work they have done and particularly on matters of local law enforcement which are so critical to the safety and well-being of our communities and our people. They stood up together in a bipartisan way. These programs have worked to reduce crime in our neighborhoods. Why do I oppose the Coburn amendment? Because the amendment would prohibit any funding of a program that happens to be located in Connecticut, in Mystic, CT, but is a program of real national significance run by Dr. Bob Ballard, who is a national asset. He is an extraordinary visionary, explorer, scientist, public servant, really an American patriot in the best sense of the term. Generally speaking, when I sought reelection last year and my opponent attacked me about earmarks, I said there are good earmarks and there are bad earmarks.”