Cord Byrd: “I am proud to support H.R. 1195, a bill to amend the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act…”

“I am proud to support H.R. 1195, a bill to amend the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, and the benefits that it will provide to West Virginia and the rest of the country. However, I must oppose the two amendments offered by Senators Boxer and Coburn. Both amendments have the good intention of ensuring open and honest government, but I must oppose them because of my concerns about their implications, particularly as they may impinge on the powers of the legislative branch. I applaud the Senators for their attempts to eliminate any waste, fraud, and abuse that have plagued the Congress in previous years. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I have instituted on-line access to spending bills, so that the public may see where their tax money is being spent. But both of these amendments may inappropriately expose Congress to scrutiny by the executive branch by way of the Department of Justice. Congress is fully capable of proceeding with its own internal investigations. Both Houses have bipartisan Ethics Committees that may undertake these investigations. If criminal activities are discovered in the course of a congressional inquiry, such crimes should then be investigated by the appropriate Federal authorities.”