Porter Goss

The Public Record

Quotes by year · 1994–2016381 total · peak 1994 (75)

★ Featured Quote

April 27, 2016

Without his good influence, today's House of Representatives appears diminished.

— Porter Goss

Most widely reported

by number of sources

I rise in support of this fair, modified open rule. This is a very targeted bipartisan bill, and this rule provides ample opportunity for debate and amendment. It is not all there is to be said on the subject of education, but it is a very excellent place to start on a targeted basis. The Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999, or Ed-Flex as we call it, is a step towards local control, away from the dictates of Washington. We all know education is a priority interest in our Nation today. It needs to be. We are not doing as well as we need to be. But education is not about what Washington does. It is about teaching students. It is about students learning. Ed-Flex will empower our school districts with the ability to undertake more effective and innovative reform measures and do what works best for them in their schools. For too long schools districts have had to operate within the confines of Federal programs, which often act as an obstruction, despite our best intentions here, but an obstruction rather than an aid. While I would prefer to remove these restrictions all together, providing a waiver process for all States is at least an incremental step in the right direction. Ed-Flex will extend to all 50 States the option to waive certain Federal and State regulations in exchange for increased accountability and results.4 sources1999govinfo.gov
Today I present my annual list of specific spending cut suggestions. I introduced these yesterday in the Record. Today I want to talk a little bit about them and elaborate on them. These are 75 discretionary cuts which would save an estimated $275 billion, those are taxpayer dollars, over the next 5 years. That is just about double the amount of spending cuts the President has offered us in his most recent budget package. These savings could be produced without touching a single nondiscretionary item. Let me put that into English for the rest of America. Nondiscretionary item would mean entitlement, and that translates into Social Security, Medicare and so forth, Medicaid. This list of budget cuts I am submitting does not touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or any of those items that we call entitlements. It is only the discretionary items, the things that we control the purse strings on here in the House of Representatives, the power of the purse as it were. It is imperative that before we ask Americans to sacrifice any of their earned benefits we demonstrate an ability to root out the hundreds of billions of dollars of wasteful spending in this Government.2 sources1995govinfo.gov
I rise obviously in very strong support of the House-passed version of the line-item veto. I would point out that taking this up today as we start out the fall session is a promise kept. We said we would do it, we are doing it. I certainly commend the gentlewoman from Illinois [Mrs. Collins] and the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Wise] for carrying her motion to resolution which we agree with, as we have said, to instruct conferees. I think it is a useful addition. I would point out that by a vote of 294 to 134 in early February, this House acted, I think, very decisively to grant line-item veto authority to the President. We really are committed to establishing this tool to root out unnecessary or wasteful spending where we can identify it, and we can, and unfair tax breaks as well, where we can identify them. Our colleagues in the other body obviously have come up with a markedly different approach to the line-item veto, as we all know, their so-called separate enrollment process, and I frankly think that is a very cumbersome and complex process, and I do not think it can be effective, but we will discuss that in conference. We are going to have our work cut out for us over there. Preliminary discussions, however, make me a little optimistic that we are going to be able to make some progress. I think we are beginning to see some wisdom from people on the other side in understanding our position on this and why we think it is going to work better.2 sources1995govinfo.gov
I would assure the gentlewoman from California that it is the intent of the committee that the legislative history of this provision as it was developed in the debate in 1995 is applicable to the exercise of this authority. Indeed, the report to accompany H.R. 1775 reiterates the joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference on the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 to make completely clear that the original legislative history of this provision continues to govern its implementation.2 sources1997govinfo.gov

Apr 27, 2016

I think everybody is recalculating their view of the speaker. He called Hastert's actions inexcusable, not acceptable to any of the parties involved.

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May 4, 2006

I would like to report back to you that I believe the agency is on a very even keel. Sailing well.

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Jun 19, 2005

I have an excellent idea of where he is.

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Feb 15, 2005

Al Qaeda is intent on finding ways to circumvent U.S. security enhancements to strike Americans in the homeland.

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Feb 15, 2005

It becomes almost a piece of the Holy Grail for a small country that otherwise might be victimized, living in a dangerous neighborhood, to have a nuclear weapon.

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Feb 15, 2005

It may be only a matter of time before al Qaeda or other group attempts to use chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons. We must focus on that.

transcripts.cnn.com

Sep 7, 2004

this funding is real money that will bring real relief to the people in Florida who have been devastated by Hurricanes Charley and Frances and who need help. As Governor Bush said to us, we have developed a case, perhaps, of ``hurricane…