Political Quotes

“This amendment would reduce funding in the bill for the Federal Maritime Commission's Salaries and Expenses by $100,000, and transfer that same amount to the Spending Reduction Account. This amendment would have the effect of bringing the appropriations for this purpose back to the current levels, what we have right now. I offered a similar amendment to this bill last year, which would have eliminated a proposed $900,000 increase to this same account. Unfortunately, that amendment failed by a 172-249 vote, a pretty strong margin. So this year, I bring you a request to hold the line, to eliminate this very small increase of $100,000, an amount which is less than many bureaucrats here in Washington take home as their yearly salary. Perhaps more than any of my amendments that I've offered tonight, I hope that this one passes, Madam Chair, because if this amendment to strike a $100,000 increase to Federal employee salaries fails, it means that we are in serious, serious trouble when it comes to solving our spending problem. I urge my colleagues to prove me wrong and to support my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.”