Phil Gingrey: “a little while earlier when my amendment was introduced to cut the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture by 1 percent…”

“a little while earlier when my amendment was introduced to cut the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture by 1 percent, $50,000, the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee stood up and said, well, that is nothing. That is just pocket change, and it is a dilatory motion. It is meaningless. It is so insignificant in the big scope of things when we are talking about an $18 billion discretionary spending bill on the Agriculture appropriations bill that we are dealing with. Well, I thank now my colleague from North Carolina for doubling that 1 percent cut to a 2 percent cut. So now I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, we are not talking about $50,000, we are talking about $100,000. And the chairman of the overall committee, Mr. Obey, is absolutely right. It is a small amount. But he is also right. I have several other amendments. He might call those pocket change as well and dilatory amendments. But the first thing you know when you add those up, Mr. Chairman, you are going to get to over $1 million. Now, on the floor of the House in this body inside the Beltway that may not be much money, but to the folks back in the 11th District of Georgia that I represent it becomes some significant money. But, again, the chairman is right. We are trying to make a point here. And I hope not just our colleagues in the Chamber are listening, and I know they are, but I hope the American people are listening as well.”