Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us is simple. It instructs the committees to do the job they already do--conduct oversight of the laws passed by Congress. I believe clarity of purpose is an important component to successfully tackling the challenges we face as a Nation. So, while I have no objection to this resolution, I question why we need to spend 9rac{1}{2} hours debating what we should all unanimously agree on. Spending this much time on this resolution is like making sure we finish chewing our gum before we start walking--when just a few months ago we were doing both at the same time. Take the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, for example. This legislation was passed as an unprecedented response to the most severe economic crisis our Nation has faced since the Great Depression. We knew that there was a lot of taxpayer money involved in this legislation. That's why we included reporting requirements for the recipients, and that's why we included diligent committee oversight. Because of these measures, I know that approximately $1.5 billion was allocated to Hawaii. Since 2009, this money has helped to save or create 13,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Hawaii. I also know that Hawaii received approximately $156 million for highway and water infrastructure improvements. These funds are helping to build Hawaii's infrastructure for the future right now.”