Chuck Grassley: “I hope I can stand before this body as a person who has criticized the National Service Corps or AmeriCorps with…”

“I hope I can stand before this body as a person who has criticized the National Service Corps or AmeriCorps with credibility and say that I can be watchful of how the taxpayers' dollars are spent without being accused of playing politics. Most of my colleagues would remember that during the Reagan and Bush years when we controlled the White House and even controlled this body during part of that period of time I was not afraid to find fault with my own Presidents--Republican Presidents-- when this was a waste of taxpayers' dollars when it comes to expenditures for defense. I think I have a consistent record of pointing out boondoggles, whether it be in defense or anything else. And I have raised the same concerns about AmeriCorps based upon the General Accounting Office saying that each position costs $26,650 and that that is about twice what the administration said that these would cost.”