Political Quotes

“I rise today on H.R. 5540, permanent authorization for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. As my colleague pointed out, today's bill would permanently reauthorize these Federal funds and remove the $3 million annual cap. When we held a hearing on this bill in committee, the administration testified that there have been some successes with this program, and consequently Federal funds are no longer necessary to subsidize this partnership. So I rise with serious concerns over the permanent authorization of this program. In committee, I offered an amendment that would strike a compromise limiting this authorization to 5 years. Today's legislation, however, proposes to put the taxpayer, including taxpayers in Idaho, on the hook permanently funding this program, and that in spite of the administration's claim that no Federal funds are even needed. This comes on the heels of the vote of this body we just took approving the largest tax increase in American history, a tax increase of some $683 billion, as well as action raising the national debt to an all-time record high of $10.5 trillion. This, together with skyrocketing fuel prices and increases in fuel cost, has the American taxpayer, the American family, and everyone across this country, including my great home State of Idaho, under a tremendous burden.”