Political Quotes

“I am going to vote today against the Coburn effort to change our rules relative to earmark legislation. I wish to tell you, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, we have put in place what I consider to be the most dramatic reform of this appropriations process since I have served in Congress. There is full disclosure, in my office, of every single request for an appropriation. We then ask those who have made the request for the appropriation to have a full disclaimer of their involvement in the appropriation so it is there for the public record. This kind of transparency is virtually unprecedented, and I think it is an effort to overcome some of the embarrassing episodes which occurred primarily in the House of Representatives under the other party's leadership, where people literally went to jail because of abuse of the earmark process. I believe I have an important responsibility to the State of Illinois and the people I represent to direct Federal dollars into projects critically important for our State and its future. What the Senator from Oklahoma is setting out to do is to eliminate that option.”