Political Quotes

“I rise in strong opposition to the rule because it waives all points of order against unauthorized appropriations contained in this bill. I object particularly to the funding for four unauthorized construction projects totaling over $25 million. The projects are courthouses in Albany, GA, Steubenville, OH, Corpus Christi, TX, and Providence, RI. To the many taxpayers who are listening to the debate, discussion of the House rules may seem unimportant. In fact, what is at stake here is whether we allow a few powerful Members of the House to circumvent rules and spend millions of tax dollars on what I would call pork-barrel projects. Now, by pork barrel I mean that these spending projects have had no authorizations, no hearings, no determination of the need for these projects. That is a failure to, simply, follow the basic procedures of the House in regard to spending. To taxpayers who are outraged that their tax money is wasted on pork-barrel projects I say, Watch this vote very carefully. A vote for this rule is a vote for breaking the rules of the House and in this instance allowing $24 million to be spent on what I would call pork.”