Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, we are now 6 months into our fiscal year, and we have not been able to pass a dozen or more individual appropriations bills within that time. We inherited a spending regime, but we have a mandate from the American people to cut spending. We must do it equitably, fairly and quickly; and I think that Mr. LaTourette has come up with an amendment which has a really fair way of doing this: Don't zero out programs without hearings. Don't pick winners and losers. Don't do this without having the proper hearings and oversight. By reducing our discretionary programs at the same rate across the board, we don't risk alienating future priorities or vulnerable constituencies that may receive funding which is at risk of being terminated. The chairman of Appropriations and this whole body have done a great job in looking at all of this, and I think we will come out with something that we will all be very proud of. The LaTourette amendment offers another way to do just that.”