Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, this week, the President unveiled his 2011 budget, along with the promise to cut nonsecurity discretionary spending for 3 years. I actively support the President's initiative to rein in spending and to tackle our ever-growing deficit. However, the President and Congress must go further. In order to understand our next steps, we must understand how we got here. Eight years of fiscal irresponsibility, a blatant disregard for pay- as-you-go budgeting, and sky-high tax cuts have left us with a debt that is over 50 percent of GDP. To add insult to injury, we work in a town that thrives on pet projects and individually directed spending. We recklessly spend on defense projects that are intended to keep us safe--the government's number one duty--but actually help make us vulnerable and that are often untested and ineffective. In a March, 2009, GAO report assessing selected weapons programs, researchers estimate that cost overruns totaled nearly $300 billion. GAO continued to recommend that DOD move towards sound, knowledge-based acquisitions. The President should continue on this path toward reform spending by recommending cutting programs like expensive warships, planes, and flawed missile defense systems that don't help in the fight against terror. Congress must also reassert its constitutional right to provide for the common defense by denying money to produce any weapon before it is thoroughly tested.…”