Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, just to reintroduce exactly what the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson] said, because one of the most troubling aspects of this conference report is that it devastates programs for the native Americans. I just cannot understand the attitude of this House. How can we overlook the history of our irresponsible crushing of the Indian people over the centuries? Mr. Speaker, this conference report compounds that irresponsibility. It does so by cutting funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs by $288 million from the budget estimate. This crippling cut is directly targeted at programs that help Indian tribes operate their reservations. If we ratify these cuts by passing this conference report, we will not only be harming one of the most impoverished and vulnerable segments of our society, but we will still be breaking another treaty with the Indian people.”