Chris Chocola: “I think this amendment is relatively simple. It lives up to our responsibility that we are really sent here to do, and…”

“I think this amendment is relatively simple. It lives up to our responsibility that we are really sent here to do, and that is to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. Now, not only does the appropriations fund grants that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Toomey) mentioned, it also funds a grant that studies human linkages with the panda reserve in China. Now, I do not think I am going out on a limb to say that no one in the Second Congressional District of Indiana is going to benefit from this study. I doubt I am taking too much of a risk to say no one in any congressional district in America is going to benefit from this study. Mr. Chairman, I come from a business background, and I am a new Member of Congress; but when someone in our company wanted to spend money, we had to take the ultimate responsibility. And although the peer review process is probably pretty good, there comes a time when you have to say no, when you have to say this money is not spent in the best interest of the American people.”