Political Quotes

“This is a fiscally responsible bill. It cuts $2.9 billion below the fiscal year 2013 enacted level and it is $4.1 billion below the President's request. That is an impressive achievement working in this very difficult fiscal environment that we are in today. What I really find impressive about the bill and the work that's been done by the subcommittee chairman and the chairman and the Appropriations Committee is the fact that this bill sets some very good priorities. In fact, there is $2 billion for navigation projects and studies to advance American competitiveness in our ability to export, which is critical for growth in the U.S. economy. It includes $1 billion of appropriation from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. This is a record level. This is $200 million more than what we saw in fiscal year 2013, something that is absolutely critical, because we know that our Federal ports, our harbors, are essential if we are going to be able to ship goods overseas. Getting the dredging funds is absolutely necessary because we lose economic efficiency. In fact, on the Mississippi River, every time we lose a foot of draft it is about $1 million per ship, per day, in lost economic activity. If we are going to get this economy growing, create value, create jobs, we have to export. To export, we have to have the waterways that allow us to do that.…”