Political Quotes

“I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record this letter that I received. I think all of the Members received this letter that was addressed to Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, Speaker Boehner, and Representative Pelosi from the National Governors Association that came yesterday. Governor Mary Fallin and Governor John Hickenlooper signed the letter on behalf of all the Governors, and it says: The nation's governors urge Congress and the Administration to quickly reopen the federal government. The fiscal health of states is inextricably linked to the fiscal stability of the federal government, and while state economies have improved, a failure by our national government to secure a solution to the current government budget issues undermines our states' recovery and endangers the U.S. economy. It goes on to say: States have thus far managed to avoid closing or suspending most programs and services by using carry-over funds or, in some cases, by using state spending to fill in missing federal dollars. However, states are not in the position to be the bank for the federal government. As a former Governor, the Presiding Officer understands this. I was a former Treasurer. I most certainly understand that the budget of Louisiana is almost 70 percent Federal funding.…”