Political Quotes

“Understand that every one of the items mentioned in this letter from the President, Southwest Asia, that is Iraq, Haiti, Bosnia, and Somalia, was underway when we did the budget last year. There is nothing unforeseen here. What this says is, they do not like the results of the House and Senate budget procedure so they will use this emergency supplemental to reopen the issue. The gentleman from Washington says we are asking them to eat these contingencies. These were part of the budget request last year. Everything on here was known when Congress voted the budget in September. We did not vote the budget 12 years ago. We voted a budget in September. They decided, as does every Department down there, that they did not get enough. So they use this opportunity to get more. It is so urgent, by the way, that the administration asked for it, accordingly to their own letter, on January 31. That was Monday. What was happening Monday? The earthquake supplemental was coming up. This is seizing an opportunity. They saw the train going. They jumped on. The fact is, however, very clearly, there is nothing on here that they are asking to be reimbursed for that was not fully known and underway when the budget went through. This is simply a way to bust open the budget and, when they go first, invite every other Department to come afterward.”