On the recordMarch 9, 2011
I rise to address the Senate on the consequences of where we are in the debate on appropriations and the harsh and punitive consequences of H.R. 1. However, I cannot let the comments made during the last half hour go unchallenged. First, I wish to comment on the remarks of the Senator from Oklahoma on duplication in government. I so respect the Senator from Oklahoma. We have worked on many fiscal reform issues. But he went over a list, program by program by program, of where he says we have duplication. I don't challenge his facts, but I do challenge his inertia. If these programs have been in existence and have been duplicative and denied value to the taxpayer, where has he been? The Republicans were in charge for 10 years, from 2000 to 2008. They were in charge of all three branches of the government. So if he didn't like duplication, they had the Presidency, the House, and they had the Senate. Why didn't they change it? Now all of a sudden they have religion. I don't know what faith that is, but they now have the desire to talk about it. If they were serious about ending duplication, it should have started a long time ago. Second, bring the ideas forth, look for cosponsors from other reform-minded people such as the Presiding Officer and myself. Let's end the duplication. But let's end the duplicity and in the way we talk about duplication.
