Political Quotes

“I rise to thank our ranking member on the Budget Committee, Senator Conrad from North Dakota, for his leadership on this important issue and, as well, Senator Kennedy, who has spoken so eloquently about the fact that there are no dollars in this budget resolution for education for our children. One of the real pleasures for me as a new Member of the Senate on the Budget Committee has been to serve with Senator Byrd and to learn from him, as well, about the processes of budget and appropriations. We all, today, stand in opposition to this conference report that puts the United States on a risky fiscal path and threatens the longest peacetime economic expansion in our history. I had an opportunity as a member of the Senate Budget Committee to sit through 16 different hearings. Secretary after Secretary came forward--the General Accounting Office, the CBO, Chairman Greenspan. In every case, people came forward and said what was driving this economy and these projected surpluses was increased labor productivity. I echo what Senator Kennedy has discussed in terms of education. If in every case before the Budget Committee the discussion was about increased labor productivity, doesn't that mean education? It means research and technology development. But if we don't have the skilled workforce to be able to use that technology, to do the research, to be able to work in these new economy jobs, we will not be able to keep this economy going.”