Political Quotes

“all of us here have been elected to represent the 600,000 people in each of our respective districts, but each of us also knows that we need to put always the interests of our great country ahead, No. 1. We are all Americans and we are proud of our heritage and this body. Today, we have a terrible deficit and debt, $5 trillion. Each of us has to look under every rock and stone to try to get that deficit down. Somehow, though, certain interests have been able to keep mining royalties tied to 1872 law. That is ridiculous, and what a bargain for them. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that if this bill goes forward there are interests that have a lock on about 1,200 acres of land that they are going to be able to put a claim on for about $8,000 or $9,000, and they are going to make a windfall profit of $10 billion on that money that they invest. That is not right. That is not right at all. In fact, that is why the Citizens Against Government Waste say this, and I will include the letter for the Record. Mr. Speaker, the letter reads, in part, as follows: "Dear Representative. In July, the House voted 271 to 153 against corporate special interests. This sounds like reform, but it is not; it is pure corporate welfare. As much as $15.5 billion in taxpayer-owned minerals will be sold beginning September 30 if the moratorium is not renewed." That is tomorrow.…”