Political Quotes

“Mr. President, just to respond briefly, it may not have been his priority list, but it is worth pointing out that, again, some priorities of these dollars--like $340 million cash payments to illegal immigrants--have been spent from this fund. But be that as it may, if the concern from my colleague is that these projects for lead pipe replacement and schools--if they have been obligated, nothing is going to change with that. I want to make that very clear. In fact, those obligations are still extended through 2024, as the statute called for. What this is all about is one simple fact: Do we think that Treasury can rewrite the law to extend these bureaucratic payments that, by the way, are part of the submissions that these State and locals have made for legal fees, other compliance costs. That is all in these submissions. This is to get overtime for 2 more years to spend approximately $13 billion. And again, that is $1,200 out of the budgets of American families across this country. So we have an opportunity to restore some fiscal sanity, to stand up for the Article I branch. Whether you agree with that law or not, it said those obligations had to be incurred before the end of 2024. We are not changing that. We are just saying Treasury doesn't get to do an end run around Congress and again have $13 billion more go out the door to lawyers and to bureaucrats. With that, I yield the floor and ask for the yeas and nays. Mr.…”