Political Quotes

“Madam President, I think it is good to again remind my colleagues what is in the Thune amendment and why it is not good policy and why it should not be adopted. First of all, it would call for a 5- percent cut in most of government. The Defense Department is exempt; the Veterans Department is exempt but not other sections. Homeland Security comes to mind. Law enforcement comes to mind. Border Patrol comes to mind. There are various areas that would be cut 5 percent across the board arbitrarily. Second, it would impose harsh caps on medical malpractice damages, the so-called tort reform. The Thune amendment includes tort reform in a way that is unthought through, very harsh caps that would, frankly, result, according to the CBO, in more deaths in America. The Thune amendment would also cut the number of people insured under health care reform. It would reduce the number of people insured under health care reform. I do not think many people would like that part of the Thune amendment to stand alone and of itself. Moreover, the Thune amendment cuts back Recovery Act funds. That endangers jobs. The Congressional Budget Office made it very clear that the Recovery Act does create jobs; it lowers unemployment. The Thune amendment would go in the opposite direction of preventing job creation, of encouraging high unemployment. That would be the effect of it. The Thune amendment also shields the oil companies and multinational corporations from paying their fair share of taxes.…”