Political Quotes

“the author of this amendment portrays it as an attempt to prevent Members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and diplomats from getting free parking at the airport here in Washington, DC. But what this amendment will really do if it passes is require the Federal Government to pay parking fees to the District of Columbia and the State of Virginia for parking spaces that have been provided without charge to the Federal Government for over 50 years. Members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and diplomats who travel on official business on many, many trips will continue to park at the airport and, if this amendment passes, the airport authority will discontinue providing parking spaces without charge for those Federal officials. Instead, the U.S. Congress will be billed for the parking spaces and will have to send payments to the District of Columbia and the State of Virginia for the right to park in their airports. The Federal Government provides enormous services to both the District of Columbia and Virginia, and to the two airport authorities. And in exchange for that, the airport authorities for 50 years have provided a parking lot for certain Federal officials so that the Federal Government would not have to reimburse for that parking. The author of this amendment wants the Federal Government to spend more money. I don't think that makes much sense, and for that reason, I'm voting against this amendment.”