Chris Sununu: “let me respond briefly just to a couple of points there. There was a lot of discussion at the end of Senator Alexander's…”

“let me respond briefly just to a couple of points there. There was a lot of discussion at the end of Senator Alexander's remarks about the credit law and scoring and the suggestion that this scores at zero. This scores at zero cost, as we stand here on the Senate floor, because no loans have been issued. So, obviously, it scores at zero. To say that, and to suggest to the American taxpayers that there won't be any liability or any cost to this program is absolutely outrageous. This is a program that does authorize, No. 1, no limit of the number of loans that could be offered; no limit in the total principal that could be put at risk. The Congressional Budget Office estimates $3.75 billion in loans over the 5 years. Yes, when you use our credit law, that would mean $400 million in appropriations. But to say it scores at nothing, as if this is a program with no cost or risk to the taxpayer, is absolutely misleading. We need to be clearer about what this program really does and does not do. There are no limits on the number of projects, no limits on the principal that could be guaranteed, and it certainly does authorize a program that puts the taxpayers at risk. At this time I yield to my cosponsor on this amendment, Senator Wyden.”