Bob Menendez: “we set goals in many of our initiatives, whether it be Goals 2000 or in the Clean Water Act. Goals do not guarantee…”

“we set goals in many of our initiatives, whether it be Goals 2000 or in the Clean Water Act. Goals do not guarantee giveaways, they generate participation. The DBE's goal is to provide opportunity to all Americans. Let us talk about what the DBE is and is not. It is not a quota. It is not a set-aside. It is not a guarantee of contracts or dollars. And if it was, I would not support it. What it is is an opportunity for all Americans to participate in building the Nation's infrastructure and future. The Roukema amendment would, in fact, eliminate opportunity for all Americans to be part of a program they pay for. It would eliminate talented and competent women, African-Americans and Hispanic Americans from simply having an opportunity to compete, to compete in the bidding process. But the Roukema amendment not only denies opportunity to all Americans, it actually promotes the interests of the privileged few. This is not the Roukema amendment, it is the general contractors' amendment. The contractors and others are willing to accept the votes of women, Hispanic Americans and African Americans in this Congress to pass this bill, but want to lock us out of the benefits. If this Congress cannot accept the simple goal of equality of opportunity for all Americans, what a sad day it will be.”