Political Quotes

“I don't have a dog in this fight other than the fact that I have worked for a month to the point where we are now. I don't want anyone here to think the new committee on homeland security-governmental affairs does not have a lot of work to do and a lot of jurisdiction. They are totally responsible for three directorates. The new homeland security-governmental affairs committee will have sole jurisdiction over three of the four primary directorates in the Department of Homeland Security: science and technology directorate, emergency preparedness and response directorate, information analysis and infrastructure protection, and share parts of the directorate of border and transportation security. For my good friend, the Senator from Maine, to stand and say, We don't have anything to do, basically, is simply not factual. I would also say we have transferred jurisdiction from 10 standing committees and given jurisdiction to this committee. This is not a numbers game as to how many employees are involved. It is the number of functions they have been asked to take a look at. And if it is any indication that we haven't given them anything, you should understand that every chairman of the 10 committees has been telling us we gave them too much. You can't have it both ways. I would also say, even though I don't have a dog in this fight, no one should ever suggest that Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens are not equipped to handle what has been left with them in Commerce.”