Political Quotes

“I thank Chairman Latham and Ranking Member Pastor for their outstanding service to the Congress and to the country. They exemplify the spirit and history of bipartisan cooperation of the Appropriations Committee, and they will certainly be missed. I wish them both the best in the next chapter of their lives. I appreciate their efforts to put this bill together. Their job was made all the more difficult by much lower than expected FHA and Ginnie Mae receipts. Unfortunately, I must oppose this bill because it provides inadequate funding for our country's highway and transit infrastructure. Specifically, cuts to the following critical infrastructure programs are unacceptable: Amtrak's capital funding is decreased by $200 million below fiscal year 2014, which will defer critical repairs; capital investment grants, which support new subway, light rail, and commuter projects are $809 million below the request, and the bill contains no funding for transit projects that are in the pipeline; TIGER would receive a paltry $100 million--while I am pleased the majority included it in its bill for the first time, the proposed level is insufficient; and on the housing side, both HOME and the Public Housing Capital Fund, which are vital for the rehabilitation and modernization of our country's affordable housing stock, face sharp decreases.…”