Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I am quite reluctant to shift funds from the weapons accounts to other purposes within the Department. But I rise in support of this gentleman's amendment. Congressman Perlmutter of Colorado has made a reasonable proposal here. I agree with his interest in advancing our work in renewable energy technologies. In working with the Department, we also know the incredible cost overruns that we see occur year after year after year in these nuclear weapons accounts. I think that the gentleman's amendment is a modest amendment. I think it signals movement in the proper direction for our country. It also says to those managing our nuclear weapons accounts that we're paying attention to the fact that you probably wasted more money and have not done oversight on your contracts more than almost any other department in the Government of the United States. The need for investment in new energy technologies is important to the country. I think the gentleman has done something that I think moves us down the road of new technology and takes a very modest amount from the weapons accounts, and my own position generally supports the administration's efforts not to touch the weapons accounts unless we do so within the context of nuclear arms reduction negotiations. But the amount of funds that you are transferring, I think, is very, very reasonable, and therefore I wish to support you in your amendment, and I would urge my colleagues to support the Perlmutter amendment.…”