Political Quotes

“I think both the Senator from Arkansas and the Senator from West Virginia are to be commended for raising this point and calling the Senate's attention to it. I think it is a valid point of concern worth looking at. As I look on page 23 of the bill, the bill deals specifically with this provision and it is one of the three options that is laid out. These have already been noted by the distinguished Senators. One, the alternative of Congress that it has been paid for; two, the option of raising the funds and paying for them, the one you all have called our attention to; and the third alternative, where they authorized the spending and then developed options. One of the things of great comfort to me is the specific language, because what it calls for is Congress itself to set out the procedures that the agency must follow. And let me quote, because I think it is the language that we will be concerned with. Under (III), it says: Identifies the minimum amount that must be appropriated in each appropriations bill referred to in subclause (II), in order to provide for full Federal funding of the direct costs referred to in subclause (I); and (IV)(aa) designates a responsible Federal agency and establishes criteria and procedures under which such agency shall implement less costly programmatic and financial responsibilities of State. And so on. In other words, it is Congress specifically that is charged with and must set the procedures and set the guidelines.”