Jim Inhofe: “We all understand that. So we can start those projects. Given 3 years, I can assure you that we would have the…”

“We all understand that. So we can start those projects. Given 3 years, I can assure you that we would have the opportunity to find offsets that would be acceptable. We were operating under the gun before. This would take that away. We can go ahead and accept the fact that we have 3 years funded. For those individuals--and I am speaking now of my colleagues on this side of the aisle--who are conservative who have had the argument that we will then have to borrow money in order to finish the 6 years. We can really have it both ways. We start the projects, and then there will be enough pressure on and we will be able to do-- incidentally, I have to keep reminding my friends that there is a conservative position, and that is to pass this bill. You know, I get so tired of people--there are a lot of people out there who actually voted for the $800 billion--way back at the beginning of the Obama administration--the $800 billion stimulus bill that didn't stimulate. We tried to put an amendment on there. I know the Senator from California and I cosponsored amendments. They were all rejected. Then along came the $700 billion bailout, and a lot of my Republican friends voted for that. Now they complain that the money isn't there. Well, the money can be there. And if it hadn't been for those two things, we wouldn't be having this conversation today. But the money can be there. We need time to let that happen.…”