Political Quotes

“I ask consent that the following letter be placed in the Congressional Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, July 18, 2013. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator McConnell: I request that I be consulted before the Senate enters into any unanimous consent agreements or time limitations regarding S. 162, the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Act of 2013. I support the goals of this legislation and believe incarcerated offenders suffering from mental illness should have access to treatment. However, I believe the responsibility to address this issue, as it relates to inmates in state and local prisons and jails, lies with the state and local governments that manage these correctional systems. Furthermore, while I do not believe this issue is the responsibility of the federal government; if Congress does act, we can and must do so in a fiscally responsible manner. My concerns are included in, but not limited to, those outlined in this letter. While this bill is well-intentioned, it authorizes $40 million per year for five years, costing the American people at least $200 million dollars without corresponding offsets. Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not yet scored the legislation.…”