Tom Coburn: “I wanted to respond to something that the gentleman from Washington had to say. The question was asked whether or not we…”

“I wanted to respond to something that the gentleman from Washington had to say. The question was asked whether or not we could afford this. Of course, we can afford this. But that is not the question. The question is: Can our children afford it? The ones that are going to pay back the debt? Even if there was nothing controversial within NEH, we should not spend money we do not have on a program that is not of human necessity, and that is the question. We lose sight of the fact that we are spending our children and grandchildren's money on something the majority of which, throughout the rest of this country, is done through philanthropy. Can we afford it? Absolutely we can afford it. Can we do it? Yes. Should we do it? Absolutely not. I support the amendment and would ask my colleagues to support it as their vote.”