Tom Coburn: “The Energy bill, which was actually 41 bills wrapped into one, that we agreed to through unanimous consent, is going to…”

“The Energy bill, which was actually 41 bills wrapped into one, that we agreed to through unanimous consent, is going to cost the American taxpayer $1.5 billion. The real question is, in light of where we find ourselves--fighting the war, trying to help the people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and running in excess of a $300 billion real deficit this year--should we be spending money on these priorities? A real problem in Washington is getting Congress to make tough decisions about what is a priority. I will spend a few minutes outlining what is in the bill because the American people have no idea what was in the bill. The first thing is $500,000 to study lighthouses in Michigan for tourism. Tourism is already a $16 billion industry in Michigan. There is nothing in the Constitution that would say that is a Federal responsibility. We will do it anyway. Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, $1.2 million to establish a building, construct a theater and a bookstore. Is that a priority right now when we are spending our grandkids' money?”