Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, let me stress the fact of why this supplemental is so important in the overall context of what we are talking about. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the committee, said there is no amendment before the committee. But what will be before the Committee very shortly is a motion to recommit this bill. And the reason I think it is important to look at it, I just have been trying to find out what is the Defense Department all about? What is it trying to do and what is it looking at as far as what will happen if this recommittal motion does not pass, and why? Now, I explained earlier this bill will be so different, if it is offset, than the bill in the other House. Here is what they are considering: Laying off substantial numbers of civilian workers, because they are not sure that there will finally be a final resolution of the bill; furloughs at Defense bases across the country; they are also talking about delays in promotion, delays in moving families, and training cutbacks throughout the entire Defense Department. The thing that worries me is that if this bill passes with offsets, we are talking about a stalemate between the House and Senate. We are talking about substantial disruption of the Pentagon's ability to operate because it is so late in the year.”