Political Quotes

“I rise today to work with my colleagues to try to make those adjustments to our budget which are reasonable and fair to all citizens. In my own county and across Pennsylvania and for that matter the United States, we need to make those kinds of adjustments to our energy budget which, in fact, would give assistance to the weatherization assistance program. I salute the gentleman from Colorado for his assistance in making an initial change of $3.5 million additional for this program. I would have preferred having the program that was supported by many Members on both sides of the aisle, working with the gentleman from Vermont and others for the figure of $50 million, and correspondingly we would have made a reduction in the Energy Information Administration. Frankly I think the need for the assistance, whether they be poor or elderly, to have the weatherization programs to help them get through the winters that can be so severe in many parts of the country, that this tradeoff of technical assistance to companies frankly that could in fact through user fees take that particular information and receive it rather than taking funds away from weatherization. I thank those Members of the body, both Republican and Democrat, who have worked with us on this weatherization program. The intent of our amendment tonight would be to protect a program which is important to many families across the United States.”