Political Quotes

“With all due respect--and I do have ample respect for my colleague from Wyoming--I will say this: Taxing it is not the issue here. Regulating it is not the issue here. Subsidizing it is not the issue here. We are talking about money that has already been allocated. In fact, Wyoming itself is slated to get $53.8 million. The point here is that this is money that is going to States that are already certified as having properly finished their mine reclamation. The proposal of this amendment is to take that money--it is not new tax, it is not new regulation, it is not a new subsidy--it is just take that money and spread it out among the States that are still reclaiming their mines, including northeastern Pennsylvania and all of Pennsylvania. We are talking about taking it from the four States that have been certified by the Federal Government as having completed their mine reclamation and spreading it out among the States that have not done so completely at this point and continue to work on it. Further, this is money that is not being taken from the tribes. I am not sure where that idea came from. It is money that is given to the States, not the tribes. Therefore, it makes sense to send it to the communities where the mines are still causing trouble and are still being reclaimed. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Cartwright amendment to H.R. 1644. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR.…”