Political Quotes

“My father was a Philadelphia policeman, and so I know your area very, very well; and I am glad you offered this. However, on the other segment of it, and I am going to urge Members to just support this, on the 7(a) subsidy, I really do not think that is a very good idea. The program is running strong. We do not need to provide the subsidy and take critically needed funds that could be used to combat terrorism, espionage, drugs, gangs, secure our State Department embassies, consulates overseas, providing funding to invest in NASA and sciences. Members from your side who have asked and been approaching us, if we were to do this, we would take away from almost every one of these programs and many of the programs your Members have come and we have in a good spirit of bipartisan tried to work to help them. The 7(a) program has been operating at record levels without a subsidy appropriation since the beginning of fiscal year 2005. The SBA administrator continues to assure us that the program is running strong. I have a letter from him confirming the success of redesigning the 7(a) program so that it does not require a subsidy appropriation. Media reports all over the country have touted the recent success of the 7(a) lending program. Headlines from the Chicago Tribune and the Cincinnati Business Carrier state: the SBA program looks sound and stable. Funding turns banks on to SBA lending.…”