Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Act. Mr. Chairman, when the American people pay their taxes, they expect their tax dollars to be spent effectively and efficiently. Too often that has not been the case across government, and there is nothing worse than seeing taxes taken out of their paychecks and wasted. Not only is that fiscally irresponsible, it is insulting to the taxpayers. The bill before us is fiscally responsible and takes important steps to cut wasteful spending. Traditionally, when the National Science Foundation was mentioned, Americans thought of hard sciences--basic research, advanced technologies in biology, engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences. It is investments in these fields that advance American technology and help the United States maintain its competitive edge. Unfortunately, some recent National Science Foundation expenditures have brought widespread criticism to the NSF and its priorities. There was the expenditure, for example, of $856,000 on a grant to teach three captive mountain lions how to use a treadmill. NSF spent another $387,000 on a mechanical device that simulates Swedish massages for rabbits. This is unquestionably a waste of taxpayer money, particularly when we are over $18 trillion in debt.…”