Jeb Hensarling: “I again question why we are even here today. I observe again that those who have risen to be the largest critics of the…”

“I again question why we are even here today. I observe again that those who have risen to be the largest critics of the TARP bill were the ones who wrote the TARP bill. So, number one, why weren't the standards, the accountability, the provisions that some are seeking today, why weren't they there originally? That is question number one. Question number two is: Why are we having to have a vote that turns off the spigot of an extra $350 billion of taxpayer money, as opposed to turn it on? So why are we even having to have this vote, Mr. Chairman, I think is an interesting question that the American people want to know the answer to. Now, already if you look at the actions of the Federal Reserve, if you look at the actions of Treasury, Mr. Chairman, we are already up to somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 trillion to $8 trillion of potential liability taxpayer exposure. I don't necessarily believe the taxpayer will have to pay it all. I hope and pray that the taxpayer will get some return on his investment. But to sit here and say that unless Congress somehow authorizes the incoming President to spend an extra $350 billion that we could spend ourselves, and to give him this authority, without any plan being presented whatsoever, I mean, Mr. Chairman, that's just something I don't understand.”