Political Quotes

“I am pleased to accept the challenge of the last speaker, the gentleman from California. If he does not see enough lobbyists on the floor of this Congress or at the edges of this Congress, it is because in too many cases this new Republican Congress, instead of moving along fast enough, has moved along too slowly and has actually turned over the operation of some of the key parts of this Congress to the lobbyists. In one case, in which I personally observed, the staff attorney for our committee was unable to respond to questions from members of the committee without turning over his shoulder and getting the answers from the lobbyists for the bill that was under consideration. In one committee, the new Republican majority staff actually turned over computers, paid for with public expense, to the lobbyists who were writing the legislation. In another committee, a Republican lobbyist actually took the dais along with the Members of Congress that were considering the measure. In fact, it has gotten so bad, a recent column in the Wall Street Journal was entitled 'Special Interest or Feasting at the Congressional Trough.'”