Political Quotes

“I also want to thank the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce for bringing this to my attention. Austin is an area that has a very dynamic economy, and so much of our success results from the fact that our business leaders are enlightened and recognize that one of the best investments we can make is in our people. We have been concerned with a workforce shortage, with needing more highly skilled, highly educated people, and this is a measure that the Chamber identified as part of its '20,010 by 2010' initiative of trying to get college graduates from our area that can staff our many high-tech and other companies. I salute Sandy Hentges and Drew Scheberle and the many other members of the Chamber staff and leadership for their work that led to this amendment. Let me just say in conclusion, thanks for the bipartisan support for this measure. I hope only that with our measure, for which we have considered a variety of different versions during recent months while working with the committee, I just hope that both of the bureaucracies involved here will really heed this amendment and will move expeditiously because it will ensure more young people have an opportunity to obtain a college education and have the support they need, and it will also reduce the cost from those who are receiving assistance improperly.”