Political Quotes

“I submit a concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that all Federal annuitants should receive their cost-of-living adjustments at the same time. This resolution is very similar to one submitted by my colleague from Maryland, and cosponsored by the other distinguished Senator from Maryland and my own esteemed colleague, the senior Senator from Virginia. And while I agree with them in spirit, I could not support the wording of their resolution so I am here to offer my own. As we are all aware by now, the President's budget proposal would delay Federal retiree cost-of-living adjustments from their statutory date of January 1 to April 1 until the year 2002. This same budget proposal, however, would leave the effective date for COLA's for other Federal COLA recipients at January 1, thus singling out Federal civilian retirees as the only Federal beneficiaries with their COLA's delayed. This seems blatantly unfair and violates the principle of COLA equity that so many of us have espoused over the years.”