Political Quotes

“The alternative provision that I offer to both the committee bill and to the gentleman from Illinois' amendment is to allow those States that gain to gain more than is available to them under the committee bill while at the same time putting some floor under the losses of the losing States. Under my substitute amendment, Mr. Chairman, the gainers would gain 5 percent each year until they had gained 20 percent above their present allocations. The losers would lose 5 percent each year until they had lost 20 percent of their allocation. Obviously this is an effort to do some equity, to prevent the enormous peaks and valleys that would occur if we just implement the new assessment formula without any change, but certainly would be dealing more equitably with the gaining States than allowing them significantly more of the gains they are entitled to under the new formula than would the committee bill as it comes to the floor. I strongly recommend to my colleagues that, not only from a sense of equity, but in terms of looking at this bill more analytically, that they support my substitute amendment.”