Political Quotes

“We are $290 million below the President's request and $34 million below last year's funding level; but given the limitations of the allocation, I think that the chairman and the members of the committee on both sides of the aisle have been prudent and fair. Sufficient funds have been provided to cover all mandatory expenditures, and the budget assumes the full 3.7 percent COLA increase for salaries. I support the chairman's decision to withhold making any new appropriation for the Capitol Visitors Center and slow down the pace of the Architect's other construction projects because a recent GAO review took issue with the Capitol Visitors Center projected cost estimates. That GAO review found that the total cost of the project could potentially climb to as high as $395 million, read $400 million, when it started out at about $300 million. I think that it behooves the Congress to take a very close look. We are going to have another hearing on it, and we do not intend to scrimp on the funding of it. Since it is going to be done, we want it done right, but we want to make sure we have a full handle on all of the cost increases.”