On the recordJune 2, 2015
I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) for his work on this issue. I am honored to serve alongside him on the Payer State Caucus as well. Madam Chair, this program is yet another example of good intentions and bad policy. What was intended to be a temporary assistance to a select group of States to build a research infrastructure and then exit the program has become a permanent and growing pot of taxpayer subsidies. This, of course, is in addition to the permanent and growing pot of subsidies the government has already enacted for the States. For three decades, 30 years after establishment, this program continues to be called--what?--an experimental program, and no State-- none--has graduated from the program; yet it exists 30 years later. This can only demonstrate one thing, Madam Chair, that this is yet another example of ineffective, wasteful redistribution programs that the taxpayers are compelled to financially support. The Foster-Garrett amendment would relieve the taxpayers of this burden. Again, I thank Mr. Foster for his work in protecting the payer States, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
