Political Quotes

“I recognize that the Territory of the Virgin Islands does not have a vote in this institution, but it seems as though the proceedings are becoming so that the Territory of the Virgin Islands does not even need to be represented in this institution. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and ranking member Mr. Oberstar for bringing H.R. 842, the Truth in Budgeting Act to the floor. As a cosponsor to this legislation I understand the importance of investing in our infrastructure. On September 15, 1995, the U.S. Virgin Islands was devastated by Hurricane Marilyn. Today, we are still trying to rebuild our economy. The first step in rebuilding our economy is our infrastructure. The airports, highways, and ports in the Virgin Islands are the keys to our economic prosperity. The economy of the Virgin Islands is based on tourism. In order for our economy to grow, we must have a strong infrastructure. Our airports and highways must be fully operational and functional so that they can generate the revenue which will create jobs and funding for infrastructure development. Constituents pay to use these services and they are entitled to receive a benefit. A reduction in funding for the Virgin Islands would have a negative impact on our ability to rebuild our economy.”