Political Quotes

“I commend the Senator from Illinois for his statement. I appreciate that he mentioned his grandfather and others who were helped by the GI bill of rights. There are so many people I know in Vermont who were able to get an education because of that bill. I also commend the Senator from Washington State. As always, she carries out Herculean tasks on this floor and does it in the best tradition of the Senate. I thank Chairman Byrd and Senator Cochran for their work on this supplemental bill. The Appropriations Committee has a long tradition of bipartisanship, and the two leaders, the Republican leader and the Democratic leader, have always demonstrated that, just as I have tried in the Foreign Operations subcommittee, working with Senator Gregg and his staff. We worked closely together to make difficult choices, including finding funds for urgent humanitarian needs that the President's budget overlooked. For the first time, we require the Government of Iraq, which has an oil surplus--with oil selling for over $120 a barrel--to match U.S. funds dollar for dollar. It is time for Iraq to pay a larger share of its own reconstruction. This requirement, included by Senator Gregg and myself, would lessen the burden on American taxpayers. We provide $450 million to Mexico and Central America, to help our neighbors to the south combat the drug cartels. This is the first down payment on a multi-year program.”