Political Quotes

“I am disappointed and disillusioned by this conference report on the budget resolution for the 1997 fiscal year. I am disappointed that the conference report lowered next year's discretionary spending by $1.3 billion from the Senate-passed budget resolution. I applaud Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici and ranking member James Exon for their strong support of adequate funding for programs that invest in our country. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives refused to accept the Senate's more responsible discretionary spending levels. Moreover, I am disillusioned that the House budget conferees have resorted to a new budget gimmick. Instead of showing leadership to produce a more moderate budget resolution, they have added a new smoke and mirror--the Government shutdown prevention allowance. This section of the conference report will free up $1.3 billion more in spending only if Congress decides to pass a continuing resolution to fund the Government. This is a billion-dollar incentive for Members to pass a continuing resolution. After two unnecessary and expensive Government shutdowns and more than a dozen continuing resolutions last year, I have had enough of this piece-meal approach to budgeting. Budgeting by continuing resolutions is a true failure in leadership. Instead of passing the buck by passing continuing resolutions, we should make the tough budget decisions and then vote on them in appropriations bills.”