Adam Smith: “I think we want to elevate this important statue to a point of prominence and I do not think the issue is whether or not…”

“I think we want to elevate this important statue to a point of prominence and I do not think the issue is whether or not a lot of good people, including the gentlewoman from Washington, my good friend, and the gentlewoman from Maryland, my good friend, have not worked a long time, because I think it is time. Mr. Speaker, I think many of us that are freshmen came into Congress during a time of budget constraints that we are very serious about. And even though I can see clearly the good intent, that we will later try to work this out so that there is not public money, some of us have seen a lot of things happen where there were intent, statements made, and somehow in the negotiations with the Senate, et cetera, it really changed. So, Mr. Speaker, we have made a decision, some of us, that we would very much like to make sure that public money is not spent. I hear it is only a few hundred thousand dollars. Sometimes I hear a few million on things. But a few thousands and a few million and a few billion, and this Nation is in deep, deep trouble. Mr. Speaker, I challenge my women colleagues, especially those who are standing up for this, that we come together and we raise the money.”