Political Quotes

“I don't have an enormous problem with this amendment. The 1033 program is very controversial, as we will get into in the amendment that follows. As to how they prioritize the program within its existing parameters, I can understand that that is debatable going forward, and I am certain that the border communities that the gentleman described have the needs described, but there are a lot of communities across our country that have needs when it comes to dealing with crime of one kind or another. The 1033 program provides a wide variety of equipment. Prioritizing one group over another, I am not sure that it is justified. Yes, the needs for law enforcement in those areas and those communities are great, but I would have to hear the argument as to why the needs for other communities are not great. It seems like it would be equal across the board. I would urge opposition to maintain the flexibility for the Department to make those decisions based on their own priorities, not on how Congress has directed it. I reserve the balance of my time.”