Political Quotes

“The gentleman answered a question that I didn't ask. I don't doubt the need that you describe in those communities. The question that I asked was why are other communities' needs not as great, which is a more complicated question. Nor do I disagree that there is a time and a place for Congress to prioritize and say this is more important to us. It just seems to me that there are criminal justice problems out there. In the communities that have tried to defund the police, by the way, they are not asking for these programs, so you don't need to worry about competing with them, sadly. That is a problem which I think I agree with the gentleman on, but not a problem in this case. My only issue is not with the need of the communities that you are prioritizing, it is an issue of, well, how can we say that those needs are greater than the needs of other communities, that maybe drug and crime problems are not confined to the border, as I think many, many Members can tell you. That is the prioritization that I am more interested in an answer to, how we should balance that. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”