Political Quotes

“let us take a look at the facts. This is a very narrowly drawn claim settlement bill. There is no net market value to this project. For example, the CBO in their scoring of this, weighed what the district owed versus what the Federal Government was for and determined that the Government would save money by having the Government unload this district. In other words, liabilities in this case exceeds the value. I believe that the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] knows this. I believe that he knows there is no market value to this project. I believe that he knows that no one except the district would even consider taking over this project; and furthermore, Washington State law prohibits any irrigation district in that State from raising its fees to purchase a project. So I wonder why is the gentleman offering this amendment at this eleventh hour? I think it is simple. I think the gentleman knows that this amendment would kill the agreement between the Clinton administration and the local irrigation district; and I might emphasize, by law, this agreement must be approved by April 15 of this year. Failure to ratify this agreement will simply send the issue back to the courts and will mean the district would pursue its pending $51 million lawsuit. That is a bad deal for Uncle Sam, and it is a bad deal for this Congress. That is why the Clinton administration, and not the local irrigation district, proposed the transfer of this facility.”