Thomas Foley: “I went to an authorizing committee of the Committee on Science and withdrew an amendment for 25 million of spending. I…”

“I went to an authorizing committee of the Committee on Science and withdrew an amendment for 25 million of spending. I had not a unanimous, but a majority support for the cancellation of this wasteful spending, 25 million. It turns out a day later one of my colleagues found the 25 million that I cut and immediately inserted it into another program. Now, I would work very, very hard in order to save the taxpayers 25 million. In this process everybody says, ``Oh, Mark, 25 million, that's no money. You're not talking serious dollars. That's a nickel and dime.'' And I thought to myself never let me think that 25 million is not significant money. But they went and put the 25 million on another project. Well, at that time I heard about Mr. Crapo's lockbox, which is a phenomenal technique meaning I could cut that 25 million, but before it goes anywhere I designate it to the lockbox. That means just like a Christmas club account, or a savings account, or a travel account that a family sets up. That money is earmarked for deficit reduction only.”