David Obey: “I would simply say this, we have an economy that is second to none in the world. We have an agricultural community which…”

“I would simply say this, we have an economy that is second to none in the world. We have an agricultural community which is second to none in the world. We did not get that way by putting green eyeshades ahead of our own judgment. Sometimes the Congress has the temerity to think that there ought to be an increase in a program because there is some other value that is served by investing that money. I would simply say that it is very easy for one Member who has not sat through hearings, who has not gone over the individual Member requests, who has not weighed the requests of one Member versus another, given the very tight squeeze on money that we have around here, it is very easy for a Member to come to the floor and just say, knock off the increase in this program, or knock off that category of grants. The reason Congress has survived as the strongest legislative body in the world is because Congress specializes, and Members are expected to learn their trade. They are expected to learn about the subject matter under the jurisdiction of their committee. If we cannot have some expectation that that committee is to be trusted to use good judgment, then we become a zoo where the amendments are adopted on the basis of what some staffer in some Member's office thinks is a clever tack. I do not think that serves the interests of the taxpaying public.”