David Obey: “Let me simply say that we sort of feel like we're caught in the middle of this one because Mr. Lewis, the ranking member…”

“Let me simply say that we sort of feel like we're caught in the middle of this one because Mr. Lewis, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, gave us a lecture yesterday about how we should avoid duplicative programs. Then, today, this amendment would have the effect of creating in one department a program that is virtually identical to a program that already exists in another department. So we can't win, no matter how we deal with the issue. I don't care which agency this is in. I just want it to be wherever it would be run the most efficiently and effectively. I am certainly willing to discuss with anybody involved in the issue how we resolve this issue. We didn't put it in in the first place. It was put in by, as you know, a person from your party from your own State. So we are happy to work with all of you, but I don't want to get cross-wised between two people from the same State. I don't want to be standing here accepting an amendment that creates a duplicative program. So I think the most constructive result would be if the gentleman would withdraw his amendment and we try to work this out down the line, so that if it is not in the right place, we can talk about how to get it in the right place.”