David Obey: “let me summarize the basic facts. The Economic Development Administration budget last year was $250 million. The…”

“let me summarize the basic facts. The Economic Development Administration budget last year was $250 million. The President's request for this year was $170 million. The committee added $100 million to the President's request to take it to $270 million, and the gentleman's amendment would take it back down to $170 million, which is a 32 percent reduction below the amount provided last year. With respect to the FBI, the committee has already added $148 million to the amount that the President requested. We are substantially above last year's budget. The FBI has been treated very, very well. I find no reasonable justification for saying that we ought to provide the $6 million increase for the FBI when it's already received an increase of $148 million. And I certainly don't find any reason to say that we ought to reduce our efforts to support economic development around the country. Economic development funds are used, among other things, to help localities establish industrial parks. I have to tell you there are literally thousands of jobs that have been added in my own district by corporations who were able to move into these industrial parks to get their services and grow. We have developed a very strong electronics industry in my district through the use of funds through EDA. I think the key to this bill is balance. We have provided a significant increase for the FBI. We've provided a modest increase for EDA.”