Political Quotes

“Somehow we are being told that we are committing a mortal sin because we are trying to attach some material to the bill sent to us by the Senate. I would simply point out that just a few weeks ago, as the gentleman from Massachusetts pointed out earlier in the debate, when the defense authorization bill was on the floor only nine Republicans in this House voted for it. They felt then that another matter was evidently more important than providing passage for that bill. And yet today they criticize us because we are suggesting several additions to the appropriations bill. I find that inconsistent. I would also point out that there are a number of high-priority national items that we are trying to add besides education funding. We are trying to provide additional funds for Pell Grants, some $5 billion. We are trying to provide $700 million more for border security, $180 million more for energy loans, $163 million more for schools on military installations, $142 million for gulf coast oil spill funding, and $16 million to build a new soldier processing center at Fort Hood.”