Political Quotes

“2 years ago this Chamber was filled with people, people fighting over whether we should be using Congressional Budget Office numbers or GAO numbers. And the people on the majority side of the aisle said we cannot trust those numbers. We cannot trust those numbers. We have to go with the Congressional Budget Office numbers. And that was the agreement that was reached. The administration agreed to that, the parties on this side agreed to that, because we felt that it continued the fiscal integrity that had been established by the Congressional Budget Office. Today, the concern is cherrypicking. The concern today is whether the conferees are going to pick and choose which budget estimates they like the most. And this is a real world concern, as the gentleman from Minnesota indicated, because $7 billion hangs in the balance. If we use the GAO numbers, we are looking at $17 billion. If we use the Congressional Budget Office numbers, we are looking at $10 billion. If we are going to be truthful with the American people, and if we are going to keep this process as pure as it should be, we have to use consistent numbers. It is wrong for us to shop around to try to find the best price and stick it in at that point. So I am proud to stand with the gentleman from Minnesota, because I think he is basically trying to come forward with some truth in budgeting. And I think it is important for us to retain the integrity of the process.”