Political Quotes

“we are in agreement with the chairman with regard to this amendment, understanding that this amendment relates to funding only. It increases, I believe, from $5 million to $9.3 million funding for this account. That does not mean, I hope, the committee is any less concerned about the expenditure of these funds and the development of a rational feasibility plan prior to the expenditure of the funds. This concern is spoken to in the report at page 118, and I would just note that the International Broadcasting Act of 1994 mandated that the new Broadcasting Board of Governors submit to Congress a plan concerning the feasibility of establishing an independent Radio Free Asia. In addition, we have requested an operating plan, an implementation plan. The committee has not yet received that and we certainly expect to see that, understand how this program will be implemented, what are the cost estimates projected into the outyears prior to the expenditure of this increased funding that the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] has worked so hard on. Mr. Chairman, I will commend the gentleman. He has been excellent on the subject. He is knowledgeable and very concerned. My concern really goes to the expenditure of the funds in a responsible way, and I look forward to working with him and with the chairman as this process moves forward.”