Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act

ADVANCED FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT

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Mr. PENCE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in the midst of what has been characterized as a silly debate, and I don't rise so much to disagree with that characterization, but maybe for different reasons.

Let me say, as others have said, I was here on September 11, like many of my colleagues. I do not question the imperative of providing for the physical safety of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. I strongly supported the decision by the President to provide for private jet travel for the Speaker of the House then and support such transportation now. We must protect those who lead us and we must not play politics with that protection.

But let me say on the subject of whether this is a silly debate around the gentleman from Virginia's amendment, I think it is silly to question the right of the minority to question public expenditures. The gentleman from New York, whom I deeply respect, comes to the floor to question the very act of Congress being Congress. We are asking questions, in the minority, of the majority about the public expenditure of public assets; and that is precisely what Congress and the minority in Congress exists to do. I think it is altogether silly to question the right to question in the Congress.

Let me also say, Mr. Chairman, I think it is a little bit silly, some of the public consternation about a Democrat Speaker's airplane needing to be much bigger than a Republican Speaker's airplane, because to the extent that the airplane itself is a metaphor for government, I believe that we can expect all of the government will continue to need to be much bigger under a Democrat majority in Congress.

In a very short period of time, we have seen our colleagues bring wage and price controls and raise taxes. So to part of me, with great respect for my colleagues on this side of the aisle, it is not terribly surprising that the plane needs to be bigger too. When we think of the history of entitlements under Democrat control of Congress, we might well anticipate a fleet of planes in a fairly short period of time.

But, of course, I jest. I think it is a bit of a silly debate to question the right to question in this Congress. I think my colleagues know this to be true. But I also think it is a little bit silly for the American people to ever expect government to get smaller under Democrat control.

And it is also rather silly, and I close, to think that Republicans will ever fail to come to this floor to object when government grows needlessly under a Democrat majority. We will rise to that challenge. We will object to the expansion of government, even when it takes the shape of a 757.

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