If you didn't "get" the joke in the opening paragraph, read this and this...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and staunch supporter of Israel, today issued the following statement:No argument here...although, I don't know why you have to go to Israel to get this perspective, I just turned on my television set...
“I am deeply troubled by the continued terrorist attacks on Israel. I had an opportunity to see firsthand the devastating impact of such attacks during my visit to Sderot last year. I go to places like Sderot to see things with my own eyes because I believe many of us become desensitized to what is going on after seeing it day after day in the media. I strongly believe that Israel has a right to defend herself against such attacks. The Palestinian people must understand that improved humanitarian conditions in Gaza depend on an Israel free from Hamas terrorist attacks. Hamas is the problem – not the Palestinian people. And I believe the reaction from Arab governments in the region show that Israel is right in defending herself from these attacks.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), the Senate’s top “debt hawk,” will join several of his Republican colleagues later today in re-introducing his landmark legislation, the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act, aimed at converting the annual budget cycle into a biennial – or two-year – cycle. This would save Congress valuable time eaten up every year debating appropriations matters and allow it to focus on oversight of the programs being funded so Congress isn’t funding programs that do not work.We're going to have to revisit this one because there are things I like and things I am concerned about in this bill. Of course, it isn't likely to see the time of day in Harry Reid's Senate anyway...
“In 27 of the past 30 years, Congress has failed to enact all the appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year,” Sen. Voinovich said. “This irresponsible fiscal policy affects our economy, interferes with our ability to maintain and improve our infrastructure, hurts our ability to fight the War on Terror and impedes efforts to enhance our education system. By failing to do our job, we are preventing federal agencies from doing their job properly. This is irresponsible management and it has to stop.”
Under biennial budgeting, the annual budget, appropriations and authorizing processes would be converted into a two-year cycle: the first year would be reserved for the budget and appropriations process, and the second year would be for conducting critical oversight and passing authorizing legislation.
This would leave Congress with more time to examine programs to determine which are wasteful, which should receive more funding and which should be terminated altogether.
“The task is daunting, but now is the time to act,” Sen. Voinovich said. “I am thinking not only about the present, but about our children and grandchildren and the legacy – or burden – we will leave them.”
