[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6015]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING REQUEST

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, yesterday the President made clear that he 
will veto any supplemental spending bill that exceeds the 
administration's request. I thank and applaud the administration and 
recognize their determination to stick to true emergency spending. I 
will support the veto, if necessary, to keep Federal spending under 
control. Families live within their means; so should Washington.
  The President has taken a strong stance on a necessary, must-pass 
piece of legislation that we know will bolster our national security, 
support hurricane recovery, and border security efforts as well. We 
need to work swiftly and in good faith to meet the President's request, 
but we need to focus on the necessary spending.
  The President submitted his request for $92.2 billion in emergency 
spending in late February. The House passed the supplemental in March. 
This legislation needs to be on the President's desk before Memorial 
Day. We intend to do just that.
  We need to support our troops who are currently in the field fighting 
to protect us, and we need to support our fellow citizens who are 
working hard to rebuild and recover their homes and communities on the 
gulf coast. Both are extraordinary responsibilities. We should not in 
any way, with either of these issues, play politics in succeeding on 
these critical efforts. Nor can we afford to encumber this must-pass 
legislation with unnecessary amendments. It is always tempting for 
people to come forward and get their own projects or interests attached 
to these must-pass spending bills. On this bill, we encourage people 
not to do that.
  In order to keep within our spending limits, we are encouraging 
Senators who may have legitimate emergency spending requests to find 
offsets for those amendments in order not to drive the overall top line 
of this bill higher and higher.
  For example, the amendment I cosponsored with Senator Judd Gregg 
increases emergency spending for border security, but it is offset 
within the bill, and I think that is how we should approach issues as 
much as possible.
  Time is limited. We must finish this legislation, I hope within the 
week, so we can quickly get on to a conference with the House and get 
it to the President for signature. These are emergency funds and the 
troops need these funds overseas. By pulling together, I am confident 
we can move this legislation forward and get the critical work of the 
American people done.
  I yield the floor.

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