[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8755]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, early next week, Members of the House and 
Senate will meet to work on the final version of the emergency 
supplemental appropriations bill. The Senate's version of this 
legislation provides $123 billion primarily for the wars in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, for improving the health care for returning soldiers and 
veterans, for continued Hurricane Katrina recovery for the gulf coast, 
to fill major gaps in homeland security, and to provide emergency 
drought relief for farmers. The President has asserted that Congress is 
holding funding for the troops hostage for what he calls ``porkbarrel'' 
spending. What nonsense. Facts matter. Once again, the President does 
not seem to know the facts. This is legislation that meets some of the 
most critical needs of our troops and our Nation.
  In the days since the Senate approved this legislation, the White 
House has taken on the regular practice of demonizing the Congress and 
attacking the bipartisan bill. On Tuesday, for instance, President Bush 
repeated his hollow claims that the Army will run out of money if 
Congress doesn't finish this legislation by the weekend. What nonsense.
  The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has reported that the 
Army can use the dollars that Congress has already appropriated--some 
$52 billion--to help the Pentagon reach the end of May. Fifty-two 
billion dollars. Unless the administration has a new military adventure 
up its sleeve that the country doesn't know about, that $52 billion 
will easily pay for continued operations in Iraq.
  The White House is spinning an imaginary tale of doom and gloom to 
try to scare the Congress and the country. But the facts just don't 
support the administration claims.
  To underscore this factfinding effort, the Army provided financial 
updates to the House of Representatives this week and told House 
officials that its current Army funding could last until the summer. 
Yet, to listen to the White House, one would think that our soldiers 
will be out of bullets by Sunday.
  Another example of facts mattering. In remarks this week, before 
announcing that the troops would see their tours of duty extended for 
at least 3 months and that his escalation would take many months longer 
than he first planned, President Bush spoke of a reprogramming request 
for $1.6 billion from personnel accounts. That is Washington-speak for 
shifting funds around to pay the bills. Basically, the Pentagon is 
considering a shift of dollars from September's payroll budget to fund 
the President's surge plan. Yet, to hear the dire claims coming from 
the White House, this shift would wreak havoc on the Pentagon. The 
truth is that no havoc will ensue. This shift is one that the Pentagon 
has adopted on many occasions in years past, during times of war and 
peace. This is a simply accounting move, not a major blow to the 
Pentagon's war machine.
  It is time for the White House to drop this trumped-up crisis talk 
and get down to the truth.
  Let's take a look at what the House and Senate have actually 
approved. The House and the Senate, on a bipartisan basis, have each 
approved nearly $100 billion for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and 
marines. The House and the Senate, on a bipartisan basis, approved 
funding to improve the health care of our troops and our veterans. The 
House and Senate, on a bipartisan basis, approved funding to speed 
long-delayed Hurricane Katrina reconstruction. The House and Senate, on 
a bipartisan basis, approved funding to close the major gaps in our 
homeland security that could be exploited at any moment.
  These priorities, the White House claims, are extraneous and 
wasteful. On top of the $38 billion already approved by Congress for 
the reconstruction of Iraq, now the White House has requested $3.7 
billion more to rebuild Iraq. I cannot understand how the White House 
can champion another $3.7 billion to rebuild Baghdad but object to $3.3 
billion to rebuild the hurricane-ravaged gulf coast of America. I 
cannot understand how the White House can press Congress to build new 
hospitals in Iraq but object to $1.7 billion to provide first-class 
health care for our veterans and another $1.3 billion for our troops 
returning home from war.
  When this legislation is finished, we will have a responsible plan 
that provides key resources for our troops, takes care of our veterans 
returning home from war, and rebuilds the communities laid to waste by 
Hurricane Katrina. And Congress will listen to the American people and 
craft a responsible framework for the Iraqis to take control of their 
own nation. This is not legislation that should be vetoed by this 
President; this is legislation that he should sign into law.
  We will announce a conference schedule soon and move forward quickly. 
Our goal is to have the final legislation to President Bush by the end 
of the month.

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