Pete Domenici: “first, might I say to the Senator from Oklahoma, I have watched you in your concern for spending, and I appreciate what…”

“first, might I say to the Senator from Oklahoma, I have watched you in your concern for spending, and I appreciate what you are trying to do to cut spending in the Senate. But let me say to the Senate, this afternoon I asked the Chair for a point of order. I asked whether this bill would violate the Budget Act. After looking at the bill and coming back, I was advised it does not violate the Budget Act. The reason it does not is because there is no spending in it. If it were spending money, it would be violating the budget because it is not in the budget, and we passed a budget. Having said that, if we are not spending money, then why should we chastise ourselves about spending money and suggesting that we have to offset something when, as a matter of fact, there is nothing to offset because there is no spending? If we get into this game that authorizing is spending, then we will have a fourth tier of Government. Instead of a budget appropriations and direct spending, we will have people bringing up a new way to attack it on every kind of authorizing bill. I don't think we need that. We need to get on with business every now and then. This is one time.”