Robert C. Byrd: “And helped to lead to gargantuan deficits.”

I cannot support this item unless there are some limitations on it, unless Congress can exercise its power over the purse, as the Constitution provides.

In closing, may I say that the President's request includes $658 million for construction of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

Why should Congress not have some limitations on this? It is the taxpayers' money.

Doesn't this send a signal to the Iraqi people and to the American people that the United States intends to have a large permanent presence there?