I just can't thank you enough for what you've done for the country.

It is my belief, Mr. Chairman, that a political economic and military alliance with the Afghan people, at their request, would be incredibly beneficial to our long-term national security interest and could be a game-changer in the region.

I think it would be a stabilizing, have a stabilizing effect, not just in Afghanistan, but in the region.

I just want the American people to know that we've made mistakes, but we're finally getting it right.

Now, we need to understand that as a Congress here, the Secretary of Defense has just told us, and, since World War II terms, we're on the very low end, at a time when I think the threats to our Nation are growing exponentially.

The threat from terrorism is just not confined to Iraq and Afghanistan.

I will do everything I can on the Republican side in the Senate to make sure that we protect those funds.

The civilian-military partnership is essential to holding and building.

Do you think, all things being equal, it would be better for the U.S. military to be able to continue to provide security?

I hope, Mr. Chairman, that sometimes this year Republicans and Democrats can have a breakthrough on this issue to help our men and women fighting this war.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 208, line 14, after the first dollar amount inside the quotes, insert ``(reduced by…

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from South Carolina will be postponed. The Clerk will read. The Clerk read as…

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I won't take the full time here. This amendment deals with the Legal Services Corporation, which is a relic from the Great Society, originally known in the 1960s as the Office of Economic Opportunity Legal…

It is my view that the conditions have even changed in the last month with the instability in the Middle East.

I am very concerned on the effect on dwell time. I am very concerned about the effect on morale, morale of the service members, on their families.

We should be here talking about policy.

I can't believe the numbers. I can't do it.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time and thank her for her tremendous leadership on this and many other areas that come before this Congress. I want to take just a few moments to talk about an issue that's very, very important…