Is that because the OLMS is prohibited by law from auditing them?

Something's not adding up.

Dr. Zerhouni, are you advising us that we should zero out all funding for renovation and building of laboratory facilities?

I do not think you can. I think we just cannot go to zero funding for 1 year.

I am going to keep proposing that the President has to put that in his budget next year.

Senator Specter and I are both, with his leadership and with my support, starting to get on another pathway of trying to get it up to a tripling.

we have to push hard on that. We have to get this thing moving. And I do not know why it has not by now.

My point is, you asked for 2.6 percent.

But if we make the choice here to continue to fund extramural construction, then you will not have that money for research, will you?

Well, then, Dr. Zerhouni, let me carry this one step further.

I have met with families in Iowa about this. And I am concerned, as Senator Specter, that the leading cause of infant mortality is something that----

In fiscal year 2003, Congress funded more than $300 million for extramural construction with allergies and infectious diseases, bioterrorism.

The President will not support more than $53.1 billion.

The President's budget is far from adequate to help schools meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

In Iowa, it is estimated 56 percent of all the schools will be designated next year as needing improvement under the No Child Left Behind law.

The $400 million cut for 21st Century Community Learning Centers would mean no more after-school services for 550,000 children.

If that is the case, then there has to be some cuts in other Cabinet agencies.

That is unconscionable.