The $167 million cut in the Rural Education program is really not acceptable.

It does not help schools meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind.

This budget is totally inadequate. And it is leaving us in a heck of a situation here to try to correct it and get the education funding back up.

I am very concerned that the supplemental request is insufficient in homeland defense.

But this budget cuts funding for the No Child Left Behind programs by $1.2 billion from this year's level.

I just want to associate myself with the statements of our chairman, Senator Specter, in his opening remarks.

The President's budget would increase Education Department funding by $26 million or .05 percent.

We owe each of them a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid.

Rather than addressing the problem and providing the needed funding, the President apparently has decided his solution is to turn veterans away from the system.

I am concerned that the Corporation actually violated the law.

Mr. Secretary, you did the right thing. It was not popular, but doing something popular is not always right, and doing something right is not always popular.

Last month, I along with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced a comprehensive bill, 'The Omnibus Mercury Emissions Reduction Act', to control mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and other sources.

I was pleased to see a number of awards made to rural entities since then.

I was really troubled when the Corporation revealed that it had enrolled more volunteers than the Corporation had funds to support.

The only question is whether veterans health care should be a priority or an afterthought.

I am so pleased that President Bush has embraced the concept of National Service, and I do want to work with him in a bipartisan way.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Subcommittee to ensure full funding for the VA.

This starts with providing those veterans with access to the quality health care they deserve.