Asa Hutchinson: “I join Chairman Warner in expressing my gratitude to Senator Johnson for his leadership on this issue. He made some very…”

“I join Chairman Warner in expressing my gratitude to Senator Johnson for his leadership on this issue. He made some very salient points on which I hope to reflect in my comments in support of the Warner-Hutchinson amendment. The question here is not one of sentiment. It is not one of seeing the problem. It is not one of wanting to act and to act now. The question is, What is the realistic way? The fact that the Johnson amendment will cost over $90 billion and will be subject to a budget point of order, which Senator Levin saw fit to raise in regard to the underlying Warner-Hutchinson amendment which would have made this permanent but has not seen fit to raise against Senator Johnson, but undoubtedly that is going to happen, that is a huge barrier, as we know, and a big problem. I think we have to do something this year. That is why I am glad to rise and join Senator Warner in introducing the Warner-Hutchinson amendment for the national defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2001.”