Jon Kyl: “just one other point. The 2006 budget resolution instructions require savings of $34.7 billion. The House is expected to…”

“just one other point. The 2006 budget resolution instructions require savings of $34.7 billion. The House is expected to modify that resolution to increase the amount of savings to at least $50 billion for the expenditures I talked about earlier. We have approved already about $71 billion, approximately $20 billion of which has already been spent, as I am informed, for the Katrina- related relief spending. That is why it seems to me it would be useful to demonstrate our commitment to offsetting part of this spending so that the budget deficit for this year and eventually the debt of the United States would not be unduly increased as a result of our desire to rebuild part of the gulf coast following the hurricane. I hope at the appropriate time my colleagues will agree with me that this is a gesture the Members of the Senate ought to make and that we can make and that it will help us in the overall goal we have of trying to watch taxpayer dollars as much as we can and ensure we do not spend unnecessarily, notwithstanding our commitment to try to rebuild after that tragedy in the gulf coast. Mr. President, if there is no one else to speak, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.”