Howard Berman: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I appreciate the compliments of my friend from Wisconsin. I prefer that the compliments…”

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I appreciate the compliments of my friend from Wisconsin. I prefer that the compliments be withheld and the motion to slash this bill by 40 percent be rejected, although I do appreciate the implication of his comments that a recommittal motion that is forthwith is not intended to kill the bill and that, therefore, the recommittal motions that are not forthwith are intended to kill the bills they are made to. But getting to the merits of this. The purpose of my comments is directly to the other side. I know the easy vote, even for those who support this bill, is to vote both to cut some money and to support the minority on their motion to recommit. But I would like to suggest that in this particular case, given what has transpired in terms of putting together this bipartisan bill, both on the merits of the motion to recommit and on the message it sends about how we can work on a bipartisan basis in the future, this motion is wrong and that Members on the other side should oppose it along with the Members on our side. First, on the facts. The administration supports this bill and supports our number on this bill. To the extent they have concerns about what the level of appropriations may be in this year, their statement of administration position directly says, talk about the level of appropriation; don't cut the authorization.”