Jerry Lewis: “Mr. Chairman, as you know from previous discussions, as modified by the rule of H.R. 3666, this last proviso is…”

“Mr. Chairman, as you know from previous discussions, as modified by the rule of H.R. 3666, this last proviso is, technically speaking, meaningless. The intent of preappropriating the $861 million contingency on further legislation obviously left open the possibility of the authorizing committee's legislation triggering our preappropriation. Unfortunately, the reinterpretation of what this language should look like to avoid a BA problem has resulted in this required change rendering the whole proviso essentially without any meaning. Nevertheless, the proviso still represents a commitment on the part of the committee and the majority to take the necessary appropriation step of providing this $861 million as soon as the program is reformed and reauthorized by the authorizing committees. The money actually awaits in a special seaside in the budget resolution pending this reauthorization. The matter is not all illusory, as opponents would have us believe. The Chairman, the committee stands ready, willing and able to proceed in an appropriations sense. We have been long waiting the reauthorization that would fix this broken program. We have begun a dialog with the administration regarding their suggested intent that they want to fix the program. If we find ourselves at a place where reasonable reauthorization takes place, we intend to fund this effort.”