Mike Levin: “This second-degree amendment does two things which the amendment I was going to offer yesterday would have done; that…”

“This second-degree amendment does two things which the amendment I was going to offer yesterday would have done; that is, it states that in our judgment, the top priority for the use of these funds is to combat terrorism at home and abroad. But it does not preclude the President from spending this additional money on missile defense should that be his determination. It does both of those things. It does not preclude the President from spending the money on missile defense should he reach the judgment that is a higher priority than combating terrorism, that those additional funds above the $7.6 billion on missile defense is a higher priority than combating terrorism. This amendment would not preclude him from doing that, but the heart of this amendment remains as it was last night, expressing our judgment--that is, between these two specified purposes in the underlying amendment--that the top priority is combating terrorism at home and abroad.”