Cliff Stearns: “I might just read from the committee's report itself: "The committee is completely frustrated at the financial situation…”

“I might just read from the committee's report itself: "The committee is completely frustrated at the financial situation created by the lack of financial and grant program accountability at the corporation, even after years of providing funds specifically for the purpose of grant management and assurances made by the corporation during the conference that the corporation, AmeriCorps, was on the path to reform." Yet the committee gave it an 11.7 percent increase. When we look at the VA funding for research, it is 2.7 percent. I ask my colleagues to put that in perspective and also put it in the perspective, as the gentleman from New York said, this is a small amount of money but this has a symbolic value to veterans, people who need prosthetic support. To think that you are taking some of the money that is in a program like AmeriCorps and giving it to veterans research, I think, is saying, We're behind you. I urge support for the Stearns amendment.”