Cord Byrd: “Walt Whitman said: A man is a great thing upon the Earth, and through eternity--but every jot of greatness of man is…”

“Walt Whitman said: A man is a great thing upon the Earth, and through eternity--but every jot of greatness of man is unfolded out of woman. So let me pay tribute to our Presiding Officer at this moment. Madam President, I have the utmost respect for the two managers of this bill. I have the utmost respect for their dedication and for the knowledge which they bring to bear upon this subject. I am not a member of the committee that has jurisdiction over the legislation before the Senate. So I salute them and tip my hat to them and bow to them. So what I say is certainly in no fashion, in no way or form any criticism of them. They are doing the best they can do. But the Constitution of the United States still lives. It still governs. Let's read this paragraph from section 9 of the U.S. Constitution: No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time. Let these words sink in: . . . and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time. We have to keep that provision in mind. The amendment I have offered today simply ensures that the national intelligence director spends money in accordance with the annual appropriations bills.”