Cord Byrd: “on May 12, 2004, the President sent to Congress an amendment to his fiscal year 2005 budget request that would add $25…”

“on May 12, 2004, the President sent to Congress an amendment to his fiscal year 2005 budget request that would add $25 billion for the cost of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The President's request amounted to a blank check: There were virtually no strings at all on how those funds could be used. Senator Warner, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, held a hearing, at my request, on the day after this $25 billion request was sent to Congress. Members of the committee were nearly unanimous that Congress should not sign away its power of the purse by giving a rubberstamp approval to the President's proposal. After reviewing the President's request, I developed several proposals to strengthen congressional oversight over the President's request. The funds should be authorized in discrete appropriations accounts for the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reasonable limits should be placed on transfer authority, so that this budget request would not become a blank check. Needed funding for the Coast Guard operations in the Persian Gulf should be included in the $25 billion requested by the President. Senator Warner, Senator Stevens, Senator Levin, and Senator Inouye worked diligently to include my proposals in the amendment that is now before the Senate. Funds have been placed in regular appropriations accounts in order to promote oversight.”