Cord Byrd: “there is no difference, when it comes to stating the compelling need for what the bill seeks to do--there is no…”

“there is no difference, when it comes to stating the compelling need for what the bill seeks to do--there is no difference between the Senator from Massachusetts and myself. We stood toe to toe last year. So did the distinguished Senator from California, who is now presiding, Mrs. Feinstein. We stood toe to toe with each other. When I tried to add $15 billion--half was for New York--in the stimulus bill for homeland defense, we were together. I am with you today. We were together then. But a point of order was raised on the other side of the aisle against that money. It was the 60-vote point of order. We could not find the 60 votes. Then, when the Defense appropriations bill was called up at the end of the year--again, there was $7.5 billion for homeland defense in that bill, $7.5 billion--a point of order again was raised on the other side of the aisle. It was a 60-vote point of order. We did not have the 60 votes on this side of the aisle. So there is no question about the compelling need for these additional items to protect the borders of this country. But what I am saying today is the President of the United States--we saw it in the papers, I believe it was today or yesterday--threatened to veto any appropriations bill that went beyond what he was requesting. That may not be the exact phrasing, but we are already threatened with a veto. So where is this money coming from?”