Cord Byrd: “may I say right at that point that the Senator is correct. That was the major constitutional flaw. That was a major…”

“may I say right at that point that the Senator is correct. That was the major constitutional flaw. That was a major constitutional flaw. It dealt with the power over the purse which under the Constitution is vested here in Congress. Senator Stevens, I would have to say, was himself the foremost proponent of a change, backed by some degree of constitutionality. He is the major proponent on that side of the aisle of our veering away from that precipice and bringing us back to leaving control in the hands of the appropriations committees, and in the hands of Congress in large part. Second, I would say one of the foremost proponents of recognizing that constitutional flaw was the distinguished Senator from Texas, Mr. Gramm. I am convinced in my own mind--although I was not a little fly on the wall down at the White House listening in--that the Senator from Texas was a major, major proponent of bringing us back to our senses-- or at least the administration back to its senses--with respect to that constitutional flaw. I have to believe in my own mind that he argued with them to that effect. Listen, that is at least the one--that is the one in the Senator's mind, I would guess--unassailable point that the Senators from West Virginia and the Senator from Alaska make; that is, with respect to the power of the purse. You had better back off. Those are my own words.…”