Cord Byrd: “I support the statements that have been made by the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, the…”

“I support the statements that have been made by the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, the former chairman. We had lengthy hearings on the bill. Those hearings were well attended by Members on both sides of the aisle. The witnesses who came before the committee were witnesses who were agreed upon by both the ranking member, Mr. Stevens, and myself. Everything was done that could have been done to try to ascertain what the true needs of the country are. We had seven Department heads. We had the Director of FEMA. We had mayors, Governors, local responders, the people who are first on the scene: the firemen, health personnel, law enforcement people. And we assiduously studied the hearings results as we prepared the bill. Now, it is easy to sit around and carp and complain and criticize, but there are some around here who believe they have to do some things to help this country. We have to move a bill. It is easy to find fault, but it is not so easy to try to develop the kind of support that this bill justifies. I think we have gone a long way to try to meet the true needs of this country. I have respect for the President, but he is not the fountain of all wisdom. I would hope that the President would take time to look at the bill, to study it. I think he will find there are provisions in it that he did not request but which are justified. So I have faith that he would be reasonable in that respect.”