Cord Byrd: “Mr. President, I don't hear a whimper from the Congress which only a short time ago attempted to give up its…”

“Mr. President, I don't hear a whimper from the Congress which only a short time ago attempted to give up its constitutional power to declare war to one man. He will determine when, how, and where our military forces will be used in an unprovoked war against a sovereign state that has not attacked us in this new doctrine of preemption. It is a new doctrine. This Senator is just not going to take this lying down. I don't care how popular Mr. Bush may be. I answer to my constituents, I answer to my Constitution, and I answer to my conscience. Here we are penny pinching when it comes to protecting the homeland. This administration is not paying enough attention to the protection of the homeland--our country, our people, our institutions, our installations. I think it is time we called the hand of this administration. If the administration says: We don't need any more money, we are awash with money, well, then, if the administration has not spent essential funds approved by the Congress over 1 year ago for homeland security, the Senate Appropriations Committee ought to be holding hearings to find out why. Let's find out why. We need these homeland security resources now to meet real needs that have been authorized by the Congress for port security, airport security, border security, nuclear security.”