Cord Byrd: “I think we have to deal with what is in the present. We have here ``A Blueprint for New Beginnings.'' My problem with…”

“I think we have to deal with what is in the present. We have here ``A Blueprint for New Beginnings.'' My problem with this is that it is kind of a peekaboo budget. You see just a little of the budget. But what I see is disturbing. For example, with respect to the research in fossil fuel, that is going to be cut. That is important to the energy resources of this Nation, particularly at this time. Now we have the clean coal technology program, for which the President has said he supports a $2 billion increase. That is well and good. But the problem is, as I look through this peekaboo budget, I find that much of the money he is going to put into clean coal technology is going to come out of fossil fuel research. That is important to coal, oil, and gas. I think we will find the word ``redirect'' in this blueprint a number of times. I noted in the Washington Post of Sunday, April 1, that the Community Policing Service Program, COPS, would be cut by 13 percent, from $1 billion to about $850 million.”