Cord Byrd: “Absolutely. Absolutely. This whole piece, this great expenditure of paper, is nothing more than a blank check given to…”

“Absolutely. Absolutely. This whole piece, this great expenditure of paper, is nothing more than a blank check given to the President of the United States to use the forces of this country, the military forces, in whatever way he determines, whenever he determines, and where he determines to use those forces to "defend the national security interests of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq, and restore international peace and security in the region." Now, Madam President, you don't need all this paper. You have a vast waste of verbiage here. Just make it one sentence. Make it one sentence, may I say to my friend from Virginia, one sentence. If we are going to make it a blank check, let's make it a blank check right upfront, without all of these flowery figleaves of "whereas" clauses, and simply say that the President has this power. Give it to him and we will put up a sign on the top of this Capitol: "Out of business." Gone home. "Gone fishing." Put up a sign: "We are out of it. We are out of business. We, here in the Congress, are out of business," may I say to my friend.”