Porter Goss: “I point out that less than 1 percent of the Federal budget we are talking about here, foreign aid spending, is not the…”

“I point out that less than 1 percent of the Federal budget we are talking about here, foreign aid spending, is not the problem when it comes to our budget ills. But it is clear that everything is on the table when we talk about the budget. The reason I am supporting this bill is not budgetary, however. It is because this bill was crafted by making difficult choices, shifting limited resources and reflecting new priorities. And I congratulate both the chairman and ranking member for that. Also of course it keeps spending down, and Chairman Callahan has done a fabulous job at that. In fact, Chairman Callahan has delivered a bill that comes in, I understand, at $4.6 billion below the President's request and below the spending allocation. That is a pretty good trick in these tight budgetary times. But the important point is the committee has prioritized spending to fund child survival programs and to fund efforts in nonproliferation, antiterrorism, and counternarcotics. As chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, that is a very important area for me. And it is an area of critical concern involving both the security and the quality of life for Americans at home and abroad. And I think it is very important that this bill focuses on that. And I am pleased it does, and that is one of the reasons I strongly support it.”