Neal Smith: “I am opposed to this amendment. As I said before, I am not opposed to having a reserve fund for disaster assistance, and…”

“I am opposed to this amendment. As I said before, I am not opposed to having a reserve fund for disaster assistance, and we had a reserve fund before 1990. But the Credit Reform Act of 1990 terminated all revolving loan funds. If we are going to reestablish these revolving loan funds, it ought to be done in authorizing legislation, rather than in appropriations bills. Now, I am going to put in the Record under the unanimous consent request the chairman got earlier, a table that shows specifically what is in this amendment that affects departments and agencies under the jurisdiction of my Appropriations subcommittee. But I want to highlight just a few things, because consistency has never been a virtue in this place, but rarely has inconsistency been so great as it is on some of the items that are in this proposal. Madam Chairman, if this were to be adopted, the FBI would lose 1,493 people; INS would lose 1,188 and Federal prisons, 1,636. SBA could lose as many as 240 for 3 months, right at a time when the agency needs them to deal with the California earthquake. The amendment would also eliminate a plane that tracks hurricanes that is needed very badly. With respect to the Border Patrol, we had an argument here last fall and added 600 new Border Patrol personnel and they couldn't be added if this amendment passes.”