Dick Durbin: “I thank the Chair. The issue before us is a conference committee report on the House Defense authorization bill. It is…”

“I thank the Chair. The issue before us is a conference committee report on the House Defense authorization bill. It is not the spending bill; it is the authorizing of spending. It is a bill that largely is bipartisan. There is no argument on either side of the aisle to support our troops, no argument against providing the technology and weaponry they need to keep themselves and Americans safe. The issue before us is a larger budget issue that goes even beyond the Department of Defense but certainly includes it, and that is, how are we going to fund our government? The Republican approach is to put in $37 billion to $38 billion of made-up money. In other words, they take $37 billion or $38 billion of what is known as OCO funds, or war funds, and just assume it is there and put it in the budget for the Department of Defense only, but they don't put money in for nondefense agencies. So they adequately fund the Department of Defense--in fact, some say generously fund it--and then cut back in the rest of government. What is the difference? What difference does it make? The cutbacks include, on the nondefense side, medical research at the National Institutes of Health. The cuts include adequate resources for the Veterans' Administration to keep our promise to the men and women who have served us in the military. The cuts include keeping America safe when it comes to homeland security and the FBI.…”