Dan Burton: “This is going to be a very confusing period as we discuss and debate the chairman's mark because we are going to be…”

“This is going to be a very confusing period as we discuss and debate the chairman's mark because we are going to be talking about several different issues, and I would just like to point out that the gentleman's amendment is likely to pass. I voted for it, I believe, the last time. I think it will pass this time. Unfortunately this issue was not brought before the committee. Otherwise it probably would have been a part of the entire debate, and it probably would have passed anyhow, and so I am just a little disappointed that this could not have been brought up as a separate issue. I do not have the time to yield, but I just say, I wish this wasn't in the mix right now because it is going to confuse a lot of people who are paying attention to the debate. I had an amendment which was a freestanding amendment which is now part of the chairman's mark which will be voted on separately, which is confusing, which would cut the AID operating expenses. And AID last year got $517.5 million to run its operation. This year it was increased to $529 million. The chairman's mark reduced that down to $465 or $466 million, and what my amendment does is reduce it further, down to about $400 million. Now the reason that I propose this amendment is because $400 million is more than enough money for the operating expenses of AID. We cut our staff here in the Congress by a third.…”