Sam Brownback: “If I could respond briefly on this, Senator Kennedy and I have the subcommittee with the primary jurisdiction on this.…”

“If I could respond briefly on this, Senator Kennedy and I have the subcommittee with the primary jurisdiction on this. As to the figures being put forward, one is the first-year cost and the other is the total cost of implementation. Much of the cost involved here is for equipment because we are getting the biometric equipment up. We are getting it in position, in place, and that is why there is the difference in the figure. It is not an even figure over each of the 3 years. That is what is involved in that question that you raise. If I could also respond on the deadline dates because I think the Senator from West Virginia has put his finger on a very important topic. This was a matter of extensive negotiation between the various people involved because these are very aggressive dates. A number of people in the administration raised the concern saying: This is too aggressive. We don't think we can meet this. Other people within the administration were saying: It may be too aggressive, but we need to meet it, and we are going to push to meet it. There were differences of opinion on that. We, as the Members who were negotiating and trying to work this out, decided to go with the earlier date because of the importance of the issue.”