On the recordJuly 15, 2011
I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Mr. Visclosky for the hard, super effort. This has not been an easy bill, to say the least. And you've stayed with it, you have written a good bill, and you have, I think, defended a good bill. There have been amendments that have passed at least on voice vote that I think helped the bill. I want to remind Members that this bill normally in past years has been one of the homes of earmarks. This bill was practically all earmarks in years past. And to the great credit of this subcommittee, you have not allowed any earmarks--not one--which is a remarkable achievement and merits the support, I think, of every single Member of this body. Number two, we gave you a real tough 302(b) number to deal with. That I admit from the very beginning. We were trying to implement the budget that passed this House. And the allocation you received was very stingy. But you have, I think, done great credit to yourselves and to the rest of us by using that limited allocation and stretched it out as far as you could stretch it. And I think you've got a good bill. In fact, the numbers in this bill are going back to 2006 levels. The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman from Indiana has expired. (On request of Mr. Dicks, and by unanimous consent, Mr. Visclosky was allowed to proceed for 1 additional minute.)
