Barbara Mikulski

I feel very strongly.

I think there has been a lack of leadership on the Board.

If this does not get fixed in the next year I will most respectfully ask President Bush to terminate the Board membership.

I am very, very, very disappointed in the Corporation's Board.

I think the Board has been a bust. I think it has been like Enron goes nonprofit.

The only reason National Service is still alive is because of my advocacy and the cooperation of the chairman.

I cannot support a bureaucracy that violates the law, mismanages taxpayers' dollars, and creates uncertainty for our communities and our volunteers.

I fought long and hard to uphold the principles that our National Service program was founded on over 10 years ago.

I agree with the GAO, and I will assure that future appropriations bills require the Corporation to comply with GAO's recommendation.

My biggest disappointment, however, is the cut to the plant genome program.

To say that OMB's budget request for NSF is disappointing would be an understatement.

I was deeply disappointed that the budget request only provided $5.48 billion for fiscal year 2004.

It looks like it is going to be a bit difficult to meet the doubling commitment, but the commitment is still there.

We are now in our second year of our 5-year commitment.

Every major report on long-term U.S. economic competitiveness has cited the need for major increases in scientific research.

I believe this is not an NSF budget. I believe it is an OMB budget.

I once again want to reiterate how glad I am that we are partners on the National Science Foundation appropriations.

If you were with the Mayors Council or the National Association of Counties what would you tell them...

State and local governments are really hurting and they are hurting because, one, their own budget issues...

Today is a very tense day in the world. I know our thoughts are with our troops and the people with responsibility for leading them.

I hope that as we move a bill through the Committee this year, we can continue this policy.

If you want to help a new Republican Governor, help me get water and sewer grants.

I believe that OMB in its work with EPA was not prepared to be bold about the administration's commitment to the environment.

I am troubled at the 2004 budget request for EPA.

This is a cut of almost 6 percent, when we have such compelling needs to protect the environment.