Haley Stevens: “As I have stated, the President, as Commander in Chief in a time of war, has said he believes he has requested ample…”

“As I have stated, the President, as Commander in Chief in a time of war, has said he believes he has requested ample money to take him through to the time when he will submit, based on Governor Ridge's report to him, the moneys that are necessary to conduct the homeland defense for the United States. He has also said he believes we have now sufficient funds to pursue the war that is being conducted against global terrorism based on the moneys that have been presented in section A of this bill, and the additional moneys for defense in section B of this bill. Those moneys are presented pursuant to the act of September 14, which specified that not less than $20 billion of the moneys involved would go to New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania to help react to the events of September 11. My amendment--I have withdrawn it now, but I will offer it again probably in the morning--does not change that law. Nothing in the proposal of the Senator from West Virginia changes the September 14 law, as I understand it. He seeks to add to it, but he does not change that, and that law guarantees $20 billion.”