Haley Stevens: “I think the Senator's explanation and the presentation of the Senator from Illinois demonstrates the problem. The poll…”

“I think the Senator's explanation and the presentation of the Senator from Illinois demonstrates the problem. The poll the Senator has mentioned by the Washington Post polled $87 billion. Yet there is no relevant objection to $66 billion of that money. Why didn't they poll the $20.3 billion? I don't think the American public has been told that $20.3 billion is part of the process that will eventually reduce the military expense and bring our people back. We have taken the position of a single package--a fund for the military operation, and a fund for reconstruction and restoration of Iraq going on concomitantly so we don't have to go into a period of military occupation. I think the Senator's amendment is sort of a dangerous thing because it says go ahead with the military operation but we won't give you any money to help to stand up the Iraqi army, or to stand up the Iraqi security force, or to take action to assure the powerplants are working and the oil pipelines are working because we think we ought to wait until there is a government. You cannot get a new government without some reconstruction and without some security and without some mechanism to assist our forces so our forces can draw back and not take over the whole job. I object to the Senator's request.”