Kit Bond

I request that my testimony be made part of the record of the hearings on the fiscal year 2005 NSF budget.

I associate myself with the comments of Senator Mikulski.

Without very thoughtful leadership, volunteers can spend a lot of time and not accomplish much.

And will the employees under the new general appointment system be treated the same as under the GS system?

It does seem like the decision came out of left field.

I have a concern. This is going to be my last question.

Well, thank you. That is what we ask you to do. And I appreciate that.

I appreciate being able to share parentage with part of the AmeriCorps program with you, because you are recognized as the godmother of the AmeriCorps program.

Senator Bond, has really been the father of the Strengthen AmeriCorps accounting, and we fully support him 100 percent.

I hope they have greener thumbs than I do. My efforts are not always successful.

The administration request for a $4 million earmark for Teach for America is puzzling.

We understand that things can happen at OMB that take time.

Very quickly, can we get your commitment to complete the rulemaking this year?

This year's budget, however, will probably be the most difficult and challenging we have faced.

I am pleased that the administration provided such a strong budget for the Corporation and the AmeriCorps program.

To say that the past year for the Corporation and its grantees was frustrating and stressful is, at best, an understatement.

When everybody wants to stand up for their troops, I think we need to stand up for them right here and today.

I do not want Wal-Mart medicine for my vets.

When they face these ghoulish and horrific circumstances, it is not about politics.

I think when we talk about veterans, we are the Red, White and Blue Party.

Obviously, there is a lot of money that I hope is not down a rat hole, but obviously we need a good system.

I would be interested in knowing what specific steps the VA is taking to respond to the needs of returning Persian Gulf War vets.

I spoke earlier on homelessness and the responsibility you took on as chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Let me turn to the transitional pharmacy benefit plan.

I would like to go back to the CARES discussion and ask you about Chicago.