Robert C. Byrd: “I think we have an exceedingly important bill. We ought to be allowed to make opening statements.”

I cannot understand why the administration chose to begin a major war knowing that our troops did not have enough body and vehicle armor.

Why has it taken nearly 2 years of fighting in Iraq before the Pentagon asked for armor for all of these supply vehicles?

Could I impose on the chairman and the ranking member just briefly? What is the current monthly cost of operations in Afghanistan, and how much of the $25 billion in this budget request is for operations in Afghanistan?

Will these funds be sufficient to address the complaints that we have heard, and that you heard also, Mr. Secretary, when you were visiting there, that our troops are scrounging for armor in trash dumps?