Byron Dorgan: “I believe the Senate will be voting this afternoon on a judiciary nomination, but in the meantime, most of this…”

“I believe the Senate will be voting this afternoon on a judiciary nomination, but in the meantime, most of this afternoon, and I expect tomorrow and perhaps even the next day, we will be on one of the most important appropriations bills we consider in the Senate, and that is the appropriation for the Department of Defense. Most of us know that in recent years we have been faced with some very unusual circumstances that deal with national security both at home and around the world. National security is critically important to this country, both protecting our homeland against acts of terrorism and also dealing with trouble spots around the world that threaten our national interests. So as we consider a bill providing the funds for our national defense through the Department of Defense, I wish to say a couple of things. First, I thank Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye. I happen to serve on the subcommittee on which they are chairman and ranking member, and I think they have done a remarkable job with this legislation.”