Byron Dorgan: “let me indicate I have just been sitting with my colleagues, Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye, discussing this…”

“let me indicate I have just been sitting with my colleagues, Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye, discussing this amendment. I want to discuss just for a moment why I have offered this amendment and then indicate that I think we have a responsibility here in the Congress to try to understand how much these operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other areas of the world cost us and how we plan to pay for them. Before I do that, let me say the chairman of this subcommittee and the ranking member, two Members for whom I have the highest regard--and I happen to serve on this subcommittee--have distinguished military records. The ranking member has the Medal of Honor. The chairman flew over the hump in China during the Second World War. He has a very distinguished record. I very much appreciate working with them. They have done an extraordinary job with the piece of legislation brought to the floor of the Senate to fund our defense needs. I visited Afghanistan during the past year or so. I have not visited Iraq. But I happen to think what we have done, with the wonderful men and women who wear America's uniform, is kick the Taliban out of Afghanistan and free the people of Afghanistan. What we have done is to drive underground--at this point--Saddam Hussein and liberate the people of Iraq. It has been done by very brave, courageous, and wonderful young men and women, and with equipment which is funded by this subcommittee.”