Byron Dorgan: “Mr. President we are now returning to the National Missile Defense Act of 1999, which is a very important policy issue…”

“Mr. President we are now returning to the National Missile Defense Act of 1999, which is a very important policy issue before the Senate. This policy will not mean anything until it is funded. The real debate will be on the appropriations, it seems to me. What is it we want to buy and pay for? We can talk until we are blue in the face, but if we are not willing in an appropriations process to pay for a policy, it is not going to be deployed. My substitute amendment will be something that I will likely offer during an appropriations debate and will wait until that day for a vote.”