David Thomas: “we enter into our second week of this fall's session after the recess, and we are faced with much to do. I think that is…”

“we enter into our second week of this fall's session after the recess, and we are faced with much to do. I think that is not unusual. It is often the case things pile up towards the end of the session, of course, but it seems to me we have a great many items to consider. There are 13 appropriations bills to be passed in order to have this Government operate in the next fiscal year. The fiscal year begins October 1, which is only 3 weeks away. In the course of those 3 weeks, there are several days which, for various reasons--the Jewish holidays, and so on--there will not be votes. So we have really a relatively short time. Obviously, what we will be doing is passing a continuing resolution before this is over, but nevertheless we have a great deal to do. None of these bills has yet gone to the President. Some of them have been passed in both Houses and are waiting now on the conference committees. To be sure, it is difficult. It is always difficult. This year we are seeing some more difficulties because of the change in conditions with regard to the surplus, because of the difficulty I think we are finding now in staying within the budget we passed some time ago. Nevertheless, those are the items before us. It does not seem to me perhaps that we are moving ahead quite as rapidly as we might. It does not seem to me we have a very well designed plan to accomplish these things within a certain period of time.”