David Hobson: “I rise in strong opposition also to the gentleman's amendment. This is not personal between me and the gentleman, and I…”

“I rise in strong opposition also to the gentleman's amendment. This is not personal between me and the gentleman, and I hope it wouldn't be when I get over too, because I am really opposed to this amendment, and I am really in support of the chairman on this, because this is something we have worked on for a long period of time. I know the administration and some Members, those from New Mexico, are not pleased with the cuts to the weapons program. I have heard from the other body, and they may claim these funding reductions somehow threaten our national security. I also recognize it is politically convenient to move money from a so-called bureaucracy in Washington to what is portrayed as a field-level purpose. Sorry, folks, but I don't buy either of these arguments, and I strongly believe this bill puts our nuclear weapons programs in the proper perspective. I have been a member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee for the past 5 years, and I have personally visited every single nuclear weapons lab, plant and site in DOE's complex, and I honestly can't tell you how much our national security is protected, whether we fund the nuclear weapons account at $6.5 billion, $6 billion, or even $5.5 billion. And I certainly can't tell you what benefit we will gain by adding $192 million back to the weapons program and devastating NSA's management office, as the gentleman proposes.”