Don Nickles: “I am getting too many fights going at the same time. I have a nice engagement with Senator Kennedy on a HCFA add-on that…”

“I am getting too many fights going at the same time. I have a nice engagement with Senator Kennedy on a HCFA add-on that was put into the budget, which we will be voting on later. And $1.6 billion is on the floor now. That is enough. I am not trying to anger Members; I am trying to have a little bit of fiscal responsibility. Again, since FEMA did not make this request until yesterday, I cannot believe it is that urgent. But I remind my colleagues, my amendment does not strike the $1.6 billion; it just says that the emergency classification will not be in there. So for next year's budget it will have to live within the caps, and for the following year it will have to live within the caps. That is the essence of my amendment, so we can help protect the surplus and maybe give taxpayers some relief. So that is my hope, and that is my desire. If there is going to be a motion to table my amendment, I urge colleagues to vote no on tabling the amendment.”