James T. Callahan: “let me just clarify something about the procedure. There are some who have indicated that this measure has not received…”

“let me just clarify something about the procedure. There are some who have indicated that this measure has not received the proper attention of the Congress because it did not go through the regular hearing process. But this is nothing different than any other procedure that we have had. We pass a bill here, the Senate disagrees or adds to it, and then the conferees correct it, and then they bring it back to both Houses for the vote up or down. Out of deference to Senator Byrd, he had this added on in the Senate because it was a true emergency and the conference voted to include it in the report back to the House. So it went through the proper procedure. But out of deference to this House and out of deference to the emergency needs of Kosovo and in Latin America, Senator Byrd, at my insistence and at the insistence of the Speaker of the House, voluntarily withdrew from that emergency appropriation bill provided we would use the other vehicle that was already sitting there to allow this to come before this body in a divided stance. Had we not done this, we would have been forced to vote with the emergency appropriation that we had for Central America and for Kosovo; and this too, we would have had one vote. Under the procedure that we finally arrived at, we get the opportunity to vote on a divided question. I think that is a fair way to do it. I applaud Senator Byrd for agreeing to do it because he did not have to do it.”