Mark Hatfield: “I thank the Senator. Is the Senator aware that the B-2 bomber was killed last night by the Armed Services Committee?…”

“I thank the Senator. Is the Senator aware that the B-2 bomber was killed last night by the Armed Services Committee? According to this morning's paper, the committee voted not to fund any additional B-2 bombers, which I hail as a great achievement. But I would also like to add there is no way we can take the savings of that B-2 bomber and transfer it into nonmilitary discretionary programs. We, on the Appropriations Committee, have our hands tied on that. I could not agree with the Senator more. I will not take a back seat to the Senator nor to any other Senator in fighting for the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program, and all these other programs that represent people's needs. But what I am saying to the Senator is that this speech is a little late. It should be repeated and repeated. But I am saying it is a little late as it relates to the current issue we have before us. The die is cast. What are we going to salvage out of this circumstance? I say to the Senator in all respect, that, if this is not acted upon today, the Senator will have led the appropriators and forced the appropriators into cutting $1.3 billion out of the subcommittee on Labor-HHS for 1996, over and above what we would otherwise have to do. If the Senator wants to take on that responsibility, keep that in mind. You are hurting the very people you are trying to help. That is not your making. It is not my making. It is the decision of the total body of this Senate, and we lost. We lost.”