Jack Reed

Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to the Nation, which begins and ends with the profound appreciation of the service and sacrifice of the young Americans you lead, and I thank you for that, too.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

It appears to me that we lost 10,000 soldiers, real boots on the ground, at a time we had stop-loss orders in effect.

If you could provide me a more specific written response----

I think it is a deceptive way to finance the operations of the military and I think it also has practical ramifications.

The most remarkable thing about this budget is what it leaves out, not what it includes.

If this supplemental is delayed past September 30, say the end of November, or even delayed until the following year, which is customary nowadays, you will burn out all the money that is appropriated?

Mr. Secretary, we both understand that supplementals are used to cover unanticipated costs that arise after the budget documents are presented.

Why can you not include those costs today in your budget, so that we can make appropriate decisions about offsets, about priorities?

I do not believe I insisted on that; did I?

Then why do you not propose a budget that reflects accurately all the costs that you anticipate over the next year for Afghanistan and Iraq?

You have the obligation to come before us with a detailed estimate of the cost and what you propose to do in the way of covering those costs.

Do you think that is the right approach, Mr. Secretary?

I just want your view, Mr. Secretary.

I do not think I am the only one who is alarmed at the significant costs associated with Afghanistan and Iraq that are not included in this budget.

All these costs do not seem to be properly included within the budget going forward.

My point was Justice Breyer was subject to a cloture vote, subject to a procedure that is being used here.

Nominated in November, simply the FBI, background checks, the questionnaires, reviews, all those things, take time. In fact, the reaction, frankly, if any President did that, President Bush or President X or President Y did that, the…

I think the Senator is trying to refer to the more philosophical than pragmatic logistics. The reality is if someone, either someone who is a sitting judge or otherwise, was nominated----

I would like to think that, as in the case of 98 percent of President Bush's nominees, they would receive not only careful review but ultimately confirmation.

A question has come up about Elena Kagan's nomination. I have some information. Ms. Kagan was nominated in June of 1999. For 18 months, there was no action on her nomination. I believe her nomination was certainly available for action by…

Let me just say my recollection is she was not given a vote after being nominated to the court.

I suggested it because that is my understanding, that she was nominated for the District of Columbia circuit and she is now the dean of the Harvard Law School. She is a remarkable dean. I am somewhat prejudiced since I graduated from…

So it's good news. But in context, we've got such a long way to go to rebuild employment, that we're not over the hump yet by any stretch of the imagination, even by Secretary Snow's calculations.

I also wish to express my appreciation to the chairman and ranking member for their longstanding commitment to HRSA Title VII Health Professions programs. I had planned to offer an amendment to increase funding for these critical programs…