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

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.

I just want your view, Mr. Secretary.

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.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for scheduling this hearing, and I want to thank Mr. Brickell.

I think that would have to go, not just in your disclosure form, but in your advertising.

There has been some concern that large companies will have an advantage in offering these GMP's.

There is another issue here and that is, even with all these innovations, the question is what happens if the individual borrower discovers that they have been misled or that the terms of the package have not been complied with?

The Rule is not perfect, far from perfect, but at least we are talking about a rule today.

Secretary Mel Martinez should be commended for his effort to streamline the homebuying process.

The Rule that you are proposing would rectify this.

One of the other concerns that we have heard, particularly from realtors, is that they often have relationships with service providers, whom they know to have high quality and very responsive, et cetera.

Well, one of the problems, Mr. Secretary, in trying to understand all the ramifications of the Rule, is that the damages are limited, I believe.

I think if you are, as you are, quite sincerely proposing that this Rule go forward and it be enforced, then we also have the responsibility to request the resources and the authority and the personnel to enforce it.

Secretary Martinez should be commended for his efforts and leadership to streamline the homebuying process.

The current system does not provide that transparency.

A third way to get at, maybe not directly this problem, but to respond to some of the discussions.

We all agree that the disclosure now is inadequate and we have to do something.

the perception of most people looking for a loan, when they go to a broker, is that the broker is working to get the best deal for them.

we have to go back to the first point, which is accurate transparent disclosure of the fees.

Let me raise the pressure that we are seeing back home with the National Guard and Reserve.

The sooner these plans are presented to us, the more opportunity we will have to look at your proposals.

So there is a possibility that in September 2004, this system will not be deployed?

One of the confusing elements is the apparent disparate treatment between the threat posed by Iraq and the threat posed by North Korea.

Like of all of us, we are expecting the commitment of military forces. I have every confidence that they will prevail.