Thomas Daschle: “I guess I go back to a fundamental question of management, not by him but of the administration, a fundamental question…”

“I guess I go back to a fundamental question of management, not by him but of the administration, a fundamental question about what it is they anticipate will be the costs involving fighting the war in Iraq--not for this year but for the next fiscal year that this particular appropriations bill addresses. It will take $60 billion to address those concerns in the next fiscal year. We appropriated in the supplemental $68 billion in this fiscal year. Obviously, that will take us into the first part of the next fiscal year. The question from us to the administration ought to be: Why have you not made a specific proposal with regard to the commitment that will be required in Iraq for the next fiscal year? If it is $60 billion, request it. If it is $60 billion, defend it.”