On the recordNovember 17, 2011
I appreciate the distinguished Senator from Missouri for managing the bill for our side because there are three appropriations bills included in this package. I am also pleased that we are actually passing appropriations bills that have been amended and debated in the Senate the way it ought to be done. I am also very pleased to talk about the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill, which is the subcommittee on which I am the ranking member. The chairman, Senator Mikulski, has already spoken earlier this evening on the bill and what is in it and how we put it all together. I can't thank Senator Mikulski enough for being the kind of chairman who could really bring people together, bring the House Members together, where we had some significant differences. I believe she and I were on the same page, that we have national priorities in this bill, and we ensured that those priorities were met because they are so important for our country. It wasn't easy. As has been said by everyone who has spoken, difficult choices had to be made. We had an allocation that was $583 million below the fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution level. It was $4.7 billion below the President's request. This bill is also in accordance with the Budget Control Act that passed on August 2, 2011. I just want to mention on that point that all of the appropriations bills that have gone through the Appropriations Committee this year have met the Budget Control Act requirements.…
