Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I am rising to say we now know we will get the votes on the reconciliation and we are going to have a vote on the…”

“I am rising to say we now know we will get the votes on the reconciliation and we are going to have a vote on the Defense appropriations bill which includes the ANWR legislation as well as the Katrina hurricane relief and the Rita hurricane relief. I rise tonight because I hope we now see the pathway to finishing a very productive year in the Senate. It is never easy to pass legislation in the Senate. We all know that. We have 100 Senators representing 50 States and everyone has a different idea. What we have to do is come together for the good of our country. If ever there was a time when important legislation for the families of our country, for the military men and women of our country, for the children of our country, for the future, to have energy independence for America, this is the time when we must say, even if I don't like everything in this bill we must pass it. I don't like everything in this bill. Not one Member would say we liked everything in this bill. However, what we have pending in the appropriations bill for our Department of Defense and regarding ANWR is essential for the future of our country. I hope my colleagues will look at this last opportunity we have this year to do what is right for our country. On the appropriations bill, the chairman of the committee has done an incredible job. We are going to have a budget to which we will adhere. It is going to have an across-the-board cut to pay for the Katrina relief we all are seeking.…”