Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I ask that I be notified in 5 minutes, in case the distinguished chairman of the Interior subcommittee needs any extra…”

“I ask that I be notified in 5 minutes, in case the distinguished chairman of the Interior subcommittee needs any extra time. First, let me thank the distinguished chairman and ranking member of the Interior subcommittee for assuring that their conference report came out in a timely way, not only for the Interior funding but especially for this veterans' funding which is fiscal year 2005 money, meaning it can be spent right away. We know there is a deficit at the VA because Secretary Nicholson told us there is a deficit. So I do thank Senator Burns and Senator Dorgan for coming forward and helping us with this extraordinary measure so the Veterans Administration will be able to have full flexibility to fill the coffers from which they have been borrowing, and also to go forward. I also thank those who have worked so hard to get the Veterans Administration the money they need. That would certainly be Senator Murray, who has just spoken, Senator Feinstein, my ranking member on the Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Craig, who is the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We have all worked together in a bipartisan way because, frankly, Secretary Nicholson came forward in a most forthright manner to tell us of the problems we had at the Veterans Administration.…”