Larry Combest: “Mr. Chairman, at the outset, I would like to compliment the Committee's ranking Democrat, Norm Dicks, for his highly…”

“Mr. Chairman, at the outset, I would like to compliment the Committee's ranking Democrat, Norm Dicks, for his highly constructive role in the formulation of this legislation. He is a bona fide expert in many aspects of national security and intelligence, particularly in advanced technologies, and his influence is evident in many of our Committee's positions. I also would like to thank the other Democratic members of the Committee who have also joined in a spirit of nonpartisanship to craft this legislation. I also thank my fellow Republican Members who have worked hard in putting this bill together. In particular, I appreciate the fine work of Jerry Lewis and Bob Dornan, our subcommittee chairmen. Finally, the staff on both sides of the aisle deserve our thanks. They are a dedicated, talented group. This legislation is the product of a lot of work, intensive deliberation, and cooperation. The Committee held 11 full committee budget hearings, over 20 Member briefings, and over 200 staff briefings related to the budget. As a result, it is an act that our Committee reported out unanimously and in which we can all take no small measure of pride. H.R. 1655 authorizes the funds for fiscal year 1996 for all of the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the U.S. Government.”