Pete Sessions: “I thank Senator Enzi, our chairman, for his great leadership and persuasive remarks earlier on this important issue. My…”

“I thank Senator Enzi, our chairman, for his great leadership and persuasive remarks earlier on this important issue. My good friend, Dr. Coburn, has personally treated people with AIDS and has dealt with women who have had babies with AIDS. It is a matter deeply important to him. Senator Burr is a force in our committee. He works extremely hard. His remarks go to the core of what we are all about here. He explained it in great detail. I am so appreciative of that. I will just say a few things that I believe are important. Senator Dayton, I must tell you that my good friend Senator Enzi is a very fair man. If the chairman were asked, Chairman Enzi, why should New York give up anything? Why shouldn't they insist on keeping the special position they have? Let me ask this question: How did New York get that special position? How did it happen? They came to the Congress a number of years ago. They said: We have an extraordinary problem in New York. Our problem is great. We have this growing problem with AIDS, and we need extra money. The Nation said: We believe you are hurting, New York. We believe you have a special problem, and we will give you special money, extra money. You will get more than the rest of the country because it appears that the disease is more centered there and is spreading most rapidly there. That was a good and decent thing for the country to do. It made sense that this bill passed. I am not disputing that.”