Political Quotes

“I am pleased that Chairman Levin and I have been able to come to agreement on my amendment to restore $814 million that the President can allocate to ballistic missile defense and to activities of the Department of Defense to counter terrorism and on Chairman Levin's second-degree amendment. The underlying Warner amendment takes advantage of the fact that the Office of Management and Budget is undertaking a midyear reassessment of the inflation assumptions built into the administration's fiscal year 2003 budget. What this means, in practical terms, is that the Department of Defense budget has an inflation "bonus" built in less funding will be required to purchase the goods and services in the Department's budget. Since these funds are excess to the Department's needs, there is no programmatic impact resulting from the inflation savings being used for other purposes. Thus the Warner amendment will allow the President to reallocate, as he determines to be in the national interest, $814 million toward two of the highest defense priorities, ballistic missile defense and DOD activities to combat terrorism, with no other programmatic impact.”