Patrick Leahy: “it is interesting, before I came to the Senate, I recall seeing headlines saying the Congress passed an authorization to…”

“it is interesting, before I came to the Senate, I recall seeing headlines saying the Congress passed an authorization to do this or an authorization to do that; $100 million to improve the environment somewhere, authorized $1 billion to do this. It was not until I got here that I realized that does not do anything. We could authorize $5 trillion for polio vaccine tonight, but if we did not appropriate some money, it is nothing. In ``Henry IV,'' Part I--if the Senator from West Virginia were here, he could set me--Part I, Act 3, Scene 1, we all remember that scene very well. Glyndower says to Hotspur: I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Hotspur answers: Why, so can I, so can any man; But will they come when you call for them? We have authorized the money and the President and everybody else had wonderful speeches. I commended him, praising him. He met with all the various religious leaders and everyone else and went to Africa and talked about what we have promised. That was the authorization. Now it is time to call for the money from the vasty deep.”