David Obey: “I am amazed by what I have just heard from the gentleman from Iowa. Apparently, the gentleman is only now beginning to…”

“I am amazed by what I have just heard from the gentleman from Iowa. Apparently, the gentleman is only now beginning to face what a miserable mess is often created when we have to run the government under continuing resolutions. I would simply say that there are a lot of things in the continuing resolution that the gentleman from Florida and I do not like; but the fact is, when we are prevented from doing our work in passing the regular appropriation bills, then, in the end, we are stuck with only one alternative, and that alternative is to simply run the government by formula until people come to their senses. So that is what this continuing resolution has to do. Apparently, the gentleman from Iowa is only now beginning to understand what a mighty mess he and his colleagues have created. Now, he was talking about one-time spending, as though that is a clearly defined item, and he uses as his example the Pentagon. Well, I would point out that the Pentagon was repaired as a result of the hit that we took on September 11, but the Pentagon reconstruction project was going on before that time as well.”