David Obey: “I am for the dollars in this amendment and in the bill. Let us talk about them both together. I am for the dollars that…”

“I am for the dollars in this amendment and in the bill. Let us talk about them both together. I am for the dollars that we need to fix the TRICARE problem, the health care problem. I am for the dollars to help with the recruiting and housing. I am for reimbursing the Pentagon for the funds they have already expended in their Kosovo operations. I am for helping them meet their additional fuel costs. That is not my problem with this amendment. I am for all of those things, but I am not for them in a way which will enable this House to bust the budget by $4 billion for next year, just 5 days after the leadership twisted arms to get enough votes to pass that budget. I do not think that we should drop our promises as an institution quite that fast. This is precedent setting. If you are going to do it on this, then do not be surprised when it happens again and again with far more justification.”