SEN. BYRD OUTRAGED OVER NATIONAL DEBT - The Biggest In History

(07/20/2003)

U. S. Senator Robert Byrd continues to express outrage over the largest increase in the national debt in history. Democrats accused Republicans in Congress of not understanding the word "conservative." After the reduction of the national budget during the Clinton administration, spending has been skyrocketing. Under questioning by Byrd, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last week that the occupation of Iraq costs $3.9 billion a month, a figure nearly double pre-war estimates. The United States is also spending $943 million a month for ongoing military operations in Afghanistan. These war expenses have been largely paid for by supplemental spending bills, rather than being budgeted for in the formal appropriations process. "The White House wants to spend the money first and have Congress approve the funding later," Byrd, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said. "The administration views Congress like an automatic teller machine. Just put the request in the ATM and the money slides out in seconds, no questions asked." Byrd and other lawmakers object to funding the war through piecemeal spending bills because they say it gives them less oversight. This is a blatant abuse of power and lack of judgment, said Byrd.

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