May 23, 1979
Page 12413
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I simply close by thanking again my good friend from Oklahoma, Senator BELLMON, who has been such a support, and the staff on both sides, both the majority and minority, who have been of such invaluable assistance throughout the development of this budget resolution.
May I also thank the leadership on both sides for their cooperation in making it possible to go forward this afternoon.
Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, I want to thank Mr. MUSKIE and Mr. BELLMON for the leadership they have consistently shown with regard to budget resolutions and matters that come before the Budget Committee.
I certainly want to thank them for the leadership they have shown on this particular item, and I think they should be commended for the wisdom they have shown in supporting the proposal that the Senate has just voted on. I think they took a very strong stand, as the Senate would expect on any reduction in the defense budget, and I want to say as far as I am concerned, there will not be any more reductions in the defense budget. That is so far as one Senator is concerned, and I would like to state that for the RECORD.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Yes.
Mr. STEVENS. I am glad to hear the majority leader make that statement. I join him in commending Senators MUSKIE and BELLMON for putting us on a course that might take us out of this obvious impasse that we have been in with a prolonged conference committee in haranguing over the action that took place in the other House today.
I am delighted that the Senator from West Virginia, the majority leader, has stated the position which, I take it, would be the almost unanimous position of the Senate, that the defense budget should not be cut any further.
I do believe we have taken the right action and the House ought to understand that there is a very strong sentiment here against any changes in the defense budget as represented in this budget resolution.