Thanking them for their service to our country. Both have served our country in various capacities for a long time. Not an easy thing to do. I respect and appreciate that work. I look forward to continuing to work with you. The good news i want to start with is unlike last year we have a budget agreement. And last year we spent a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Now, last year we were off by i dont know 3. 5 months, Something Like that, but thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get Appropriations Bills and an authorizing bill done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department. I think thats important. This year we hope to come a little bit closer to october 1st. Certainly on the authorizing bill, but also in the appropriations bill. Most importantly, we have a budget number. And hopefully we can get that pre
Seconds worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that is in it, and which is more you will be a man, my son. This Chamber Tonight is full not just of men and women but some of the finest men and women i have ever met in my life. And i am so proud to have spent the past 17 hours with every ne of you. And were not finished yet. We have more hours to go. I called up Carolyn Mccarthy today. I wanted her to know what we were doing. I didnt catch her. She wasnt home. But i left a message on the phone and told her that we were standing up for the issue that she cared most about and dedicated her life towards changing. And i feel that she in so many and so Many Americans were inspired by what we did tonight. My phone was ringing off the hook all day long thanking the democrats for finally standing up, for being determined, for making a difference. And i can tell you that i think we truly did make a difference. Its the first time that the g. O. P. Totally changed their plans, th