joining us, senators john cornyn and dick durbin and former house speaker newt gengrich and former dnc chair, dr. howard dean. welcome to all of you. a lot to get to. we'll start with senator durbin. in light of the president's speech this past wednesday, what specifically will be achieved on health care this year? >> i think we can pass health care reform. i really believe the american people are ready for it. we're closer to victory now than we ever have been. and i hope we thands failure to pass the health care reform this year will make things overwhelmingly worse. those who are opposing us, those who are criticizing us, really don't have an alternative. they would stay with the current situation, which leaves families with health insurance, with the uncertainty of its cost and the uncertainty of whether coverage will be there when they need it, and millions of america with no protection at all when it comes to health care insurance. we can do better, and i hope that the republicans will join us. we have opened the doors to them in the help committee in the senate, they had hearing

republican senator john cornyn from texas, former democratic national committee chairman, howard dean and former house speaker republican newt gingrich. >>> then, the loss of civility in washington. >> you lie! >> is the political middle ground gone for good? >>> plus, the economy. a year after the financial meltdown, why mounting job losses may be the biggest challenges of all facing the white house. insights from the roundtable, anchor of "street signs" erin burnett, "thyme" magazine contributor author joshua cooper ramo and nbc political director and white house correspondent chuck todd. >>> but first, the debate on health care. joining us, senators john cornyn and dick durbin and former house speaker newt begin river and former dnc chairman, dr. howard dean. good morning to you. a lot to get to. we'll start with senator durbin. in light of the president's speech this past wednesday, what specifically will be achieved on health care this year? >> i think we can pass health care reform. i really believe the american people are ready for it, we are closer to victory than we have ever

>> senator cornyn. >> thank you, mr. chair. >> corzine? mr. gordon -- senator cornyn. >> i strongly support this amendment. i remember sitting at the dais when president obama was inaugurated and gave his inaugural speech when he talked about the importance of transparency in government. he said transparency breeds accountability and build public confidence, and i think this committee has done a good job under your leadership putting the amendments that have been filed on the web site on saturday -- i have got to emails. i have gotten tweets. i have got all sorts of things on things i have filed and other people have filed, and i would suggest that this legislation has captured the imagination and certainly the attention of the american people, and there are a lot of people across america who are reading these bills. they read the house bill. they read the house committee bill, and they are intensely interested in what this committee is doing, and i think for a bill most of which will not be implemented until 2013, it is not an inconvenience.

john cornyn of texas described mailing in from the u.s.chairman. it asks recipients questions, are you concerned that health care rationing could lead to 23 dial treatments where the prospects are deemed not good? a lottery treatment? it would be based on race or age? the sleaziness might be, are you worried that senator john cornyn of texas could be a fascist? or just a nitwit? our winner, lonesome roads beck. he stepped in it this time. on saturday, he got it into his brain. this tweet would be a good idea. september 28th. let's make it a day of fast and prayer for the republic. spread the word. let us walk in the founder's steps. september 28th. i'm not jewish but isn't that the full day of yom kippur? beck went further today. september 28th is the day of atonement for the jewish faith and i thought it would be a good day for all of us to fast and pray. and i got this idea from thomas jefferson. his dad, by the way, after they put together the continental congress, the first thing they did was put together a day of fast and pray and i t

cornyn says he is concerned about the politicization of the n.e.a. and that it is inappropriate to enlist artists to advance a specific political agenda. he writes "a reasonable observer would view the n.e.a.'s participation in the august 10 call as implying that n.e.a. grant opportunities, i.e., taxpayer dollars, may be tied to artists' willingness to use their creative talents to advance your administration's political agenda. this is not and has never been the purpose of the n.e. a." the white house would not comment on the matter and referred us to the n.e.a. and we're still trying to reach anyone at the n.e.a. and at a labor day event, joe biden alongside pennsylvania democratic senator arlen specter pushed the employee free choice actor card check insisting the legislation will pass this year. the obama administration may not be practicing what it is preaching when it comes to organizing labor unions. "the washington times" reports the legal services corporation, a congressionally chartered and taxpayer-funded legal aid program for the poor has

. >>> the health care debate continues on "meet the press," john cornyn, howard dean and newt gingrich will be the guests, check your local listings for that time. >>> new word this morning on the swine flu vaccine. new studies show it takes just one shot to protect adults from the flu. it's only september, but health officials say the flu is circulating unusually early this year with cases in every single state and nearly all the infections are swine flu. here's a look at the flu activity across the country of the darker red indicates the widespread flu as women as the h1n1. states with the lighter pinkish color there indicateresponse. we originally thought we were going to have two doses. this has very important implications. number one it means we'll be able to save on the number of doses of vaccines so that if there's limited availability of the product, we'll be able to use it among a larger population. and second, it means we'll be able to vax nate effectively a group of individuals and render them immune to the swine flu in a shorter period of time. >> and that will happen when?

among guests senators durbin and cornyn and howard dean and newt gingrich. >>> and now to the desperate search for a missing bride-to-be. annually le a ph.d. candidate at yale in new haven, connecticut, was supposed to get married tomorrow. now there's no wedding, but there is no evidence that norts say may be connected to her disappearance. nbc's mike taibbi has the latest. >> reporter: while the fbi was cautious today saying it's still not known what happened to her, a police source in new harch has told nbc news that bloody clothes and other evidence were recovered today at the building where annie le was last seen. evidence that points to the strong possibility of foul play. the search for evidence and witnesses has been intense. the fbi working with dozens of cities, state, and yale university police to determine what kind of missing persons case they have been probing. foul play or just cold feet? in a press conference late today, caution. >> we are not in a position today to conclude whether this is a missing persons case or whether criminality is involved. >> reporter: but also

we've got texas republican john cornyn and his buddy orrin hatch from utah. you know what they're concerned about? a.c.o.r.n. ask yourself the question tonight, folks, you know, we really got to get this health care thing done, but we're really concerned about a.c.o.r.n., too. let's put an a.c.o.r.n. amendment on health care reform. cut me some slack. this is why americans get frustrated with washington. again, of course, there's senator john ensign of nevada who offered an amendment of czars. we have to reel in the czars on health care, don't we? this is all part of the stall game in september. they are trying amendment this bill to death. their motives are completely transparent. listen to the republican senators repeat the same old talking points. this is today. >> artificial deadlines forced us to where we are today. it seems to me that some people in the senate would rather have it done right now instead of being done right. apparently in some circles there's a belief that passing a bill quickly is more important than getting it right. i regret that we r

. >>> republican scenario john cornyn claiming the president obama is going it alone on health care and it's hurting his chances of delivering common sense reform. take a listen? >> he has paid lip service by rejecting the idea that would build bipartisan support. he has alienate not only independents but republicans as well and ignored the clear wishes of the american people. >> gregg: so president obama was greeted by huge crowd in minneapolis. mike joins us live from that venue. what happened there today? >> gregg, president obama got a warm reception from about 15,000 people at the target center which was the home of the republican convention last summer, a swing state. there are thoughts that the governor from minnesota may run against him, so a politically important state. white house was proud to get 15,000 people and let's take a listen. >> minnesota, are you fired up? ready to go? fired up? ready to go? cheered cheered fired up? ready to go! [ cheers and applause ] they can't stop us, let's go get this done. >> reporter: that gives you a sense of the atmosphere, when the presid

senators cornyn and chambliss have previously objected. they withdrew their holds for whatever reason, but here you have a guy that is going to be our new regulatory czar who basically takes his ideological plays out of a peta website and from their itdz lodge ideological cousins from the so-called human society of the united states. this is a guy who wants the chicken to sue you tomorrow. glenn: i know. >> if you eat that chicken, he's going to havites. be careful. glenn: i know. here is a guy who good friends with peter singer, is he not? >> well, good friend -- the point is he is a disciple of singer's philosophy. it is impossible to read and listen to cass sunstein without given the sense that he is figuring out how to be the instrument that implements what singer thought about. singer basically said there's nothing special about human beings, that you and i have no more worth than a lab rat or a monkey or a chicken, and i think sunstein wants to write that into policy. glenn: can he do that? i mean, look, there are big businesses that

senator john core unanimous, the chairman of the -- cornyn, the senate campaign committee stated this, quote, there's a time and a place for everything and that was not the time or the place for that kind of comment. in the absence of mr. wilson's expressing his regret for acting in a manner that almost all agree, and every republican that i've talked to as well as every democrat that i've talked to, was inappropriate, contrary to the spirit of the rules of the house and the common courtesy that we should extend to all and particularly to the president of the united states of america, our president. i expected to extend that same courtesy to every president with whom i've served. be they republican or democrat. we consider this resolution as a result of mr. wilson's failure to follow the advice of his leadership and a number of his republican and democratic colleagues who have told me that they've talked to him. i want to say personally that i know mr. wilson. we've had a good relationship. i expect to continue to have a good relationship. i found him a man of measured conduct. i was

. >> next to senator cornyn. he is not here. i move to the next senator. >> mr. chairman, i want to say that you have proved that you are truly at a distance runner, because this process has been like a marathon. you bet kept on pace, and my only request is that i hope the committee process will give the kick that we need to have at the end of this, because we need to make some changes and i appreciate your willingness to make the changes. i am notem

press" with david gregory interviewing democratic senator addiction durbin, republican senator john cornynngrich and howard dean. and then finally those conservative tea party

are the, does chuck schumer pick u the phone or john cornyn and say i want to talk about such and such get meme -- me inhe game or do you normally on each day chris and others are calling them and saying please, obviously sia sotomayor is the iue come on. >> guest: therere a lot of congressmen and senators and boriters and columnists that call up and wanto be on the show. which is really nice. we've got -- our problem is the rotation of guests. how do all these people that want to be on the show, where do we put themnd sometimes we cram too many on in one morning and then you have news that breaks and that's the great challenge and that's when i stop talking and when i star playing train conconductor. let me say one nice thing about chuck schumer though because i've slammed him an awful lot. uck scmer is a guq who wouldn't come on the show because i went after him really hard. >> on scarborough country? >> and actually on this show also about miguel estrada and on -- and some of the other judges that weren't elevated specifically because the were hispanic or africanmerican and i went a

. >> senator cornyn on the republican side tonight and charles boustany, the republican response from the house, said it's back to the drawing board. what the american people want is to start all over, essentially making the case that the health care reform thus far this year since president obama has been in office has been wrong-footed and needs to be started all over again. what's your response to that? >> i don't know what their idea is. as far as i can tell it's more of the status quo and more tax cuts to people who have already gotten it seriously. i don't see where they're coming from now. the president, as strong and tough as he was, he still reached his hand out. he said look, we're here. but if you're just about the status quo, then i don't have time. he was -- i don't have time. but if you're serious, let's work together. so he still wants them to come forward and we all want them to come forward but there's no reason to start all over again. we know what's plaguing our people. the fact we're insecure, that their health care will be there when they need it. the fact that 14

senators dick durbin and john cornyn as well as former dnc chair howard dean, house speaker newt gingrich will be david gregory's guests. it's tomorrow on "meet the press." check your local listings for your time. >>> and now to the missing search for graduate student annie le. dozens of state and law enforcement personnel are ramping up search efforts today, one day before le was set to be married. nbc's mike taibbi is here in studio with the latest. mike, good morning. there is a reward out there now from yale in this case? >> yeah, a reward of $10,000, but that hasn't generated a strong lead, let alone a real break in the case or anything that could be characterized that way. i spoke to the law enforcement contacts, both at the city, at the university, fbi. none of them have anything new to report. there have been published reports, though, that the fbi has questioned a professor who had canceled a class that tuesday shortly before she was reported to have disappeared, and you know, so the basic question at the beginning of this saga, is this a runaway bride or foul play still is not a

i got an e-mail before we came on from john cornyn's office, calling on senate majority leader harrya.c.o.r.n. so republicans think they have something here. >> they smell blood. your thoughts? >> i'm just not sure in the long-term what the political benefit is for republicans. this is something of -- some folks in the conservative movement have been long consumed by a.c.o.r.n. they were frying to push this and trying to tie obama to a.c.o.r.n. i'm just not sure that the average folks in america have a clue what a.c.o.r.n. is and how it impacts the country or their community. maybe for now they can get some short term benefit, but in the long-term i'm not sure it helps them politically. >> my hunch is that it's a way to go after poor black people and their representation in tough neighborhoods where they do have needs and portrayed as people just whining and people trying to get federal dollars. it's a great opportunity for conservatives, especially glenn beck and the others. he sees this as an opportunity to stick the pig, right? they know what they're doing because they're getting

i got an e-mail from john cornyn, calling on senate majority leader harry reid to open an investigationere. >> they smell blood. >> and they're going to stick to it. >> you're not sure? >> i'm not sure what the political benefit here is for republicans. some folks in the conservative movement who have been long consumed with this. i was on the campaign last year, they were trying to push this and push this and try obama to a.c.o.r.n. i'm just not sure that the broader electorate, average americans in america have a clue what a.c.o.r.n. is or how it impacts the country or their community. maybe for now they can get some short-term benefit. in the long term i'm not sure the obsession with a.c.o.r.n. helps them politically. >> my hunch is that it's a way to go after poor, black people and their representation in tough neighborhoods where they do have needs and where they can be portrayed as people just whining and people trying to get federal dollars. it's a great opportunity for conservatives, especially glenn beck and the others, and he sees this as an opportunity to basically stick the

senators durbin and cornyn, also howard dean and newt gingrich on the president's performance and where this all goes from here. >> doesn't get any better than that. >> thanks, andrea. >> david gregory, chuck todd, thank you. >>> and senator ted kennedy's widow vicki was a special guest of michelle obama last night. mrs. kennedy sat next to the first lady and the senator's children were there as well. the president spoke about sen e senatsenat senator kennedy's lifelong efforts for reform and the final letter he wrote to the president to be delivered on his desk. >> what we face is above all a moral issue. at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country. >> senator tom harkin is succeeding ted kennedy as chairman of the senate health committee, joining us now. senator harkin, i know this has been a very tough time for all of you who worked so closely with ted kennedy. you now have very big shoes to fill and a mandate from the president to perform on health care. are you on board with all of what he said last nigh

dick durbin and john corn yirn, howa john cornyn, howard dean and newt gingrich will be guests. so check your local listings. >>> a major development in the fight against swine flu. a study shows that the vaccine appears to work in just one injecti injection. they call the results very important. >> the data and information we released yesterday in washington, d.c., indicates some really good news, that the vaccine can induce a response in the recipient that you would predict would be protected with a single dose of the standard amount that we do regularly for the seasonal flu, but it does it quickly, within eight to ten days after the vaccination. >> and the h1n1 vaccine is expected to be widely available by some time mid-october. >>> the commander of space shuttle "discovery" says his crew's very happy to be back on land. "discovery" landed with its seven astronauts at edwards air force base in california late yesterday. mission control chose the backup landing site because bad weather prevented the crew from returning to its home base in florida. but it's going to cost nasa c

health care is also discussed a center john cornyn of texas.e talks about the need to build bipartisan support for a comprehensive plan. >> on wednesday, i addressed a joint session of congress and the american people about why we need health insurance reform and what it will take to do it. since then, i have continue to hear from many americans across the country about why this is so urgent and important. i have heard from americans who cannot get health coverage, men and women who worry that one accident or illness could drive them into bankruptcy. between skyrocketing cost in insurance practices, they are beginning to worry that they could find themselves and ensure. it is an anxiety that is keeping more and more americans awake at night. over the last zero months. nearly six murray more americans lost their health coverage, 17,000 men and women every single day. we are not just talking about americans in poverty. we are talking about middle class americans. in other words, it could happen to anyone. based on a new report from the treasury d

senator cornyn and i are working on this. senator coats worn -- coburn also has one. let's start with good ideas and do not try to reform the whole way that health care is delivered, but try to target specific solutions to is this a problem spirit my personal preference is rather than put them in a big comprehensive bill, because that is harder to get a big comprehensive bill done. a 1300 page bill, people did not read it. republicans have those proposals, and some of us will go ahead and introduce the legislation and see if we can keep -- -- see if we can get people to buy into that. let me take this last one. [inaudible] correct. >> it seems like a new low on a very important issue. will we be able to get beyond these personal things to do with the issue at hand? >> it is not constructive to a bipartisan dialogue. my honest compression of the president who spoke in a very partisan and political way last night, a way that i think is not constructive, it is my obligation to put out the fact that this is not the way you get people to cooperate. he did not say if you di

senator cornyn and i are working on this. senator coats worn -- coburn also has one. let's start with good ideas and do not try to reform the whole way that health care is delivered, but try to target specific solutions to is this a problem spirit my personal preference is rather than put them in a big comprehensive bill, because that is harder to get a big comprehensive bill done. a 1300 page bill, people did not read it. republicans have those proposals, and some of us will go ahead and introduce the legislation and see if we can keep -- -- see if we can get people to buy into that. let me take this last one. [inaudible] correct. >> it seems like a new low on a very important issue. will we be able to get beyond these personal things to do with the issue at hand? >> it is not constructive to a bipartisan dialogue. my honest compression of the president who spoke in a very partisan and political way last night, a way that i think is not constructive, it is my obligation to put out the fact that this is not the way you get people to cooperate. he did not say if you di

james gordon and john cornyn and two other colleagues. why were these four people -- we don't have the names of the two colleagues of john cornyn. why is it that james gordon was pyrex he alleges one and. what do you understand to be the reason he was fired by armor group? >> first, i only can look at historical record, commissioner. this was before the acquisition. he left, my recollection is january of 2008. our acquisition was in may of 2,008. so, in the records that i have indicate that he voluntarily resigned. >> anything to say about the others? >> i have no knowledge whatsoever of mr. gorman. >> final question for this round. according to what we have been told, in march of this year, that the guards at capsule and confronted you directly and complained of our card shortages at camp sullivan and said that these card shortages endangered the embassy. did that happen? >> no. >> for the record under oath and you are denying that happened? >> it did not happen. we had a town hall meeting. there were discussions that did not happen in t

we've got an exclusive debate, senators cornyn and durbin, howard dean and newt gingrich. should be lively. >> david gregory, we'll see you sunday for "meet the press." thanks, david. >> thanks, matt. >>> 7:08. here's meredith. >> matt, thanks. now to the fbi-led search for a popular medical student at yale university who has disappeared just days before her own wedding. nbc's jeff rossen is at the yale campus in new haven, connecticut. jeff, good morning to you. >> reporter: meredith, good morning to you. the mystery starts right here. she was last seen walking into this building on campus on tuesday. in fact, there's surveillance video of her walking into the building but never any video of her walking out. she literally just vanished. it's been days. these flyers, these missing person flyers, are up everywhere around campus where you walk, and her wedding is planned for this weekend. less than 48 hours after she vanished, the fbi arrived at yale, going through dumpsters and questioning annie lee's friends. the fbi's involvement so early in the case fueling fears this is

so, does chuck schumer pick up the phone are john cornyn and say i wanto talk about such and such, get me in the game? orlikow medea normally hege the, chris and others are calling them in saying please obviouy sotomayor is the issue. >> guest: there are a lot o congressman and senators than book writers and colnists when that call-up and want to be on the show, which is really nice. our problem is the rotation of guess, all these people want to be on the show, where do we put them and sometimes, week cram too many on in one morning, and then you he news that breaks and that is the great challenge and that is when i stop talking and when i start playing train conductor. let me say one less thing. because i've slammed him an awful lot, chu schumer is a guy they would not come on the show because i went after him really hard. >> host: on scarborough country? >> gue: also on the show on miguel estrada in some of the other judgethe were not allocated specifically because they were african-american. he called up, i want to come on, man to man with joe and he did. we talked in while i disagr

a better approach would be what is represented by the greg bill or even the idea that senator cornyn or hatch says which is to give them the money. saying senator widen doesn't have it to the senate. we know from the office. we have different views on? . i think medicaid is a ball ald tiff. >> i'd have to pose the amendments. >> this is a finance committee issue. the reports make an effort for two problems. if any member to the finance committee mark offer it as an amendment and have this committee trying to dictate what happens. i would oppose it on that ground. each of us has a responsibility in whole. we have marked with colors on this bill. this is so fundamentally important to the whole concept. the way to deal with the people who could help themselves the least is to expand the med i kay program. unless we say we understand that this is our strategy, concept and vision but we are not, we do not believe the cost should be dumped on the states. we have an obligation to be put in a position of whether we should pay for it or the states should pay for it. otherwise, we need to go b

senators cornyn and durbin and howard dean and newt gingrich.n. >> and savannah, if it's friday, you know what it is? it's -- >> a rainy, horrible day at the white house. we will talk to you inside your cushy press booth on msnbcradio.com. >> joe -- >> i know -- >> a leopard print umbrella. >> we'll talk to you, soon, savannah. david gregory, thank you so much. coming up. president obama is taking his fix for health care reform to minnesota and any other state. if you want him to come to your kids' party or bar mitzvah, he'll speak there, too, he'll be throwing out the first football at a lot of little league football games. coming up, minnesota governor tim pawlenty. we'll be right back. ♪ need a lift? hey buddy, i appreciate the ride, you know. no problem. ♪ mind if i take a shortcut? yeah, sure. ♪ i knew the subaru legacy was the smart choice... what i didn't expect... was the fun. the all-new subaru legacy. feel the love. without my makeup. now, it's no problem. (announcer) neutrogena tone correcting night serum with high performance soy to

senator cornyn. >> talk -- thank you, mr. chairman. i want to join those in applauding you and senator grassley, senator snow, senator conrad, senatorencey for your good work. i know wasn't easy. the six of you are under a lot of pressures. i think it's clear to me there is strong bipartisan recognition our health care system needs reform and this bill reflects a good faith effort to try to move us in that direction. health care costs as we know have more than doubled for american families over the last decade. seniors are counting on medicare, but we also know it has $38 trillion of unfunded liabilities, about three times the national debt. medicaid we know imposes huge unfunded costs on state taxpayers and produces unacceptably low outcomes for patients. and our current government health programs are riddled with waste and fraud and abuse to the sum of some $90 billion a year just for medicaid and medicare. and the fear of frivolous litigation has encouraged defensive medicine which increases america's health care bills by some estim

senator cornyn. rockefeller's amendment was geet defeated by a vote 15-. all the committee's republicans and five democrats including chairman baucus voted against it. now the committee is debating a less expensive plan authored by democrat chuck schumer. >>> and the philippines and vietnam pap close-up look at storm surge courtesy of one of our i-reporters. >>> breaking news. a sue pflaumsy spreading beginning to hit important areas of the south pacific. reports say many residents are fleeing the higher ground. the cause, a powerful earthquake that hit off samoa, the coast of samoa a short while ago. chad myers is here to explain. what's the latest? >> reporter: somewhere between 79 and 83. people measure differently depending on the seismograph you have. a large quake. the one that hit years ago, over a 9. not a 9 but close to an 8. american samoa. i know for a fact a five-foot wave was generated. if a wave is five feet from where sea level is, five feet up and then five feet down. so if you're thinking about it, if you're just a normal guy, that's a ten

senator john core unanimous, the chairman of the -- cornyn, the senate campaign committee stated this, quote, there's a time and a place for everything and that was not the time or the place for that kind of comment. in the absence of mr. wilson's expressing his regret for acting in a manner that almost all agree, and every republican that i've talked to as well as every democrat that i've talked to, was inappropriate, contrary to the spirit of the rules of the house and the common courtesy that we should extend to all and particularly to the president of the united states of america, our president. i expected to extend that same courtesy to every president with whom i've served. be they republican or democrat. we consider this resolution as a result of mr. wilson's failure to follow the advice of his leadership and a number of his republican and democratic colleagues who have told me that they've talked to him. i want to say personally that i know mr. wilson. we've had a good relationship. i expect to continue to have a good relationship. i found him a man of measured conduct. i was

senator john core unanimous, the chairman of the -- cornyn, the senate campaign committee stated this, quote, there's a time and a place for everything and that was not the time or the place for that kind of comment. in the absence of mr. wilson's expressing his regret for acting in a manner that almost all agree, and every republican that i've talked to as well as every democrat that i've talked to, was inappropriate, contrary to the spirit of the rules of the house and the common courtesy that we should extend to all and particularly to the president of the united states of america, our president. i expected to extend that same courtesy to every president with whom i've served. be they republican or democrat. we consider this resolution as a result of mr. wilson's failure to follow the advice of his leadership and a number of his republican and democratic colleagues who have told me that they've talked to him. i want to say personally that i know mr. wilson. we've had a good relationship. i expect to continue to have a good relationship. i found him a man of measured conduct. i was

on behalf not only of myself but senator harkin, senators hutchison, senator grassley, and senator cornyn. so we have a strong bipartisan group of senators that's coming to the floor to ask our colleagues to approve an amendment that has to do with a change and modification in the community development block grant program that has been put in place to help communities recovering for and from disasters. this amendment is going to affect all communities in a positive way across the country that were -- that received community development block grant funding in a very significant way. if this amendment is passed by this body today and continues in this bill, the communities that have received special allocations of community development block grant money will be able to use those funds to match other federal funds available. this is the way the normal community development block grant program has operated, i understand, since its inception. and as you can see from this chart, in every single situation except for two in the last 17 years, that has been the case. so my amendment is basically a