mr. chairman , i would respectfully disagree with the minority leader that this bill is not republicans versus democrats . 
this is largely east versus west with western democrats supporting the underlying bill and eastern republicans opposing . 
for me , i would quote from the house republican majority committee on the budget that warned that the underlying legislation `` creates a new entitlement program. '' this spring , moderates of the republican tuesday group and conservatives of the republican study committee worked together to put forward budget reforms to end deficit spending . 
the heart of our reform was a prohibition against new entitlement spending . 
entitlement spending already makes up two-thirds of all federal spending . 
our deficit , because of hurricane katrina and related costs , will top over $ 500 billion this year ; and i do not believe that we can afford a new entitlement program . 
i would urge our chairman to reform the provisions in the bill , to keep the spending within the budget , and make it subject to appropriations . 
the grant portion of this bill that compensates landowners is responsible . 
the mandated spending portion of the bill is not responsible . 
cbo warns that in their score of this bill both costs and litigation will go up under the bill . 
following cbo 's fiscal advice , i would urge adoption of the more fiscally responsible substitute . 
