Washington, D.C. – Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) participated in a full Senate Appropriations hearing today to discuss fiscal year 2003 supplemental funding to cover the costs of the war in Iraq and the ongoing war on terrorism.

Senator Cochran, who chairs the Homeland Security panel on the Appropriations Committee, questioned General Richard B Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge who testified before the committee.

Senator Cochran's Q&A with the witnesses will be available after 2:30 p.m. (Eastern) on the Senator's voicemail news line and on the Senator's web site at www.senate.gov/~cochran . You may record these statements as needed for newscasts or news stories.

Cochran News Line: Call our toll-free number and follow these instructions to access the news line: 1-800-545-1267

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Beth Day, Press Secretary: (202) 224-6404
Jenny Reeves, Deputy Press Secretary: (202) 224-6408