Floor Statements

Mr. President, I haven't had a chance to confer with the distinguished Republican leader. I would like to ask unanimous consent that there be 5 minutes additional time on each side for the debate prior to the cloture vote.

Mr. President, finally, on our side, I yield 4 minutes to Senator Kennedy, 4 minutes to Senator Levin, 4 minutes to Senator Biden, 4 minutes to Senator Nelson of Florida, and 4 minutes to Senator Reed of Rhode Island.

Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Charles Curtis Johnson, or ``CC'' as he is known to friends, on his retirement from the U.S. Capitol Police after nearly 32 years of dedicated service.

Sergeant Johnson started his career with the Capitol Police in 1974. For more than 14 years, he performed a variety of law enforcement duties as a member of the Capitol Division. In 1992, Mr. Johnson was named administrative sergeant and started working with the First Responder Unit that protects the Capitol grounds. By 1998, Mr. Johnson was promoted to sergeant and supervised the officers that protect the House and Senate Chambers.

In 2004, Sergeant Johnson earned a post as one of the supervisors of the Horse Mounted Unit. This elite unit is well known for its rigorous training requirements, and Sergeant Johnson passed these tests with ease. After his work on the Horse Mounted Unit, Sergeant Johnson was promoted to the Patrol/Mobile Response Division. He served there until his retirement, marking a long career of dedication to the Capitol Police Force.

Sergeant Johnson is also the devoted husband of a fellow Capitol Police officer, Captain Shirley Jo Johnson. Together, they have raised four children, and are the proud grandparents of four grandchildren. There is no doubt that his family can be proud of his example of professionalism and sense of duty to others.

As Senate majority leader, and a former Capitol Police officer, I have the greatest respect for the fine men and women of the Capitol Police Force. Sergeant Johnson embodies all of the qualities that make the Capitol Police one of the best law enforcement divisions in the Nation. I am pleased to recognize Sergeant Johnson today before the Senate, and I wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter of his life.

Mr. President, there will be 60 minutes of morning business today, with the time equally divided between the Republicans and Democrats. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 4, and the managers will be here ready to proceed with amendments, which I understand do not require rollcall votes, and also to clear some managers' amendments.

There will be debate on two Coburn amendments until 11:45 this morning, and the Senate will conduct two rollcall votes.

Order of Procedure

I ask unanimous consent that no second-degree amendments be in order to either Coburn amendment.

Mr. President, at conclusion of the second vote, the Senate will recess for the regular Tuesday party conferences and then return at 2:15 to continue debate on the remaining amendments to S. 4. Other rollcall votes will occur this afternoon.

Mr. President, we agree generally with the amendments. They appear to be reasonable. I think it would be a good way to set this matter aside. We should be able to vitiate cloture. As we speak, the persons interested in the bill are looking at the amendments and, hopefully, the unanimous consent can be done rapidly.

My colleagues from the Senate Commerce Committee are correct. S. Res. 445, as introduced by me and Senator McConnell and as passed by the Senate, proposed continued oversight of transportation security by the Commerce Committee.

The Senator is correct. S. Res. 445 determines Senate oversight and jurisdictional authorities.

Madam President, this should be a time of celebration, not a time of finger-pointing. In fact, the fact is, it is true that a number of recommendations the 9/11 Commission recommended we did do. But, as you know, the Commissioners themselves graded the administration on what needed to be done to implement the Commission's recommendations. That is where we get into the Es, Fs, and incompletes. So there is no question this legislation absolutely is totally necessary.

Following the terrible attacks on September 11, our country turned to a respected group of Democrats and Republicans, the 9/11 Commission, an independent bipartisan Commission, to review the lessons of that tragic day and to find a better way to protect the homeland fight on the war on terrorism. Under difficult circumstances, including a lack of cooperation, in instances, from the White House, the Commission did an outstanding job.

In July of 2004, it made a number of recommendations to Congress and the administration about how best to secure America from al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. Their recommendations were commonsense solutions. These commonsense solutions were designed to keep America safe. But, unfortunately, over the last 2\1/2\ years, many of the Commission's recommendations have been ignored, and too many of our communities remain dangerously unprepared to prevent or respond to a terrorist attack.

Today, in a few minutes, the Senate will correct that mistake. We will enhance the security of our transportation system at our ports. We will provide America's first responders with the technology they need to communicate with each other when a Katrina or another terrorist attack strikes, and we will put new security requirements in place to keep terrorists from traveling to the United States.

This is an important piece of legislation we are going to pass. We are going to pass it, as I said, in a short time. I thank Chairman Lieberman and his ranking member, Senator Collins, for their efforts on this bill.

I said before this legislation was taken up on the floor that we have two people who set the example for how you should legislate. They got along well in their committee. When she was chairman, Senator Lieberman worked well with her, and it has worked the same way. I commend and applaud both of these legislators. They have done a tremendous job trying to work through this issue. Anything that has been slowed down in this legislation has not been their fault--in fact, quite to the contrary. They have worked tirelessly to bring this legislation here today so we can have this vote. They reported a strong bill out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. It has only been strengthened by the amendment process before the full Senate over the past several days.

Now, we do not need to redebate the issue regarding collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has been in this country for a long time, and it is here to stay. There is nothing in this piece of legislation that is in any way going to impair the security of this Nation.

I wish to thank the entire 9/11 Commission for their service, but especially I wish to thank 9/11 Commissioner Tim Roemer and the 9/11 family, but especially Carol Ashley, Beverly Eckert, Mary Fetchet, and Carie Lemack, members of Families of September 11 and VOICES of September 11th. Their input in this legislation has been essential. Former Congressman Roemer spent time here on the Senate floor. No one could ever accuse Congressman Roemer of being some wild-eyed liberal. He is a moderate, and he is from the State of Indiana. He has worked very hard on the Commission and to move this legislation forward. I underline and underscore my appreciation for his input and also for the families and the two letters they wrote during the debate. Their letters served as a reminder of what this legislation is about: protecting America against terrorism. Our country will be safer, stronger, and more secure as a result of their efforts.

The first responsibility of Government is to protect our people--the people of Colorado, the people of Nevada, the people of Maine, the people of Connecticut, Alabama, Nebraska, and Missouri. The Senators are here assembled, everyone in their seats. Our No. 1 job is to protect our people. By passing the legislation today, we will help ensure the Senate meets its obligation, and we will, once and for all, write the lesson of that terrible September 11 day into law.

In their report to the Nation, the 9/11 Commission wrote, ``The men and women of the World War II generation rose to the challenges of the 1940s and the 1950s. They restructured the government so it could protect the country. That is now the job of the generations that experienced 9/11.''

That is what the legislation is all about.

Again, I applaud and commend the two managers of the bill, those who offered amendments and debated the issue. This is good legislation, good for the country. It makes America a better place. I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation so we can take another step to fulfilling the directives we were given by the 9/11 Commission.

I yield the floor.

For the information of all Members, we are working--Senator McConnell and I--on a consent agreement to deal with the Iraq debate tomorrow. Hopefully, we will be able to resolve the Iraq debate. Thursday, we will be able to deal with the U.S. attorneys bill and some judicial nominees. We do not have that worked out yet, so everyone stay tuned.

This will be the last vote today.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to H.R. 1129, just received from the House and at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

The bill (H.R. 1129) was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time and passed.

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m., March 14; that on Wednesday, following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired; that following the time for the two leaders, there be 1 hour of debate prior to a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 9, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees; that the final 20 minutes prior to the vote be controlled 10 minutes each for the leaders, with the majority leader controlling the final 10 minutes.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate and if the Republican leader has no further business to come before the Senate, I would ask the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order, but if my esteemed colleague does wish to speak, there is ample time to do that.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned.

Mr. President, today the Senate will be in a period of morning business with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no rollcall votes today. The time is not divided by the majority or minority; people can come and speak whenever they choose.

I am hopeful today some of the remaining pending amendments to the 9/11 legislation can be disposed of by voice vote. If that is not the case, then 10 amendments remain in order for rollcall votes during tomorrow's session. Under an agreement entered into last week, once we have disposed of those amendments and the substitute, we will proceed to vote on passage of

Mr. President, on January 11, 2 months ago--it seems incredible it has been that long ago, but it has been--President Bush announced his new war plan, the so-called surge. At that time, administration officials gave the American people the strong impression the President's plan would require the temporary--temporary--deployment of 21,500 new troops in Iraq. During the last several days, news reports confirm this new plan was nothing more than a bait and switch, a new name for an old, failed policy.

First we learned that 21,500 troops cited by the President did not include support in other elements and the true number of additional troops associated with his proposal could have been as many as 40,000 troops. Then, over the weekend, we learned two other troubling facts about the President's plan.

In the wake of continued violence in Iraq that prompted one of our top generals there to call for more troops, the American commander in Iraq, General Petraeus, made it clear still more troops are needed. Even more disconcerting, according to a recent New York Times report:

Military officials in Iraq have indicated they would need a

large American troop presence for at least a year and

probably for longer to achieve lasting stability.

President Bush is not surging; he is sustaining his failed policy. The consequences of the President's flawed policy in Iraq are staggering. Yesterday, three more American troops were killed. We are fast approaching 3,200 dead Americans. We may be there; last count was 3,195. More than 25,000 now have been wounded. It has stretched our military, it has eroded our veterans health care system, and plunged Iraq deeper and deeper into chaos. No matter how one looks at it, America is less safe today because this President has waged war in Iraq. We must change course, and it is time for the Senate to demand he do it.

Soon, the Senate will again have that opportunity to tell the President to change course. We have been blocked in efforts to have the debate on Iraq.

Last week we offered the Republicans yet another opportunity to debate. It is my hope they will agree to this debate on Wednesday morning.

I appreciate very much the Republican leader voting for cloture. We are going to finish that bill tomorrow.

It is my hope they will agree to this debate so we can complete this important work; that is, the 9/11 bill, and then turn our attention to the war.

America is losing about 20 soldiers a week, about 3 a day, and spending $280 million a day in Iraq. It is a downward spiral that will continue unless the Senate joins the American people in demanding a new direction in Iraq.

The war hangs over all we do in the Senate this year. Even if we debate this week, we will not be done. We are getting something from the House on the supplemental and we will return to this issue of the supplemental, very likely, and we will continue until there is a change of course. There is very much work to do--the priorities everyone knows about, such as immigration, stem cell; we have the budget ahead of us. There are also issues such as the crisis in the judiciary and the intelligence authorization bill, that will demand our attention in the weeks ahead. I hope we can promptly complete action on the 9/11 bill tomorrow, and I am confident we will do that. We have so much to do.

There is a lot of negativity about what we do here in the Senate, but when you sort through all of it, and I recognize the war in Iraq is hanging over everything we have done--but when you look at what we have done these past few weeks in the history of the 110th Congress, we have done OK. We have been able to do the work on ethics and lobbying. We have done the minimum wage bill. We completed the continuing resolution and we are going to complete 9/11 legislation soon. It appears we are going to be able to do the reform of the Attorney General's problems that have been so much in the press recently. We have confirmed the only appellate court judge who has been brought to the floor. We hope to do another one within the next week or so. We now have another one on the calendar, so we will do that. The Judiciary Committee has three over there they are looking at now. I know the distinguished Republican leader is very concerned about moving appellate judges. We are going to do our best to cooperate with him in that regard.

Simply in closing my remarks today, I recognize we have a difficult situation with Iraq. Sometimes we need to sort through all that and recognize we have been able to accomplish a lot, and it has been done-- the only way it can get done--on a bipartisan basis. We have had a few bumps in the road, but if we are patient and willing to recognize there will be bumps in the future, even having both sides not hold any grudges--legislative grudges, at least--I think we have the ability to do a lot more in this Congress.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, last week, I asked unanimous consent with respect to S.J. Res. 9, along with several other resolutions regarding the subject of Iraq--that we proceed on these--and there was an objection. So I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 72, S.J. Res. 9, and send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the live quorum with respect to this cloture motion, as required under rule XXII, be waived.

Mr. President, I now withdraw the motion to proceed.

Mr. President, I will shortly move to proceed to S. 214, the U.S. attorneys bill. Before I do so, I would like to state for the record there are ongoing discussions about this bill and we have offered to the Republicans a proposal that would have a very limited number of amendments and debate time. I feel fairly confident at this time we can reach that agreement. There has been cooperation on both sides. If we are able to reach that agreement, then it will not be necessary to have a cloture vote. Therefore, if we reach agreement, it will be my intent to vitiate cloture on the motion to proceed.

Cloture Motion

Mr. President, I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 24, S. 214, and send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the live quorum with respect to this cloture motion, as required under rule XXII, be waived.

Mr. President, I now withdraw the motion to proceed.