Floor Statements

Mr. President, it is my understanding that S. 761 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings on this piece of legislation.

Mr. President, every morning I get up and do my exercise. It takes me about an hour to go out and do what I do in the morning. This morning was very cold. I listen to the radio. I listen to the news every morning. It is with a heavy heart that I finished my exercise this morning and came into my home and got ready to come to work.

Nine American soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday. I don't know how many were wounded. I don't know how many were grievously wounded. But I have to focus on those nine soldiers and their families.

I am fortunate. I am one of four sons. My brother Dale died as a young man, and I still have not gotten over my brother Dale dying at 46, 47 years old. I know his death is not comparable, of course, to these valiant soldiers who were killed in Iraq yesterday, but he is still my brother and I still feel very badly.

I can't imagine how the nine soldiers' families feel today. Some of them have not yet been notified that their loved one has been killed, but most of them by now have been notified. This is a reminder of what is happening in Iraq thousands of miles from here but affecting the lives of everyday Americans. The current approach isn't working. We need to change course in Iraq.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I move to table amendment No. 314, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, that was the last vote for tonight. I have been in contact with the two managers of the bill and the distinguished Republican leader, and we are trying to work out some votes in the morning prior to King Abdullah. What we would like to do is have a vote on McCaskill and Collins, and then we also have some nongermane amendments we have been given by the minority that they would like to dispose of, and we have a couple of nongermane amendments on this side we would like to dispose of. The staff, during that hour or two, will work to see if we can come up with some kind of agreement toward completion of this bill.

I want all Senators to know, as I announced at the Democratic caucus today, that I am going to file cloture tomorrow on this bill. I hope we can have a good, full day of trying to complete this bill, and I also hope we can work something out where we may not have to have a cloture vote on Friday. If we do, we have to finish this bill this week. We could have some votes late into Friday. Everyone should be put on notice now that it may be necessary to have some Friday votes.

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of Ryan C. Crocker to be Ambassador to Iraq. This was reported out of the Foreign Relations Committee earlier today. I ask unanimous consent that the nomination be confirmed, a motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, that any statements be printed at the appropriate place in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and that the Senate return to legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 97 submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon table, and any statements be printed at the appropriate place in the Record as if given, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 98.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed too, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed at the appropriate place in the Record as if given, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, March 7; that on Wednesday following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of the proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that the Senate then return to S. 4 and the McCaskill amendment No. 316 and the Collins amendment No. 342 and debate them concurrently until 10 a.m., with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators McCaskill and Collins or their designees, and that no amendments be in order to either amendment prior to the vote; that at 10 a.m., without further intervening action or debate, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the McCaskill amendment; that upon disposition of that amendment, the Senate vote in relation to the Collins amendment; that there be 2 minutes equally divided between the votes; and that following the second vote, the Senate proceed as a body to the House of Representatives for the joint meeting to hear an address by the King of Jordan; that the Senate then stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate today, and the Republican leader has no business to be brought before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 97, as a further mark of respect to our late colleague, former Senator Thomas Eagleton.

Mr. President, this afternoon the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 3 p.m. During this time, Senators are permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. It is my understanding there are a number of Members on both sides who will be here to take up that time.

At 3 p.m., the Senate will resume consideration of the 9/11 legislation, S. 4. We have been told a number of Members want to offer amendments. I hope that is the case. So I look forward to them coming to the Senate Chamber today to offer those amendments.

Last week, the Republican leader's staff and my staff, along with the relevant committee staff, were negotiating a time when the Senate would vote on the collective bargaining amendment. I understand that has been offered by Senator DeMint. The proposal is for the amendment to be voted on at 2:30 on Tuesday. We hope that can be accomplished sometime early this afternoon as to whether we will be able to lock in this agreement. I will be in a position at that time to announce our vote schedule, which is at 5:30 today. However, Members are alerted that a vote or votes could occur at 5:30 today. I will provide more information as the day proceeds.

Mr. President, I received a call yesterday that Tom Eagleton died. Tom Eagleton was a wonderful man. He served in the Senate representing the State of Missouri from 1968 to 1987.

I got to know Senator Eagleton. I met him when I was in the House of Representatives. He had previously, prior to coming to the Senate, been elected Missouri's attorney general and Lieutenant Governor.

One thing I wish to mention very briefly today: He was selected by Senator McGovern to be his Vice President. As some will recall, that lasted only 2 or 3 weeks because it came out he had received some attention for a

medical problem that was related to an emotional problem, mental problem.

If that same thing occurred today, it would not have mattered. We have made progress in accepting people who have emotional problems for whatever reason, that they are just as sick as someone who has other kinds of problems. It is too bad there will always be this asterisk with Tom Eagleton. However, he was selected to be Senator McGovern's Vice President but was not able to continue in that position because of a medical condition.

He was a wonderful man who served in the Navy. He graduated from Harvard Law School. His father was a lawyer who loved politics and ran for public office in Missouri. He served on the St. Louis Police Board and the Board of Education.

Tom is survived by his wife, the former Barbara Ann Smith. They married in 1956. He has two children. He left the Senate 20 years ago, as I indicated earlier. He was a tremendously good Senator. As the Chaplain indicated today, our prayers go out to his family. Senator Eagleton will be missed. He has made his mark on our country and the world. He fought for clean water and clean air. He had strong beliefs on the conflict in Vietnam. He showed, over a lifetime, that one man can make a difference.

So, Mr. President, I hope all Senators will pause to reflect on the service this great man made to our country. I am sure we should all understand if we patterned our political career after Tom Eagleton, we could not go wrong.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of Carl Joseph Artman to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior; that there be 10 minutes for debate, equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Indian Affairs Committee; that at the conclusion of that time, the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.