Mr. President, when we began the 110th Congress, I said: The American people want change, and it is up to us-- Democrats and Republicans--to deliver that change. Two months later, the Senate has delivered. Democrats, Republicans, we have…
Mr. President, when we began the 110th Congress, I said:
The American people want change, and it is up to us--
Democrats and Republicans--to deliver that change.
Two months later, the Senate has delivered. Democrats, Republicans, we have moved America in a new direction. As our first order of business, we changed the way Washington works literally, passing the toughest lobbying and ethics reform legislation in our Nation's history.
Next, we ended the national disgrace of the $5.15 minimum wage and gave America's poorest workers a raise for the first time in 10 years.
After the minimum wage, we passed an important continuing resolution to keep our Government fully funded and running. This Congress, the 110th Congress, inherited a fiscal mess, but by setting tough spending limits, eliminating earmarks, and working together, we have begun to put our country's fiscal house in order. It was done with the support of the Republicans. We could not have done the continuing resolution as we did; that is, settling the country's financial problems, but for the support of Republicans. We could have done it, but it would have been a real knockdown, drag-out battle. We didn't have to have that. So as I have said a number of times, I commend the Republicans for working with us.
Finally, before recess, we held an important Iraq vote where a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate expressed its opposition to the President's plan to escalate the war in Iraq. That debate and that vote were just the start. The Senate, sometime in the future, will continue to work its will on the issue until there is a change of course in Iraq.
In the last election, we promised that the days of the do-nothing Congress were over, and it is a promise we have kept. But I have to say, we were unable to keep it on our own. We needed the support of the Republicans, and we got that.
At this time in the 109th Congress, the Senate had passed one piece of legislation and some nominations. This year, the Senate passed three significant legislative items--ethics, minimum wage, and the continuing resolution--and a number of judges, including a circuit court judge.
On every one of these items, we have had the support of the minority, the Republicans. This year, the Senate has ended 4 years of congressional silence on Iraq. Senate committees have held almost 40 Iraq hearings, where we asked questions and held the administration accountable for its policies. In the last Congress, you could count meaningful Iraq hearings on one hand. In the first 6 weeks of this year, the Senate has had 52 rollcall votes. By comparison, the 109th Congress during the same time period had 11 rollcall votes. It is a good start, but there is so much more to do, which is why this week the Senate will set its sights on extremely important work--keeping our country and our families safe by implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.
Following the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001, our country turned to a respected group of Democrats and Republicans, the 9/11 Commission, to review the lessons of that tragic day and to find a better way to fight the war on terror. Under difficult circumstances, including a lack of cooperation from the White House, the Commission did a fine job and, in July 2004, made a number of recommendations to Congress and the administration about how best to secure the homeland from al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. Their ideas included improving security at our ports, on our rails, and in cargo holds, giving our first responders the tools they need to communicate with each other during the crisis--something the Presiding Officer has talked about many times in the Senate floor--and streamlining our intelligence community to help it better prevent another attack. These were commonsense solutions designed to keep America safe. Unfortunately, 2\1/2\ years later, too many have been ignored and too many of our communities remain dangerously unprepared to prevent or respond to another terrorist attack.
We all feel so fortunate that we have not suffered another terrible incident like that of 9/11. In the last Congress, Democrats tried to move forward with tough and smart solutions to keep the homeland safe. Unfortunately, those of us who tried to follow the Commission's roadmap hit nothing but speed bumps. In 2005, we tried to increase funding for first responders by $1.6 billion. Our effort was rejected on a party- line vote. Days later, we tried to restore $1 billion to the COPS Program, so important for law enforcement throughout the country. We were rejected again along party lines. In July 2005, just days after the subway bombings in London, the Senate considered legislation that would have improved security on rails. Again, with a party-line vote, we went down. That same day, the Senate voted on legislation to allocate money to secure our ports. The measure fell along party lines. The end result of this obstruction: America today is not as safe as it can be, should be, or must be.
For 6 years, this White House and past Congresses have talked a good game about protecting America, but while they were distracted and consumed with staying the course in Iraq, they failed to heed the lessons of September 11, 2001--that we must do more to protect and secure our communities from the real terrorist threat here at home.
The suggestions I have made today are not something I came up with. They are not Democratic proposals but were led by two patriotic Americans, Governor Kean, a Republican Governor of New Jersey, and Congressman Lee Hamilton, Democratic Congressman from Indiana, the leaders of the Commission. Last year, the 9/11 Commission released a report, grading Congress and the President on the job they had done in securing the homeland. It was a report card any child would be embarrassed to take home to their parents. It included 12 Ds, 5 Fs, and two incompletes: requiring proper screening of airline passengers, F; allocating homeland security funds based on risk, F; sharing information with State and locals, a little better but a D.
Turning these and other failing grades into passing grades is what the Senate will focus on on a bipartisan basis this week. We will work together. We will take steps to protect America from the greatest threat we face--nuclear terrorism. We will enhance the security of our transportation system and our ports. We will provide America's first responders with the technology they need to communicate with each other during a crisis. In the process, we will make America more secure. Five and a half years after 9/11, we don't have a day to waste.
I end where I started. We have had a good year. We have done tremendous work, such as our efforts on lobbying reform. We have done good work on the minimum wage. We have done good work on getting the financial house of this country in order. It has been done on a bipartisan basis. I look forward to this next week and the following week to make sure that the 9/11 Commission recommendations are implemented.
When we get to this bill--and I have said this publicly when we were on the
Iraq issue before we left for recess--it is going to be open for amendment. I have said it privately to the distinguished Republican leader. I say it here on the floor. The bill will be open to amendment. We have amendments we think will improve the bill. I know the Republicans think they have amendments that will improve the bill. I look forward to this debate.