Floor Statements

Mr. President, let me add to what the distinguished Senator from New York just said. First of all, I thank him, through the Chair, for his cooperation on an issue which is constantly evolving, but it looks as if it is well underway to satisfy everybody's

concerns. But the understanding is we will come back and address the issues in his amendment at some point in some way on the floor if that glidepath to satisfactory conclusion is not reached.

Amendment No. 3176 to Amendment No. 2944

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be 2 hours equally divided between Senator Collins and Senator Voinovich or his designee. I further ask unanimous consent that there be 20 minutes equally for debate between Senator Wyden and Senator Sessions or his designee. I further ask unanimous consent that following the use or yielding back of time the Senate proceed to a vote on the Collins amendment, to be followed immediately by a vote on the Wyden amendment, with no further intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, what we have done is cleared a way, with one amendment and calling up other amendments, with the glidepath that we will address two amendments shortly after our break for our policy lunches today. We, I think, can be on a glidepath thus of completing the lobbying reform bill before addressing the border security and immigration bills. Again, we have a lot of work to do, but that would be the intent.

There is one remaining piece of business we need to address, in terms of the cloture vote that is scheduled for this afternoon, and I will, before lunch, have a further unanimous consent about that as well.

At this juncture, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote with respect to S. 2454 be vitiated. I further ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined after further concurrence by the Democratic leader, the Senate proceed to S. 2454 and, further, that the bill be open for debate only during the first day of consideration.

Mr. President, very briefly to review, after our break today for lunch, our policy lunches, we will be on lobbying reform. We have two amendments which will be debated. We set up to 2 hours. I would think that time could be condensed. Further discussions will take place over our lunches on lobbying reform. At a point in time, we would expect after we finish with lobbying reform, we will go to the border security bill, and we will have more to say about how that will all be handled at a later date.

I yield the floor.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. President, we have made progress today on a very important bill, a bill that we brought to the floor now several weeks ago. It is an important bill that reflects upon this institution in terms of respect, in terms of integrity, and a bill on which we have made huge progress. Yet it is a bill about which it has come time, I think, really, now, to establish a glidepath to continue debate, allow germane amendments but recognize we want to keep those amendments on the bill itself.

I had hoped we would have been able to reach an agreement to sequence a large number of amendments, but the amendments keep coming. And after talking to both sides of the aisle, I understand that we are not going to be able to get time agreements on those amendments. Therefore, my only option at this juncture is to bring this bill to a close with a cloture unanimous consent request.

Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to proceed to the motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be agreed to, and the Senate now proceed to a vote on invoking cloture on the underlying bill.

Mr. President, I understand there was no objection.

Mr. President, I would like to open today with respects paid to Erma Byrd, the wife of our dear friend and colleague, Senator Robert Byrd. As the Chaplain mentioned in his prayer, Mrs. Byrd passed away recently--in fact, on Saturday night.

Erma Ora James Byrd was the devoted wife of Senator Byrd for nearly 69 years. Born in Virginia in 1917, Erma and her family moved to West Virginia when she was a child. It was there that she met her future husband at the Mark Twain Grade School in Raleigh County.

The couple married when they were 19 years old. The daughter of coal miners, Erma never forgot her humble beginnings.

As a young couple, the Byrds enjoyed a simple existence. They could often be found at community square dances where Senator Byrd would be playing his fiddle and Erma would be dancing. From those local dances, to running a grocery business, to raising a family, Erma and Senator Byrd were partners in everything they did.

When Senator Byrd decided to come to the House of Representatives in 1952 and then later entered law school, Erma took the lead in handling the house and bringing up their daughters.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Byrd focused on her family. The Byrds were the proud parents to two daughters, Mona and Marjorie. And they were blessed with six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Mrs. Byrd's love of children extended far beyond her family. In West Virginia, Erma Byrd was known far and wide for her advocacy for children and for helping young people get ahead.

Dedicated, determined, loving, and loyal--these were the words many used to describe Erma Byrd. And they are the qualities that our colleague cherished dearly in his wife.

On their 65th wedding anniversary, Senator Byrd said:

Erma and I are complete and whole, a total that is more

than the sum of its parts. In my life, Erma Ora Byrd is the

diamond. She is a priceless treasure, a multifaceted woman of

great insight and wisdom, of quiet humor and common sense. I

wish that more people could know the joy I have had in

finding one's soul mate early in life and then sharing that

deep companionship over many happy years.

Senator Byrd, our thoughts and our prayers are with you and your family. We mourn your loss, and we celebrate the life of the wonderful woman who stood by your side.

Mr. President, today, we will resume consideration of the lobbying reform measure. As I mentioned before the break, it is my expectation the Senate will consider the lobbying reform bill and the border control legislation during the next 2 weeks. This should allow sufficient time to work through these bills, and I hope we can focus our efforts and work together across the aisle on both of these bills. These bills are nonpartisan, and we should be able to address them in a bipartisan way working together.

On the lobbying reform bill today, first, I hope the Senator from New York will withdraw his unrelated amendment. That would then allow the two managers to find a way to begin to schedule some of the lobbying- related amendments for debate and votes. In addition, we have Senator Wyden's amendment currently pending, and we are working to set a time certain for a vote on that amendment.

On the border control bill, we have a cloture vote scheduled for tomorrow on the motion to proceed to that bill. I will be talking to the Democratic leader later today on the precise timing of that vote, as we await the work of the Judiciary Committee under Chairman Specter that is meeting today.

With respect to today, I wish to remind my colleagues that we are working to set up a vote this afternoon, either on an amendment or a nomination. We are expecting that vote to begin at approximately 5:15. We will likely have to drag that vote a little bit for a few minutes because we are starting that vote 15 minutes earlier than most of our colleagues had anticipated.

Mr. President, while the managers of the lobbying reform bill sort through some of the amendments and because we have some Members who want to speak on other subjects today, I now ask unanimous consent that there be a period of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, this week, if there are no obstructionist tactics, the Senate will begin debate on protecting our country and fixing a broken immigration system.

Since last fall, when I announced the Senate would take up this issue, the Judiciary Committee has spent over 5 weeks, and, as of today, they are in their sixth markup on it. I thank Chairman Specter for his leadership throughout this process, during these six markups over the last 5 weeks. The Judiciary Committee members and their staff have worked long and hard under his guidance. As we speak, his committee is in session trying to finish the task set out for them. I, as leader, appreciate that and appreciate their efforts and the tremendous work they have done thus far.

America needs secure borders. Right now, we do not have them. Every day, thousands of people violate our frontiers. We do not know who they are and quite often we cannot stop them. As a nation of immigrants which honors the rule of law, we must secure our borders to make America safe, so we can fix our country's immigration system.

We are a nation of immigrants. We all came from somewhere else, and we have all benefited from America's uniquely inclusive ethos. But America is also a nation of laws. Our laws bind and protect us. They transform us from seekers into citizens and are the very foundation of our democracy.

A nation that cannot secure its borders cannot secure its destiny or administer its laws. The situation along our southern border now ranks as a national security challenge second only to the war on terror.

Before we left for last week's recess, I introduced the Securing America's Borders Act, or SABA, so that the Senate would be able to take up border security and interior law enforcement and allow the Senate to focus on comprehensive illegal immigration reform. It includes a number of commonsense, consensus measures that improve security along our physical border, crack down on human smugglers, simplify the process of deporting wrongdoers, and make it easier for employers to confirm their employees' legal status. And many of its provisions are built from ideas in the 9/11 Commission report.

Why should we act and why should we act now? Well, every day we delay we discover new facts that show us waiting makes America less safe and less secure. To take just one example, in January, officials discovered a massive tunnel stretching nearly a half a mile from Tijuana to San Diego. We do not know how many, or who, snuck in through this tunnel. We do not know what materials came into our country, or when, through this tunnel.

When people break our laws and come through our borders, we do know that mixed in with families looking for a better life are drug dealers, human traffickers, terrorists, and common criminals who cross into our country. Increasing our border security reduces that threat to our country and to our citizens.

The danger is not only to America; there is danger to those who try to cross our borders as well. Unofficial data collected along the Arizona border--the only area for which we have information--show that nearly 225 people died along the border in 2005 alone. About 10 percent perished under circumstances that suggest foul play. And we all know the terrible stories of those who prey on vulnerable migrants, who charge outrageous prices to smuggle them across the border and then, often, abandon them the moment trouble strikes. That is wrong. We must act. And we will do so over the next 2 weeks.

We need better enforcement and more manpower on the ground. Last year, the Senate led the charge to provide funding to hire 1,000 additional officers, more equipment, and more detention beds. This was a start but only a start.

My proposal adds nearly 15,000 more officers over the next few years in a sustained and focused effort to buttress the 20,000 already deployed to work on border issues. It also requires new investments in unmanned aerial vehicles, cameras, and sensors, and a comprehensive national border security strategy. It establishes the long-term project of building a virtual barrier to cover every mile of the 1,951-mile long border with Mexico. This will both make America safer and reduce the number of people endangering themselves trying to come into this country.

In addition to physically strengthening the border, the bill makes it easier for the Department of Homeland Security to catch people who violate our immigration laws. It enhances the collection of biometric data about who enters the country and allows the Homeland Security Department to set up additional border checkpoints.

The law creates tough, new penalties for human smugglers and document forgers. And under this bill, terrorists, dangerous gang members, and others with serious criminal connections face expedited removal from the United States.

But my bill doesn't just draw on the common sense of the American people for its provisions; it also looks to the 9/11 Commission report for guidance.

Many of the bill's provisions reflect the guidance of that commission. For example, the commission recommended that we consolidate border screening systems. SABA does that. It encouraged the use of biometric data to keep track of who was coming and going. SABA does that. It identified the need of State and local officials to work with Federal agencies to identify terrorist suspects. SABA does that as well.

Securing the border and enforcing our laws are crucial first steps to making America safer. But much more remains to be done. There are over 11 million people in this country illegally today. Congress cannot turn a blind eye to this growing number. We need to act.

As many know, I oppose amnesty. With our economy at full employment, many who break our laws come to this country to do the work others won't do so as to make a better life for themselves and their families. I honor that. America has always been the place where one can come to live out a dream of improvement and renewal. But while we welcome those who refresh and restore our American spirit, we have always done so within a framework of law. The full Senate should have the chance to discuss and to debate and to decide how we balance that rule of law with the situation as we find it today.

I am here to solve problems, not stand around. All Members come here

to act and not to fill space. We need to work together so that all 100 Senators have the opportunity to work within our rules to solve this problem.

I do hope the minority will not put procedural roadblocks in the way of the Senate resolving these issues, so we can put some of our country's best minds to work here on the floor now, this week.

I invite all who have ideas to come and work with us. Together, rather than apart, we can bring the best to bear to solve this problem of illegal immigration so that America is safer, so that America is more secure.

As I said when I introduced the bill we call SABA, I want this coming debate to reflect our history in America as a nation committed to the rule of law and our immigrant inheritance.

I am glad many agree on the need to ensure our debate is in the best keeping of the Senate's traditions. We ought to be honest about the problems we face and the outcomes we seek, within a framework of conversation that does credit to the Senate and the Nation.

This debate, and our effort, is about the American dream and the hope this country holds for so many hard-working people. But it is also an issue about what it means to be a nation. And every nation must keep its citizens safe and keep its borders secure. We should not have to choose between respect for our history and respect for our laws.

With hard work and responsible debate, we can have both. I hope we can conduct this debate with civility and seriousness. I look forward to a thorough and full discussion over the coming days.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

March 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of what is regarded as one of the most influential speeches of the 20th century. March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill gave his famous ``Iron Curtain'' speech at Westminster College, in Fulton, MO. Historians date the beginning of the cold war to this speech.

In this speech Mr. Churchill introduced to the world the phrase ``Iron Curtain'' to describe the division between Western powers and the area controlled by the Soviet Union. This speech not only marked the onset of the cold war but drew attention to the unique relationship between the United States and Great Britain. This special relationship spans three eras from Winston Churchill and FDR to Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher and now to George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

In celebration of this historic event and the special relationship between our Nation and Great Britain, the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee and the Churchill Archives Centre at Cambridge University, the United Kingdom, have come together for a stellar international conference and to honor one of America's greatest statesmen and one of Tennessee's greatest sons, the Honorable Howard H. Baker, Jr.

This premier occasion has brought together two great universities and two great centers, each dedicated to preserving and presenting their complementary historical resources. This coming together has formed a new partnership for the 21st century and will support an ongoing, trans-Atlantic and international educational alliance.

Here are excerpts from the Iron Curtain speech:

The United States stands at this time at the pinnacle of

world power. It is a solemn moment for the American

democracy. For with this primacy in power is also joined an

awe-inspiring accountability to the future. As you look

around you, you must feel not only the sense of duty done,

but also you must feel anxiety lest you fall below the level

of achievement. Opportunity is here now, clear and shining,

for both our countries. To reject it or ignore it or fritter

it away will bring upon us all the long reproaches of the

aftertime.

From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an

iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that

line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central

and Eastern Europe.

The safety of the world requires a new unity in Europe,

from which no nation should be permanently outcast. It is

from the quarrels of the strong parent races in Europe that

the world wars we have witnessed, or which occurred in former

times, have sprung.

Fraternal association requires not only the growing

friendship and mutual understanding between our two vast but

kindred systems of society, but the continuance of the

intimate relationship . . .

Beware, I say; time may be short. Do not let us take the

course of allowing events to drift along until it is too

late. If there is to be a fraternal association of the kind I

have described, with all the extra strength and security

which both our countries can derive from it, let us make sure

that that great fact is known to the world, and that it plays

its part in steadying and stabilizing the foundations of

peace. There is the path of wisdom. Prevention is better than

cure.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 406, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I want to take a few moments to comment on the resolution that was just agreed to with regard to Graceland.

As famous as the White House, as beloved as Wrigley Field, each year over 600,000 people from around the world travel to Memphis, TN, to see Graceland, the legendary home of the King of Rock.

Today, I am pleased to introduce and pass the Senate resolution honoring Graceland as a National Historic Landmark.

On behalf of my fellow Tennesseans, I extend my thanks to Secretary Norton for recognizing this unique contribution to American culture, and the extraordinary influence of the man who made it his own, Elvis Aaron Presley.

Born on January 8, 1935, in a 2-room house in East Tulepo, MS, Elvis and his family moved to Memphis when he was 13. Six years later--with the help of Sam Phillips, Sun Records, and his recording of ``That's All Right''--Elvis became a star.

From that moment on his fame only grew, propelling him into the small pantheon of American icons who single-handedly remade popular culture.

In the 1960s, Leonard Bernstein was moved to remark, ``Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century. He introduced the beat to everything music, language, clothes. It's a whole new social revolution.''

John Lennon famously said, ``Before Elvis, there was nothing.''

Elvis fused the styles of gospel country, and rhythm and blues. His instinctual style revolutionized rock'n roll and drove it to the center of popular culture.

Through his enormous talent, drive, and charisma, Elvis achieved remarkable success over 2 decades earning 97 gold albums, 55 platinum albums, 25 multi-platinum albums, 51 gold singles, 27 platinum singles, 7 multi-platinum singles, and album sales exceeding 120 million copies.

When the 21-year-old star appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, 82.6 percent of the viewing public tuned in.

Thirteen years later Elvis opened in Las Vegas, selling out a 2,000 seat showroom, 2 shows a night, for 4 weeks straight.

He became the most successful performer in Las Vegas history, surpassing Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Barbra Streisand.

In 1973 Elvis performed the now legendary ``Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite.'' The concert was beamed worldwide, attracting the largest television audience to date, estimated at 1.5 billion viewers.

Elvis was only 36 when he received the prestigious Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2004, the Recording Industry Association officially certified Elvis Presley as the No. 1 solo artist in U.S. history.

Elvis was, and remains, a genuine cultural force. Millions of fans from around the world have traveled to Graceland to feel a little closer to this American icon. And his music continues to course through American life.

Bruce Springsteen once said, ``There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have contenders. But there is only one King.''

And there's only one Graceland that preserves the King's memory.

I commend my colleagues for recognizing this singular cultural landmark.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1259, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. President, I understand there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading.

Mr. President, in order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to further proceedings en bloc.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the privilege of the floor be extended to Harry Wingo through this session of Congress. Mr. Wingo is on loan to the Senate Commerce Committee from the Federal Communications Commission.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 28. I further ask that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved, and the Senate proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business for up to an hour, with the first 30 minutes the under control of the Democratic leader or his designee, and the final 30 minutes under the control of the majority leader or his designee; provided further that the cloture vote scheduled on the motion to proceed to the border control bill be postponed until 2:15 p.m. tomorrow.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. to accommodate the weekly policy luncheons.

Mr. President, this evening we have continued to work on

an agreement for lobbying reform, as well as the border control bill which is scheduled for tomorrow. Under the agreement just reached, the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the border control bill will be postponed to the afternoon unless further agreement is reached. We will notify Members as we lock in votes on either of the bills mentioned, and we do expect votes throughout Tuesday's session of the Senate.

Before we close today's session, I want to again say how much the Senate mourns the loss of Erma Byrd, the wife of our esteemed colleague, Senator Byrd. As the Chaplain opened the Senate remembering her in prayer, it is only fitting to close honoring this lovely and remarkable lady. Our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Byrd and his entire family.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.