Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on behalf of the Senator from Colorado, Mr. Salazar, I call up amendment No. 454 and ask that it be reported.

Mr. COCHRAN. I make the point of order that the amendment is not germane.

Mr. COCHRAN. The Senator suggested he does not know anyone who would debate the issue or support the funding that is contained in the bill. The Senator is totally incorrect about that. There is a difference of opinion as reflected in the House-passed bill and the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations. We had hearings on this issue. We had testimony that was compelling from the Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. We had an appeal that was made personally to Senators on the committee by the Secretary, which were very compelling. To give some example of what the Secretary said, we have personnel, who are trying to live and stay alive in the Bagdad regions, who are representing the interests of the United States, who are trying to contribute toward a democracy being established under very difficult and dangerous circumstances. Many of them are located in temporary shelters, some are in tents, some are in other structures. We have people trying to carry on the work of our U.S. Embassy in a palace that was formerly occupied by Saddam Hussein that is not safe from mortar attacks or other military actions and terrorist activities. There is a perimeter that is very difficult to defend that we have all heard about and read about in the newspapers and seen on television. And to follow the suggestion of the Senator from Oklahoma to do nothing to try to establish quarters that are safe, that can be protected, that will permit our Ambassador to operate safely in a secure environment, we would be neglecting our obligations as representatives of the people of this great country. To say that they are on their own, to continue to try to manage the way they have been for the last year and a half, I think that would be an absolute abrogation of responsibility for this Senate. Our committee recommended that we approve the request submitted by the administration for these funds. I strongly support the appropriation. I will defend the action of this committee on this issue as long as the Senator wants to debate it. So to say there is no one who is willing to argue the point is absolutely without basis in fact.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 425, As Modified

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I send to the desk another modification to amendment No. 425, in behalf of Mr. Bennett.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 342, As Modified

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I send to the desk another modification of an amendment in behalf of Senator DeWine, No. 342.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. I have been notified that there is a Senator who wants to be heard on the issue of germaneness on this amendment--or on the issue itself. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask for the regular order with respect to amendment No. 537.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, the Senator from Oklahoma offered an amendment No. 471 relating to the Embassy in Iraq. We have had a discussion of that amendment. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to table the amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays. And I ask unanimous consent that the vote be ordered to occur at 1:45.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``A Review of the Material Support to Terrorism Prohibition Improvements Act'' on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., in Dirksen 226. Witness List Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226. Mr. Barry Sabin, Chief of Counterterrorism Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice; and Mr. Dan Meron, Deputy Assistance Attorney General, Civil Division, Department of Justice.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science and Space be authorized to meet on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 10 a.m., on International Space Station Research Benefits.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 20, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a briefing.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. in SD-430.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate for a hearing entitled, ``Solving the Small Business Health Care Crisis: Alternatives for Lowering Costs and Covering the Uninsured'' on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 20, 2005, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Regulatory Reform of the Housing Government- Sponsored Enterprises.''

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing regarding the following nominations: Gregory B. Jaczko--Nominated by the President to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Peter B. Lyons--Nominated by the President to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. SD 406.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 20, 2005, at 2 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on the readiness of military units deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Ending Freedom in review of the defense authorization request for fiscal year 2006.