Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. I want to point out that the Department of State submitted to the committee a letter on April 18, 2005 in justification for proceeding with the funding for the embassy compound and pointed out the reasons it was important to approve the full funding now. It is not something we dreamed up or that we are doing to undermine the integrity of our fiscal soundness as a country. It is not irresponsible in any way whatsoever. Here is what the letter says in part: This funding request in the supplemental is more urgent as a result of the highly successful Iraqi elections. Now that it is clear that Iraq is on the road to full sovereignty, building a permanent United States embassy has become imperative. In order to complete compound construction within 24 months construction must start now. That is why it is an emergency in any sense of the word. That is why our committee was impressed with this argument. This argument wasn't made very well over on the House side of the Capitol. But it was in person by the Secretary in appeals to individual Members. I can recall being in my State and getting a telephone call from the Secretary of State on this subject to emphasize the importance of doing what we are recommending the Senate approve. Here is another sentence from this same letter signed by Nicholas Burns. I will have it printed in the Record so Senators will be able to read the letter in its entirety. We need the Committee-recommended level of funding to ensure that we can adequately house and protect U.S. Government staff for our mission in Baghdad. Less than the full Committee-recommended funding level will delay moving our people into more safe, secure, and functional facilities, causing greater risks to U.S. Government personnel. That is good enough for me. I think it is good enough for the Senate, and I hope the Senate will reject this amendment. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of this letter that I referred to be printed in the Record.

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 send to the desk another modification in behalf of Senator Durbin.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I know of no other requests for debate on the amendment. I have no objection to our proceeding to a voice vote on the amendment.

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

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

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, will the Senator yield before he abandons this issue?

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

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. 489, As Modified

Mr. COCHRAN

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.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 427 on behalf of Mr. Durbin regarding Iraqi security services. Mr. President, I also send a modification of the amendment to the desk.

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. 427, as modified

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I know of no requests for debate on the amendment as modified.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I know of no request for debate on the amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator, my friend from Vermont. He is a valuable member of the Appropriations Committee. Mr. President, I am pleased with the progress we have been able to make on this supplemental appropriations bill today. The Senate is working hard to ensure we consider requests that have merit which should be included in this bill. The focus of the bill, as everyone realizes, though, is on assisting and providing for our troops, the Department of Defense facilities that are located in Iraq, trying to help ensure we protect the forces we have there, giving them what they need to bring these operations to a successful conclusion. We have made tremendous progress there, as well as in Afghanistan, bringing an opportunity for peace and freedom to the people of both of those countries. It is quite amazing to see the success that has been achieved in that direction, as those nations continue to work to build the infrastructure for democracy and a growing economy. Our troops still need additional assistance, and that is why it is important for us to respond in a positive way to the requests of the administration to fund those needs and provide that assistance which will play such a critical role in their success. The funds appropriated in this bill will provide support, pay in allowances. It will provide additional equipment, more modern and more effective equipment, so that the chances of success will be enhanced. We do not want to drag out this supplemental unnecessarily. We need to complete action on the bill so we can go to conference with our counterpart committee, the Appropriations Committee in the House, and work out differences between the two bodies on this bill. We do not want to delay this supplemental. We do not want to endanger our troops and our national interests in those areas of the world and here at home by unnecessary delay. We appreciate the cooperation of all Senators. I thank everyone who has played a part today in our success in moving forward with this legislation. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. I call up amendment numbered 399, on behalf of Mr. Dorgan, regarding the independent counsel investigation of Henry Cisneros. I know of no requests for debate on the amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to, 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 have no further amendments to present to the Senate at this time. I yield the floor. Amendment No. 499