Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, as amended, be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table and that any statements regarding this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider en bloc the following nominations on today's Executive Calendar: Nos. 364 through 378 and all the nominations on the Secretary's desk. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in a few minutes we will be formally addressing the issue surrounding the Small Business Administration. Thus, I would like to briefly comment on the importance of small business in this country, how the Senate is responding, and to put a little bit of perspective around the importance of the United States doing everything it can--whether it is with the regulatory burden, whether it is in making resources and capital available, or opening up other opportunities for small businesses in this country--how important that is to overall economic growth. Benjamin Franklin once said: He who would fish must venture his bait. Fortunately, in America we have millions of creative and driven women and men and even teams ready to cast their reels. Fortunately, we have the Small Business Administration ready to help them. You might say that the Small Business Administration is an entrepreneur's bait and tackle shop. I believe by today's action in a few moments we will be passing the Small Business Administration's 50th Anniversary Reauthorization Act of 2003. This Federal agency has helped more than 20 million Americans start, grow, and expand their businesses. It has become the Government's most effective instrument for economic development. With its help, small companies have grown from a handful of employees into literally thousands. The vitality of the American economy is due in no small part to this agency, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Thanks to today's legislative victory, this pivotal agency will continue working with America's job creators to grow the economy, to boost the economy, and to expand the economy. Just how important are small business owners? Those innovators create 60 to 80 percent of new jobs nationwide. Sixty to eighty percent of new jobs are created by small businesses. They generate more than 50 percent of the gross domestic product. Small business owners are the heart of the American marketplace, and their contributions to jobs and productivity is its lifeblood. In my home State of Tennessee, 97.1 percent of all businesses are small businesses. From the year 1999 to the year 2000, Tennessee's small businesses added a net total of 36,806 employees, and 12,000 companies with fewer than 100 workers employed 44.9 percent of the State's nonfarm sector workers. Workers and consumers depend on the small business sector to generate jobs, products, and services. The Small Business Administration helps fuel the creativity and the dynamism of this vital sector of the economy. And it has been extraordinarily successful. Take, for example, one restaurant chain, the Outback Steak House. It may come as a surprise to some, but the Outback Steak House does not have its headquarters in Australia. No. It has its headquarters in Tampa, FL. In a little over 10 years, the Outback Steak House has grown from a really small restaurant operation into a dining phenomenon. In February of 1990, the 2\1/2\-year-old company employed approximately 300 people and had a net worth of less than $2 million. That year, there was an injection from the Small Business Administration. Ten years later, the restaurant chain employs not 300 people but 38,000 people. That $2 million has grown into revenues of the dizzying amount of $1.16 billion. The Outback Steak House now has restaurants in 48 States, 13 countries, and places as far away as Seoul and Rio de Janeiro. Staples is another dazzling example of a Small Business Administration injection of help with a catalytic effect. It started as a single office supply store in Brighton, MA, in 1986. The office supply store is now the country's largest operator of office superstores, employing more than 58,000 people, with annual gross sales of $11.6 billion. It in turn is offering services and products to small businesses to help them cut their own costs in the hopes that they might also grow to such proportions. At a macro level during the last 4 fiscal years, just one financing program within the Federal agency has helped create 1.3 million new jobs--newly created jobs all by this one financing program. Over that same period of time, a second lending program at the agency--a program called the 504 Loan Program--helped create and retain an additional 445,000 jobs. HUBZone is another program that has been a job creator. In the last 2 years, this program which targets severely economically distressed areas, has helped create over 30,000 new jobs. These are just a few of the examples--a smattering--of the programs at the SBA that have helped and worked so effectively to add new jobs to the economy. The SBA, it should be said, is just one of the many efforts that are made by this body and by our Government to support job creative policies. We think simply back to the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Act. We provided 23 million small business owners with tax cuts averaging, through that one bill, $2,200 each. In fact, small businesses received 80 percent of the benefits of the reduction in the top marginal tax rate. That 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Act quadrupled the amount that small businesses can expense for new capital investments, and that in turn will lead to new investment in technology, in machinery, and new investments in equipment. This legislation is yet another example of this body, our Government, working with the President to create jobs and economic growth. Together with the Small Business Administration reauthorization, these progrowth policies--these policies that create jobs and grow the economy--will increase productivity and make every consumer's dollar go further. Remington Electric Shaver magnate and pitchman Victor Kiam once observed: Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity, and are able to turn both to their advantage. I think with the passage of this bill we can include ourselves--this body--in that description as well. I applaud my colleagues for supporting the Small Business Administration, which in turn will reach out in support of America's most important job creators, the small business owner.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this evening at sundown, Jews around the world will gather to begin their observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and the beginning of the high holidays. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which will be observed over the next 10 days, are the most significant of all Jewish holidays. They are a time for celebration. They are a time for thanksgiving. They are a time for family. They are a time of reflection and of atonement. Many today all over the world are reflecting over the last year and what that last year has brought, and also to look ahead to that next year with those hopes of what will come over the next 12 months. It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah, God records the destiny of all mankind in the Book of Life. It is my hope that as we pray, we will do so for the enduring faith in God, and also with the strong, the fervent hope for the strength and the courage and the boldness and also the compassion to see us through these very difficult times for America and the world. So as we end this week, I would like to wish all of my colleagues and all of those around the world who observe these holidays a very happy and a very healthy and a very sweet new year. L'shana Toua.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will immediately resume consideration of the DC appropriations bill. The managers are here and ready to work. Therefore, we do hope Members will come forward with their amendments during today's session. If a rollcall vote is ordered on an amendment, we will stack that vote for Monday's session. As I announced last night, there will be no rollcall votes today. Yesterday we made progress on the bill, and I thank the managers for their efforts in moving the bill forward. I do hope we can finish this bill on Monday. I understand there may be further amendments from the other side of the aisle, but it is our desire to complete this bill early next week. I do expect the Senate to begin consideration of the urgent supplemental request at the earliest possible time next week. Given that schedule, it is imperative that we expedite the DC appropriations bill. With regard to next week's schedule, I want to forewarn all Members, it will be a very busy week. I anticipate that we will have late sessions Tuesday night, Wednesday, Thursday, and possibly Friday. We will have votes throughout that session. Our discussion on the floor yesterday reflected in large part the interest in having time to discuss and debate and amend, if necessary, or offer amendments on the supplemental. Thus, it will require the attention and focus of our colleagues throughout the week. I wanted Senators to begin to plan their schedules with this in mind. I do thank all colleagues. I will outline Monday's schedule a bit later today.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I want to discuss an encouraging development that most Americans have had no reason, at least initially, to pay attention to. That is what has happened in a country on another continent, the country being Sudan. This week, several days ago, we received word that the civil war that has raged there for 20 years and has claimed over 2 million lives, lives lost as a product of this civil war, a war that has caused over 5 million families to leave their homes, to be displaced from their homes and have to move to another part of the country--that civil war may be one step closer to ending. On Tuesday evening the Sudanese rebels and the Khartoum Government reached an agreement on the position and size of their respective armed forces. A formal agreement, since that time, has been signed. This agreement includes three significant breakthroughs: A substantial withdrawal of government forces from the southern region of the country; redeployment of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the SPLA, forces in Khartoum, and third, the formation of an integrated force in the southern Blue Nile region and the Nuba Mountains. What this typically means is that units are integrated to include troops from each side. That way, each side acts as a check, a check and a balance on each other. Sudan's Vice President, Osman Ali, says the deal ``has paved the way for a comprehensive peace agreement.'' The Southern People's Liberation Army, SPLA, leader John Garang, concurs, saying, ``With this agreement, the direction and orientation for peace in Sudan is irresponsible.'' Clearly, while the agreement is key, there are still significant issues to be resolved. Many issues remain; for example, those regarding power and regarding the whole topic of wealth sharing. But the good news and the encouraging news, the news that brings joy to my heart, having spent so much time in the Sudan personally, is that both sides have looked at extending the cease-fire for 2 additional months, so they can keep talking and keep working toward peace. A 2-month cease-fire, what does that mean? It means there will be less of the destructive killing, the bombing, the wars, and the battles that go on almost in a routine manner in that part of the world. I was just in the Sudan about 4 weeks ago. I had the opportunity to work at the mission hospital there and become very intimately acquainted, again not as a Senator but as a doctor, with individuals who have suffered, directly or indirectly, from these war injuries. I go to the Sudan about once a year, plus or minus several months, where in the past I again have had the opportunity to treat people who have been hurt directly in the war, people who have lost their legs from the land mines which have been planted because of that war. I mentioned part of the agreement applied to the Nuba Mountains. It is now about 4 years ago that I first took a trip to the Nuba Mountains. At that time the United Nations did not allow relief flights to go in that part of the world. The Nuba Mountains have been neglected in many ways by the international community. I am pleased since we first went in about 4 years ago, the region has opened up to more relief and more transparency and much more of a spotlight, where the world can see the human tragedy that has gone on in that part of the world. I also mentioned, as part of the agreement, the southern Blue Nile. About 2 years ago I had the opportunity to go to the Blue Nile region. I was in the Blue Nile region actually just a day after a very significant battle that had been fought in that region. It was just the night before. Again, I am delighted that is part of this formation of an integrated force, both in the southern Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains. I have had the opportunity to go to Pabong, which is in the oil region, where people have been displaced several years ago. Although this whole wealth sharing is an issue that has to be addressed in the future, it is an issue about which I am very hopeful, now that progress is being made along the lines of increased peace in the Sudan. Last month I was able to operate and perform surgery in a hospital called Lui Hospitala, a hospital sponsored by the Samaritan's Purse, a faith-based organization here in the United States. When I first started going to that hospital, it was just a schoolhouse. That was about 6 or 7 years ago, 1997. Osama bin Laden had just left, I think about 1996, from the Sudan. When we first went into the area of southern Sudan, it was just a schoolhouse there. The original hospital had land mines around it. Since that point in time, over the last 6 or 7 years, the land mines have been removed from the old hospital grounds and now 30,000, 40,000, 50,000 patients are seen a year at that particular facility. Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity of seeing first hand the shattering results of a brutal civil war. President Bush very early on, right after he began office as President, appointed Jack Danforth as a special envoy to that region--again showing the importance to the United States to establish, to promote, and to work for peace in that part of the world. In the Senate we passed the Sudan Peace Act. We will continue to follow very closely the situation. We will continue to work with the administration, Jack Danforth and President Bush, to support the efforts of the Kenyan mediator, Lazarus Sumbeiywo, to encourage and support this encouraging undertaking. It is the people of the Sudan--and that's who I spend most of the time with as part of this medical mission work in these clinics and in the treatment and in the doctor-patient relationship--it is the people of Sudan who long the most for the end of this violence. So this reported progress from this week is something that is very gratifying and pleasing to me and leaves me very optimistic about the future. It is a wonderful part of the world.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, there are several issues I wish to take this opportunity to comment on at the end of this week. First is the issue that has been discussed for the last 3 days and which we will be coming back to on Monday--the issue of education of young children in the District of Columbia. With the leadership of the Mayor and working closely with the person who day in and day out observes firsthand what happens in the District, the head of the school board, and local officials, a proposal has been put together, generated at the local level, that we are currently talking about and debating before the Senate. That is the issue of allowing young children in school who are trapped--for the most part, impoverished children--in failing schools and giving them the opportunity to expand, grow, learn, and become educated, and thus giving them a shot at what we all know as the American dream. Yesterday was a unique day in that on the floor of the Senate was Mayor Anthony Williams, who made a historic visit to the Senate floor at the invitation of Senator Feinstein. From his presence here and in our many conversations with him, what is emphasized is how important this issue is to the District, to the future of this District, because it has to do with children and education. That is how important this issue of choice is, empowering the parents to have some sort of say in their children's education. As Senator Feinstein has so eloquently argued, the District of Columbia choice program is the Mayor's program. It is not our program-- the Senate program or the House program, or the Federal Government program. It is the program of the District and for the District's children and families. It is what the leaders in the District of Columbia want. We have spent almost 3 whole days on the bill, and we will spend, as I mentioned, Monday on it. Today, only one amendment has been offered. It is frustrating to me when we recognize the real problems that are in the District today in terms of education and we see there is a response generated that makes sense and is locally supported, which has new Federal dollars, new additional dollars coming in to support the initiatives, it is frustrating that if there are 4, 5, 6--I don't know the number of people who oppose choice in education and parental involvement, but if they have amendments, we can debate them. Then we can vote on these amendments, and hopefully defeat them, because I am a great believer in DC choice but at least allow us to debate. Avoiding offering amendments when time is being made available on the floor, in response to the great needs that we know exist, is frustrating and in some ways disappointing. The only amendment that has passed, in fact, was by Senator Feinstein, who is an advocate for this bill. So really there have been no amendments proposed from the other side. Yet, as we heard in the opening comments a few hours ago, the opposition insists that we cannot move this bill anytime soon. I say that despite the positive impact that we know this bill can make on the District's schoolchildren. I am not exactly sure why there is this refusal to offer amendments and live with the outcome, when the time is made available and the issue is before us. I hope it is not national politics because we are talking about the District's schoolchildren. We are not talking about a partisan national debate. Our goal is to give children today the very best education possible. So we need to debate it, we need to amend it, if necessary, and, if not, we need to move on, have a vote on it, and express the will of this Senate for the benefit of the kids. The Senate Appropriations Committee has passed legislation that does offer this city's schoolchildren a genuine opportunity to achieve an education. It has been pointed out on the Senate floor, but it is important for me to again state it, that this is $40 million of new money, that is additional money which, if this legislation passes, will come. If the legislation does not pass, that additional $40 million is not going to go into education today. The money is to be divided between the supporting of public schools, of charter schools which are in the District, and then a new nonpublic opportunity scholarship program whereby over 2,000 students who are impoverished, who are trapped in failing schools by definition in the legislation, are given the opportunity to walk, with a check of $7,500, to any nonpublic school in the District. If we pass the legislation, they have that opportunity. If we do not pass the legislation, they are not going to have that opportunity. It is as simple as that. That is, again, why this is frustrating to me as majority leader and as one who is trying to schedule the Nation's business accordingly. It is new money. It is not going to take resources from other education. That used to be the argument: There is public education moneys and the money will be taken from public education and diverted to nonpublic education. That argument is bogus. It does not exist. This is new money that is coming into the system. The record today in the District, in terms of educating children, has been painted pretty well, but in too many ways it ends up being almost statistics and coldhearted facts. But the coldhearted facts, I have to say, do tell the story. We spend about $1,200 per student right now, per capita, per kid, in the District. In spite of that, the outcomes, the scores, are lower than any State in the country today. So the answer is not just money. We know that. Only 10 percent, or 1 out of 10, of the District's fourth graders are proficient in math. Less than 12 percent of the District's fourth graders can write at grade level. Actually, it is fewer than 10 percent of the District's fourth graders are proficient at math, and right at 10 percent are proficient in reading. That means 90 percent are not proficient at reading. Only 6 percent, about 1 out of 20 or 1 out of 18, of District fourth graders can do math at a proficient level. Words were used like ``disgrace,'' which I think it is, and ``scandal,'' not in the sense that there is misappropriation but a scandal in the fact that the outcome is so poor for these students and the disgrace is really in some ways ours for not responding and responding aggressively and appropriately. That is what we can do by passing this bill. I should also add that I believe the dropout rate in the District is around 42 percent, and nationwide it is about 29 percent. So 42 percent do not go on to school. As I mentioned before, the ACTs and the SATs, which would allow one to go to college, are the lowest in the country as well. So kids who are graduating from public school are graduating with an inability to read, write, do math, and to add and subtract, really basic measures. None of us in this Chamber would tolerate that sort of outcome for our own children, unable to complete simple fourth grade mathematics, or in the fourth grade an inability to write at grade level. Would we tolerate it? The answer is clearly, no. It has been pointed out that many of the people who oppose school choice for children and parents in the District, in this body and in the House of Representatives as well, send their kids to private schools, and yet at the same time, when the opportunity is there, they do not give that same opportunity to other parents. I mentioned Mayor Tony Williams, DC Board of Education president Peggy Cooper Cafritz, City Council member Kevin Chavous are all courageously advancing the cause of universal education for DC's kids. In addition to them are the parents of kids in the District. All across the city, parents line up in order to obtain better options for their children. The need is so real and so intense that the District public school choice programs right now in the District are oversubscribed. Each year, more than 1,000 schoolchildren are wait-listed for the city's magnet programs, those magnet programs which give those unique opportunities for parents to choose, with their kids, the type of program that best suits their individual needs--again, stressing the importance of parental involvement, of matching needs to sources. More than 1,000 children are wait-listed trying to get into those programs. Right now the District has made more headway than my own State of Tennessee in the development of charter schools. About 15 percent of DC's kids are in charter schools. About 11,500 are in attendance in those charter schools. Once again, because they get that opportunity to better match resources to needs in an overall system that is failing and involves more choice, there is a waiting list of over 1,000 kids in the District for charter schools right now. Indeed, in this $40 million there is increased funding for charter schools which are part of the public education system in the District. Thinking in terms of choice and opportunity scholarships, where individual kids have the opportunity to take resources that are already being spent on their behalf and allowing them to choose the school they could go to, taking that same principle, which is the principle behind, the fundamental power behind, DC choice, one need only to look at when John Walton and Ted Forstmann invested $2 million in the children's scholarship fund in the District. What happened? There were 1,000 seats and yet 10,000 kids applied for those 1,000 seats--again, to show the pent-up demand here for greater choice, greater opportunity to choose the type of school that best suits your needs. On this particular issue, I just want to close and say I do stand with those parents, with those people on those waiting lists, because we have an opportunity to reverse that and to expand the opportunity for families to become involved and kids to have that choice. To me it is nonsensical for us to withhold from them that opportunity when it is within our power to do so, to support each child's right--and it is a basic right--to learn to read and to write and to add and subtract. Basic education for our schoolchildren simply just cannot wait.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar 248, S. 1375.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, listening very carefully, I am disappointed. I think we have an opportunity in this body to address a tragedy, and that is that there are impoverished children trapped in today's schools that are not serving them well. We have an opportunity to reach out and help those children. We have today to work on it. We have Monday to work on it. But if the other side of the aisle feels we cannot make progress on it, I will listen, but I am very disappointed in that.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, let me turn to the Senator from New Mexico. I know he has a comment on the guest Chaplain, as well as other comments.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I note the Senator from New Mexico wants to comment on the guest Chaplain and he has to be at a funeral. We will talk privately. We have not had the opportunity to talk since their caucus, so we can handle our discussion privately and then come back to the floor. Again, my goal is simply to address this request in a manner where both sides are heard. We have done our very best this week to schedule it in terms of the hearings, and we have talked further about that. I do ask you to consider--because how much time we spend in hearings or in markups or on the floor does not matter to me as much as having people heard over a period of time--if the markup were delayed, will the Democratic side at least consider finishing this before we go out on our recess, given the fact that this is an emergency request from the President of the United States? We can, whenever it comes to the floor, start early, work late; if it is Monday morning, coming in, or Tuesday, or as soon as you would say, ``Well, the markup is OK,'' so we could finish this before we go out on vacation or recess when we have this emergency request here. Can we finish it next week?

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning the Senator will conduct a period of morning business to allow Senators to speak. Following morning business, at approximately 10:30, the Senate will begin consideration of the conference report to accompany the Defense appropriations bill. Senators Stevens and Inouye will be ready to give their remarks at that time. It is my hope that we can schedule the vote on that conference report prior to noon. Yesterday, we completed two conference reports--the Homeland Security and the legislative appropriations reports. I thank Senators Cochran, Campbell, and the ranking members for assisting in getting these ready for the floor for full Senate consideration. Following the Defense appropriations conference report passage, we will consider the remaining available judicial nominations and another two or three still on the Executive Calendar that hopefully we will be able to clear. There is a standing request from the other side of the aisle that a rollcall vote be held on judicial nominations and, therefore, we will schedule those votes accordingly. We will resume consideration of the District of Columbia appropriations bill today. Senator DeWine has been actively engaged in working through a number of possible amendments to that bill. I hope we can make substantial progress today toward finishing that measure. We have a number of the appropriations bills and conference reports to consider, and we will consider those as they become available. I thank Members for their cooperation in this regard.

Mr. FRIST. We will discuss tomorrow's schedule over the course of the morning. We will let people know. Obviously, we will take that into strong consideration in terms of scheduling votes for tomorrow. I do expect us to be voting in the morning. But in terms of specifics, we will have announcements as we go through the day. Very shortly we will be going into morning business, but I want to make several comments. As most people know, my colleagues and others, we have made a concerted effort to respond to the President of the United States in terms of emergency requests to support our troops and our military efforts overseas--the men and women who are fighting for freedom and democracy. Thus, over the course of this week, we have held a number of hearings at the committee level with the hopes that we would be able to end at a reasonable but as short a time as possible so as to bring that request to the floor of the Senate in order to have plenty of time to both look at amendments and to debate, discuss, and examine the specifics of that request. We are going into a recess at the end of next week. That is what is anticipated now. As I said last week, knowing that the supplemental would be delivered last week, we immediately began to set up a 2-week period by which the Senators would have sufficient and adequate time to address this particular request. This week, we had over 30 hours of hearings at the committee level. The distinguished President pro tempore attended most of those hearings. There have been seven separate hearings in the Senate alone in addition to the hearings that are being held in the House of Representatives. We have had attendance at the policy lunches to be briefed on both sides of the aisle by Ambassador Bremer. The President has given two national addresses that relate to this supplemental request. I mention this because I have said I would schedule adequate time for consideration. It requires a lot of participation over the course of this time. Probably over 70 Members are participating in those particular hearings that are being held this week. I think it is important to have us come to the floor so we can have a full debate and debate amendments on the floor as well. That will be the goal for next week. Again, because at the end of next week we will go on a recess for greater than a week, I believe it is important to respond to the emergency requests by the President of the United States, our Commander in Chief, in a timely way. That means this week and next week.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I am happy to yield.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am happy to propound that unanimous consent request for a voice vote on the judge under consideration.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the question is really centered on the debate, which we want to do in a thorough way. And the distinguished Senator from West Virginia, from day 1, has encouraged me to allow for adequate time for debate and amendment. Starting about 2\1/2\ weeks ago, I made it very clear that the President of the United States would shortly deliver a supplemental-- which was now about a week ago--that I wanted to take 2 weeks--and it could be longer or it could be shorter--that we can focus on it in an organized way, and an organized way is to spend time in hearings. Indeed, after a lot of discussion, we organized hearings in such a way, as you pointed out, that the Armed Services Committee has had hearings on it, the Foreign Relations Committee has had hearings on it, the Appropriations Committee has had hearings on it. And, indeed, we have had at least seven committee hearings in the Senate. The House is having hearings at the same time. We have had interested parties engaged in formal discussions coming by your party lunch, coming by our party lunch to have the discussion with the goal that we would focus on this issue. Indeed, we have done a good job this week. My goal was expressed 9 days ago. I didn't know about the surgery of your wife. Although the Jewish holiday begins tonight, we are not voting tomorrow because of a request from your side of the aisle. The Jewish holiday begins late tomorrow afternoon. But because of very specific requests from two of your Members through the assistant leader, we are bowing down once again to you for scheduling, which is fine, and I agree. If they need to travel back and there is no other way to get back, I am going to pay respect to their religion, just as I want to pay respect to you in every regard we can. So there goes your Friday. So don't blame us on that. I don't think that is fair. It is not fair as we go forward, if you are looking at equity or fairness. On this floor about 2 months ago--it was a little bit later at night--you came to me and said: We can't operate this place working 2 days a week or 3 days a week. And I agree. You have been in this particular situation in terms of scheduling. You know it is challenging, just like votes for tomorrow. That is why 9 days ago I said, we are going to spend all next week on the floor, if possible, debating and amending freely. And the Democratic leader and I talked earlier today. We want to stay on the bill. We don't want any trips or punches thrown that are not fair, but we will have a good discussion through next week. My objective is to bring it to the floor. The question as to why? Because we are in a war. We are in a war against terrorism that our President has done, I think, an excellent job of spelling out. He has delivered to us, on behalf of the 150,000 military men and women there, a call for emergency funding through a supplemental that, although there is disagreement, the administration has said it is urgent we address. Thus, when we can work on Monday, we should work on Monday. And I would argue Tuesday, Tuesday morning, Tuesday night, Wednesday morning, Wednesday night, Thursday morning, Thursday night, Friday morning and Friday night, in response to that emergency request for funding that the experts have told us is an emergency. To say, well, people aren't going to be back Monday and therefore let's do Tuesday, but, no, we can't do it Tuesday because of other scheduling reasons, therefore, let's put this off later. I can tell you--you know this; again, I should be speaking to the Chair--if we say Monday it is just too difficult for people to come back, when there are people at war and there are people dying every day when we turn on the news, because of a lack of security, and we know this funding supports security, how can we say, it is inconvenient Monday and Tuesday? Although, again, I say this with deep respect for your personal situation and your wife's surgery in the morning, but we need to respond. I think you know, if we wait until Wednesday to mark it up, or Thursday, the same thing, maybe a little bit different, Thursday, and you know this, Thursday people will say, we are getting out of here. We don't have time to debate this. Let's do it 2 weeks from now. Once again, we are on recess during that period of time. I am going to have a hard time leaving here on recess with the American people saying: The President of the United States delivered this urgent request to you for funding, and have the news every day of people dying, with people having told us that it does have to do with security and the war on terrorism. That is the why and the reason. I think we just need to be addressing this up front. The dialog between our leadership has been good. I know it is challenging our committee members with all of the hearings we have had day in and day out. I know people are worn out. But it is a war, and it is a war on terrorism. I think the American people deserve that debate on the floor of this body--freely debating, freely amending, starting as soon as we can that is reasonable. That is why I continue to request that the Appropriations Committee mark up the bill Monday, if it can--if it can't, it is just convenience. I think that is hard to answer--or Tuesday. And then there is no quid pro quo. I would like to get it to the floor so people can debate it before we go on recess in the next few weeks. But if there is objection to bringing it to the floor, that is your right as we go forward. But I do want the American people to know we are ready to address this bill and debate it fully, looking at everybody's schedule in a very personal way. The reason is, we are at war. That is it.

Mr. FRIST. Yes, sir.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, after the next vote we will resume the DC appropriations bill and expect to be on the DC appropriations bill tonight and tomorrow. There will be further debate tonight. I encourage Members with amendments to come forward so we can continue to make progress on the DC appropriations bill. I understand the two managers will not require any more rollcall votes on any action on the bill tonight or tomorrow. Thus, the next rollcall vote will be the last rollcall vote for tonight and for tomorrow. Again, we will be in session tomorrow for further debate on the DC appropriations bill. With regard to Monday's schedule, we will be announcing what Monday's schedule will be in terms of voting. We will have votes on Monday in the late afternoon. We will have further announcements on that tomorrow. The Democratic leader and I have had discussions over the course of the day, and from where we started early this morning they have settled a lot in terms of looking forward to the next week and a half. I can tell all Members no more rollcall votes after this vote tonight, no rollcall votes tomorrow; DC appropriations.

Mr. FRIST. Yes.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I respect what the assistant Democratic leader has put forward. I am not making accusations of stalling or obstruction at all. I do feel it is important as we turn on our television sets every morning or read the paper and we see the importance of the security in Iraq that we address the issue which has been brought by our leaders on the ground there, the security issues and the request for the supplemental, as expeditiously as possible and not delay unnecessarily. That is why from a leadership position I want to focus this body on that security issue and spend whatever time it takes right now to address that issue. I understand we are working in good faith as we go forward. My intention is to continue to address thoroughly, with plenty of debate, maybe an unprecedented number of hearings in a short period of time, by most significant people, and to allow adequate time for floor debate. If we can keep working together, it is my goal to dispose of this appropriately over the next 9 days before we go on recess. I am going to have a hard time leaving the Senate to go on recess and not addressing a Presidential request. The House of Representatives is staying here. They are not going on recess. They are going to be addressing it in early October. That is why at least from a schedule standpoint I want to do it as soon as possible.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I wanted to comment on Ambassador Bremer briefly. I asked Ambassador Paul Bremer to come back and to participate in the hearings this week. He has really gone nonstop. I express my deep appreciation for his presence every day--both in formal meetings, informal meetings, and hearings. He is the U.S. administrator of Iraq and head of the coalition of provisional authority. Early last summer, Ambassador Bremer, who had already retired from government service, was asked by the President of the United States, on very short notice, to move to Iraq and to lead the coalition effort to stabilize the country; indeed, he volunteered to do so. We all listen to him, and in listening to his testimony, we all realize what a daunting task he has. Iraq has been ruled by a vicious dictator for decades, the economy has deteriorated, as we all know, to near pre-industrial levels, the population is scarred by the ravages of this dictatorship, the Saddam Hussein regime, and now we have the foreign terrorists who on a daily basis seem to be sneaking in the country, adding to the disorder and death. Through all this, Ambassador Bremer continues to lead. He does that in spite of personally being under constant threat of attack and even constant threat of assassination in that part of the world. Like many of our fine service men and women, he has left loved ones behind and is living in what we all know are tough conditions in Iraq to serve the United States of America. Ambassador Bremer may set a record this week for the number of committees before which he is testifying. There are at least 6 congressional committees over 5 days, in addition to speaking informally to our policy luncheons. He is a public servant in the truest sense of the word, a great man serving our Nation. As we debate the appropriate policies in Iraq, I want everyone to remember that he and others, military and civilian, are sacrificing for us in Iraq. I know we will have our differences. I encourage all of our colleagues to be respectful of each other as we move forward and as we recognize the great, unselfish leadership of Ambassador Bremer.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, S. 150, the Internet Tax Non-discrimination Act of 2003, will be referred to the Finance Committee for a brief 30- day review. As many of my colleagues are aware, this consensus legislation was unanimously approved by a voice vote by the Senate Commerce Committee on July 31. In addition, the House passed a similar measure on September 17. The current moratorium ends on November 1 and I am committed to acting before it expires. As the strong bipartisan support of these measures indicates, there is a growing consensus that the Internet should never be singled out for multiple or discriminatory taxation. Rather, the unprecedented benefits of the Internet to our society and economy should be encouraged by policymakers. I am confident that the Finance Committee's review of this matter will confirm Congress' intent to permanently extend the moratorium, and I look forward to an expedited and non- controversial review of this matter as a member of the committee.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will conduct a period of morning business to allow Senators to speak. Following morning business, at approximately 10:35, the Senate will begin consideration of the DC appropriations bill. I know there is one issue that will require some debate and a vote, but it is my hope we can complete this bill in a relatively short period of time. Typically, this is an appropriations measure that has not consumed a great deal of floor time. Senator DeWine will be ready at a little after 10:30 this morning, and we will monitor progress on this legislation, with the hope of finishing soon. I also add that we hope again to be receiving from the House some of the completed appropriations conference reports. Once those reports are received, I will be speaking to the Democratic leader about scheduling those measures for floor action. Again, I hope we can move quickly on those items and get them to the President's desk for his signature as soon as possible. Finally, I also want to remind Members that we will continue to schedule votes on available nominations throughout the week. We have eight judicial nominations pending on the Executive Calendar. Four of these nominations should be ready for Senate action, and we will schedule them over the course of the next day or so. As always, we will keep Members apprised of the voting schedule and as to when the first vote is ordered today. Some people have asked about next week. I have already told people that we will be voting on Monday of next week. I mention that because a number of people have asked me.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, very briefly, I want to make a comment on the President's comments yesterday before the United Nations. The President of the United States and leaders from across the globe gathered yesterday at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan to receive the President's address. It is worth pausing to consider just where that was. The address yesterday was in New York City, in the heart of Manhattan, a few dozen blocks from Ground Zero. The world's leaders were able to safely assemble and freely debate their proposals in a city that had borne the tragedy of September 11. Many were able to exercise more freedom yesterday in New York than is allowed in their own countries. President Bush, in his address, boldly challenged the assembly to support the cause of liberty in Iraq. His case was powerful, and his case was powerful in part because the cause of freedom itself is so powerful. Some of my colleagues have basically questioned again and again the overall war on terror. There is this magnification of each setback along the way, and many people dismiss the many advances that are being made each and every day. There seems to be this attempt to discredit the war on terror. Some people say we have acted unilaterally. We know that is false. The truth is we were joined by 49 countries to depose Saddam Hussein and remove his regime. Now we hear increasingly that there was a lack of broad international support on the ground. That is not true. We know there are 31 nations that currently have troops deployed to Iraq. British troops are leading a multinational division, as are the Polish troops; and the President hopes to have at least one more international division helping to bring stability and security. I think those people claiming the President has lost opportunities to make his case before the American people ignore the many times the President has spelled out his case and argued his case before the American people, to this Congress, and, indeed, multiple times now to the United Nations. The President's opponents continually move the goalposts further and further, so that never is there enough detail or never are there enough specifics. But we have these claims. These claims are specious; they can be rebutted one by one. I think the most powerful rebuttal is what the Iraqi people feel and what they say. Finally free to speak their own minds in a remarkable poll--the first of its kind--conducted in August and published by the Wall Street Journal, the Iraqi people themselves say loudly and clearly that they want us to stay and they want us to finish the job. They are optimistic about the future. Seven out of ten say they expect that their country and their personal lives will be better 5 years from now. A third say much better. When asked about which country they would prefer as a political model out of five--Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, or the United States--the most popular by far is the United States. A majority of those who hold an opinion have a negative view of terror leader Osama bin Laden, and 74 percent of respondents want to see Saddam's henchmen punished. They want us--not Saddam or Osama bin Laden--to stay and help make their country whole. The President has submitted a reconstruction plan to us with three clear objectives: to improve security by aggressively hunting down the terrorists; to expand international participation; and, finally, to help Iraq and Afghanistan become free, democratic, and stable nations. This week, there are a number of hearings being conducted on both the Senate side and the House side to closely examine the President's proposal and to assess what is needed in a thoughtful way. These proceedings give us all the opportunity to ask questions and allow the administration to demonstrate how, when presented accurately, carefully, and clearly, we can achieve the objectives we have set out in the war on terror. The debate, I hope, will continue to be dignified and serious, and in good faith I believe we can complete consideration of this emergency request by the end of next week. There are a lot of questions being asked. I encourage that. Ultimately, I am confident we will overwhelmingly support the President's request. Mr. President, we will stand by the Iraqis. We will help them build a free, prosperous, and democratic country. Their future security-- indeed, our security--and the security of civilized people everywhere depends on it.