Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Thursday, June 23, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in Senate Dirksen Office Building Room 226. Agenda I. Nominations: James B. Letten to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Rod J. Rosenstein to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. II. Bills: S. 1088, Streamlined Procedures Act of 2005--Kyl, Cornyn; S. 155, Gang Prevention and Effective Deterrence Act of 2005-- Feinstein, Hatch, Grassley, Cornyn, Kyl, Specter; and S. 751, Notification of Risk to Personal Data Act--Feinstein. III. Matters: Senate Judiciary Committee Rules.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 23, 2005, for a committee hearing to receive testimony on various benefits-related bills pending before the Committee. The hearing will take place in Room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 10 a.m.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 23, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``The Consequences of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton'' on Thursday, June 23, 2005, at 2 p.m. in SD226. Witness List Panel I: Sandra Cano, Atlanta, GA; Norma McCorvey, Dallas, TX; and Ken Edelin, M.D., Boston, MA. Panel II: Teresa Collett, Esq., Professor of Law, University of St. Thomas Law School, Minneapolis, MN; M. Edward Whelan, Esq., President, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, DC; R. Alta Charo, Esq., Professor of Law and Bioethics, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, WI; and Karen O'Conner, Professor of Government, American University, Washington, DC.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security be authorized to meet on Thursday, June 23, 2005, at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing regarding ``Addressing Disparities in Federal HIV/AIDS CARE Program''.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 181, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24. I further ask consent 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 then proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2361, the Interior appropriations bill, as provided under the previous order.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent on Friday June 24th, at a time determined by the majority leader, after consultation with the Democratic leader, the Senate proceed to consideration of Calendar No. 125, H.R. 2361, the Interior appropriations bill; I further ask consent that when the Senate begins the bill, the committee substitute be agreed to and considered as original text for the purpose of further amendments, with no points of order waived; provided further that all first-degree amendments be offered on Friday, June 24th, and Monday, June 27th.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. 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.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we will resume debate on the Energy bill, with the time equally divided until the cloture vote, which is scheduled for 10 a.m., about an hour from now. I expect that cloture will be invoked on the bill today. We have now debated the bill and the amendments for almost 2 weeks, and it is time that we move toward final passage, which I hope and believe will be today. Senators Domenici and Bingaman have been on the floor and available to consider amendments during the entire 2-week process. I congratulate them on moving this bill forward in a very efficient and timely way. I do hope that once cloture is invoked, we will find a way to bring this bill to completion this afternoon or evening. As I mentioned last night before closing, if Members do cooperate and show restraint with their amendments, we could certainly finish at a reasonable hour, and I hope we will accomplish that. If Members wait and come forward at the very last minute, it will be necessary to stay here until very late tonight, indeed until tomorrow. So it really is up to us how we handle it. I encourage our colleagues to come to the floor and talk to the managers as soon as possible if they wish to offer their amendments. I do think we are on the glidepath to completing this bill. As I mentioned last night, following completion of the bill, hopefully tomorrow, we would begin the Interior appropriations bill. The Democratic leader and I will be having more to say about that.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning I have the honor of meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari. The Prime Minister is in the United States to meet with President Bush and other Washington leaders to discuss the next steps in Iraq's transition to a free and democratic society. I have not yet met the Prime Minister. I look forward to doing so in the next couple of hours. The Prime Minister deserves great praise for his leadership. He has worked hard as Prime Minister to reach out across ethnic and religious lines. Because of his efforts, Iraq is led by a transitional government that includes ministers from each of Iraq's ethnic and religious groups. The Prime Minister's steady leadership has been inspiring. Next Tuesday, 5 days from now, June 28, will mark the 1-year anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty from the Coalition Provisional Authority to a sovereign Iraqi Government. Since then, Iraq has fought the insurgency with determination as it has undergone truly remarkable changes. Perhaps none was more remarkable than the elections on January 31. On that day, 8 million Iraqis cast their votes for the first democratically elected national assembly in more than 50 years. They came on foot, they came by car and some even came by wagon. They defied all manner of terrorist threat and terrorist intimidation. It was truly extraordinary. No one who saw the images of those brave citizens emerging from the polling stations, holding aloft those stained, blue-inked fingers, could help but be moved and inspired. While the task of forming a government has taken much longer than any of us would have hoped, the Iraqi people now turn to the task of drafting a constitution and laying the groundwork for a new round of elections at this year's end. Last week, leaders of the 55-member committee charged with drafting the new constitution reached a compromise with the Sunni Arab groups. Together, they decided on the number of Sunni representatives to serve on that committee. This was a major step forward and a significant effort on the part of the majority to reach out to the Sunni leadership. It was also significant because of the impact it could have on the ground. As we have seen political progress slow, we have watched unfortunately the violence increase. Building and sustaining momentum in the political process is clearly linked to undermining the terrorists and their support. During their low turnout in the January elections and the current spate of violence, the Sunnis realized they cannot achieve their aims by standing outside the process or by failing to face down the insurgents. Like all Iraqis, they have a tremendous stake in the success of Iraq becoming a peaceful and prosperous democracy. They know the best way to ensure the outcome and to ensure their rightful place is to work constructively with their fellow Iraqis. I am heartened by the efforts of the Shi'a and Kurd leaders to include the Sunnis in the political process. These are difficult times, and they require thoughtful leadership. The efforts of all parties to reach out and be inclusive deserves our praise and our steadfast support, as do the brave Iraqis who have stepped forward to defend and protect their country. The Iraqi forces have suffered more deaths and casualties than coalition forces. Despite repeated direct attacks on their ranks, every day thousands of young Iraqis continue to volunteer for service. The Defense Department reports that, as of June 8, more than 160,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped. Yes, many of them have much experience to gain and much more to learn before they will be able to act independently, but this will take time as we strive to get 270,000 Iraqis in uniform by July 2006. Progress is being made. Two or three months ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Jordan and visited one of the Iraqi-Jordanian police training academies. They are on the ground. One can see the progress that is being made in Iraq and with the Iraqi police recruits. One can see their commitment to seeing the job through. It is all a difficult task, and it is going to take a lot of determination, but I am confident the Iraqi forces will continue to improve and continue to demonstrate their bravery in the days ahead. As Iraqis assume a greater responsibility for their own defense, the pace of Iraq's reconstruction should also gain speed. After decades of corruption and mismanagement by Saddam's regime, many of Iraq's towns and cities were in shambles, sewage in the streets, tumbled-down schools, unreliable electricity and unreliable and unpotable water. Coalition forces have been working hard to help the Iraqis rebuild and retool. We are also helping the Iraqis strengthen the rule of law, a civil society, and private enterprise. A strong economy means more opportunities, better jobs, more jobs and a brighter future. Opinion polls show a majority of Iraqis remain optimistic about their economic future despite ongoing security concerns. It is all hard work, and it is made much harder by foreign interference. The State Department reports that while Syria has taken some steps to improve border security, supporters of the terrorists continue to use Syrian territory as a staging ground. On the Iranian front, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and CIA Director Goss report that Iran has sent money and fighters to proteges in Iraq. The fact is, some of Iraq's neighbors fear a large, prosperous democracy on their borders. They fear that a democratic Iraq will export freedom and liberty to their lands. But fear will not stop freedom's progress. Iraq will succeed and will become a beacon of hope throughout the region and throughout the world. We have already seen the beginnings in the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. Freedom is on the march, and the Iraqi people are leading the way. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to continue to offer our steadfast support. This is an extraordinary opportunity to change the course of history and bring peace and stability to the heart of the Middle East. Such steadfastness will not be easy and will not be without cost, but we must succeed. We cannot allow the terrorists to win, and we cannot allow Iraq to fall into chaos, sectarian violence or the rule of extremists. This is going to take a lot of time. It is going to take a lot of money. It is going to take a lot of patience. The American people need to understand that we will be in Iraq for some time to come. It is vital to the Iraqis that we be there. It is critical to the region that we be there. It is essential to our own security that we be there. Our time line will be driven by success and our exit will depend on the security situation. It will depend on democracy's advance and the wishes of a sovereign Iraq. It is clear to me that as Iraqis are able to stand up and provide their own security, without coalition assistance and without foreign intervention, we should be able to begin withdrawing personnel from that region. When I meet with the new Iraqi Prime Minister later this morning, we will discuss all of these pressing matters. I will let him know America is fully committed to Iraq's success. I will also tell him we expect continued progress on security, on reconstruction, and the formation of a functioning democracy. In the end, Iraq, the region, and the United States will be more safe and more secure. I ask unanimous consent that the time just consumed be counted against the majority's allocated time prior to the cloture vote.

Mr. FRIST. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent there now be a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the Rules Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 179 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statement be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, tomorrow, the Senate will begin consideration of the Interior appropriations bill. Under a previous agreement, we will consider amendments to the bill tomorrow and Monday, and we will begin votes in relation to amendments to the bill on Tuesday of next week. Therefore, there will be no rollcall votes during tomorrow's session. Senators who have amendments to the Interior appropriations bill, however, should make themselves available to come to the floor tomorrow and Monday to offer their first-degree amendments. Mr. President, we had a great success today in the completion of the Energy bill, although we will not have the final vote on that bill until Tuesday morning. I congratulate the chairman and ranking member of the Energy Committee for their tremendous work--tremendous work--in getting the Energy bill to the finish line. Through their hard work and with the cooperation and hard work of our colleagues, we were able to dispose of all amendments and take the bill to third reading in 2 weeks, just as we had planned. We had said that was our goal about a month ago. And, indeed, that goal has been accomplished. We will have the vote on passage on Tuesday morning of next week. The vote on passage will occur between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and that will be our next vote. Both the chairman and ranking member of the Energy Committee will be there for that vote on Tuesday morning. Tomorrow, Mr. President, I will update everyone with respect to next week's schedule. It will be the last week of our session prior to the Fourth of July holiday, and thus we can expect a very busy week. At the beginning of this 4-week block, we said we would spend the last week on appropriations bills. And, indeed, with the completion of the Energy bill, we will do just that--in fact, starting a day early by beginning the Interior appropriations bill tomorrow. Also during the week, we will have other legislative or executive matters we will deal with once they have been cleared.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 163.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Small Business Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 165, and the Senate now proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 134, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 40, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.