Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution and preamble be agreed to, en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination on today's Executive Calendar: Calendar No. 59. I further ask unanimous consent that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Personnel be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 10 a.m. in closed session to markup the personnel programs and provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Bioterrorism Preparedness and Public Health, be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at 2 p.m. in SD-430.

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 May 11, 2005, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at 9:30 a.m., in SD226. Agenda I. Bills S. 852, A bill to Create a Fair and Efficient System to Resolve Claims of Victims for Bodily Injury Caused by Asbestos Exposure, and for Other Purposes. [Specter, Leahy, Hatch, Feinstein, Grassley, DeWine.]

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on Federal Recognition of Indian Tribes.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 2:30 p.m., to hold a hearing on U.S.-E.U. Regulatory Cooperation on Emerging Technologies.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 10 a.m. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 895 a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a rural water supply program in the reclamation States to provide a clean, safe, affordable, and reliable water supply to rural residents.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at 10 a.m., on Spyware.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 2:30 p.m., in closed session to mark up the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 9 a.m. in closed session to mark up the strategic forces programs and provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. FRIST. 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 Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 11:30 a.m. in closed session to mark up the readiness and management support programs and provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 2 p.m. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 100, to authorize the exchange of certain land in the state of Colorado; S. 235 and H.R. 816, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell certain parcels of federal land in Carson City and Douglas County, NV; S. 404, to make a technical correction relating to the land conveyance authorized by Public Law 108-67; S. 741, to provide for the disposal of certain forest service administrative sites in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes; S. 761, to rename the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in the State of Idaho as the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in honor of the late Morley Nelson, an international authority on birds of prey, who was instrumental in the establishment of this National Conservation Area, and for other purposes; and H.R. 486, to provide for a land exchange involving private land and Bureau of Land Management land in the vicinity of Holloman Air Force Base, NM, for the purpose of removing private land from the required safety zone surrounding munitions storage bunkers at Holloman Air Force Base.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, due to the recess, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, all first-degree amendments to the highway bill must be filed at the desk no later than 2 p.m.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I know we will be voting here in a couple of minutes, but I did want to rise in support of the Budget Act point of order against the pending substitute to the highway bill. I do commend the chairman of the Budget Committee, Senator Gregg, for raising it. We do need to exercise fiscal discipline in the Senate. This bill is a good example. We all want to pass a strong highway bill. It will benefit our economy and will create millions of jobs across the country. As I have said on the floor many times, it will contribute to safety on our highways. It is long overdue. The previous bill, TEA-21, expired in September of 2003 and on six occasions we have had to pass extensions. The current extension expires at the end of this month and we need to get this bill to conference as soon as possible, in my mind, so we can resolve what differences exist between the House and the Senate bill and so the President can sign it as soon as possible. It should be clear to all of my colleagues the path to getting a bill signed into law will be smooth only if Congress stays within the spending parameters that have been laid out by the budget resolution we passed last month and by the President of the United States who must ultimately sign this bill. The budget resolution, as Chairman Gregg has noted, allowed for transportation spending over a 6-year period of $283.9 billion. We passed that budget resolution here in the Senate a couple of weeks ago, on April 28. In addition, the President of the United States has made it clear he will not sign a bill into law that spends more than the amount provided for in the budget resolution--$283.9 billion over 6 years. He made it clear publicly, privately, and in the statement of administration policy on this bill, which clearly states: Should the obligation or net authorization levels that will result from the final bill exceed these limits the President's senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill. Finally, I want to make clear that sustaining this budget point of order will not kill the highway bill. Another substitute would be offered that stays within the spending limits set forth in the budget resolution and by the President, just as the various titles reported out by the different committees of jurisdiction did. I am convinced we can pass a good bill that addresses America's infrastructure needs, creates millions of new jobs, and can be signed into law by the President. We should move forward to do just that. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, over the recess last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Yesterday, I reported on the Israel leg of my fact-finding mission. Today I will continue briefly with that discussion of some of my observations of the West Bank. It was an invaluable experience. I and my entire group learned a tremendous amount about the Palestinian perspective. Following my meetings in Jerusalem, we made our way to Ramallah in the West Bank to meet with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority. As we drove toward the city, we could see from our windows that everyday life for Palestinians in the West Bank is, indeed, a struggle. We had to pass through multiple checkpoints, predominantly through the security barrier, the so-called fence, much of which is newly constructed. As I learned on my visit to the Middle East, the fence has been, in truth, very successful in preventing terrorist attacks, although it was quite remarkable that you had to stop and be checked out before passing this fence, which sometimes you had to cross multiple times. We could also see the toll the Intifada has taken on the lives of the Palestinian people. Streets were pockmarked, buildings were run down, and a pall hung over the landscape itself. It is clear the Palestinians need one thing; that is, hope--hope for the future, hope for a better life, hope for a more secure life. They need their economic services improved. They need their social services improved. They need to believe there will be tangible benefits from choosing dialog over violence. This view was reinforced during my meeting with Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad. I learned from him that the unemployment rate in the West Bank is officially 27 percent, but it far exceeds that number. The people are suffering. That is why I strongly support President Bush's efforts to increase assistance to the Palestinian people. President Bush has pledged to help improve economic support programs and strengthen Palestinian democratic institutions. The Finance Minister and I discussed President Bush's generous proposal to provide assistance to the Palestinian Authority. The Finance Minister agrees this assistance is crucial as President Abbas seeks to strengthen the mandate he earned in the January Palestinian elections. From the Finance Minister's office we went on to the Presidential compound in Ramallah to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting was constructive. The parties on all sides appear to appreciate the importance of a longstanding and meaningful dialog on ways to bring peace and security to the Middle East. We had a very open and candid discussion about the status of the peace process, the Palestinians' obligations under the roadmap, and the need for both sides to establish greater trust. In particular, we talked of the need to coordinate the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip so that the Palestinian Authority can reestablish a strong presence in that territory. This whole concept of coordination seemed and is so critical to that successful disengagement. It is crucial that after that withdrawal the Palestinian Authority is able to strengthen its democratic institutions and maintain security and maintain law and order. We discussed Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. I believe that is a courageous decision on the part of the Israelis. President Abbas expressed his concern over unilateral Israeli measures, stressing that progress toward peace should be made through dialog, bringing people together through negotiation and through coordination. To that end, President Abbas expressed his commitment to dismantling the terrorist organizations and preventing terrorist attacks against Israel. This came up again and again. He conveyed to me his firm belief that nonviolence is the path to a Palestinian State. In our discussions it was evident that President Abbas is a serious leader, an elected leader, but also a leader who is in a very difficult situation. His election victory gave him a strong mandate to depart from his predecessor's legacy, Arafat's legacy, of violence and terrorism. But he must also compete for that popular support with violent factions such as Hamas that continue to reject peace with Israel, and at the same time they garner support among the people by providing social services to the people. That is what President Abbas faces. I strongly believe it is, therefore, necessary that the United States continue to support President Abbas in his efforts to transform the Palestinian Authority's reputation for cronyism, corruption, and nontransparency. We need to actively help his administration reform and strengthen the Palestinian security and improve economic services. We must continue to support both economic and social services and offer a stable and peaceful alternative to the radicals that reject peace. We also had the opportunity to talk with an independent Presidential candidate who lost in the election but garnered significant support--a physician, Dr. Mustafa Barghuti, who ran as an independent in the Presidential elections 5 months ago. He spoke of a need for a strong, viable, independent party to serve as an alternative to Hamas. Like President Abbas, he believes peace is the only path to an independent Palestinian State. Dr. Barghuti took me on a tour of his medical relief prevention and diagnostic center for cardiovascular disease in Ramallah. It was quite impressive. It is a model he developed as a physician that he hopes, with the appropriate resources, he will be able to spread through the West Bank. We share that common bond of being physicians and had a great dialog on the importance of social services provided through health care to further build that support of this new government. My experience in the West Bank in my meetings with the various leaders of the Palestinian Authority bolstered my belief that President Abbas is a genuine partner for peace in the Middle East. I also witnessed firsthand how the conflict has deeply affected the daily lives and routines of many Palestinians. I take this opportunity to urge my colleagues to support President Abbas in his efforts to improve the lives of the Palestinian people and make their governing institutions more accountable and responsible to all. I am hopeful his nonviolent approach to relations with Israel will eventually lead to a viable, independent Palestinian State that is able to live side by side with Israel in peace and security for both. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning after 60 minutes of morning business we will resume debate on the highway bill. As I announced on several occasions, this is the second week for consideration of the bill. It is our hope to complete work this week. Last night, cloture motions were filed to the substitute and the bill in an effort to bring the bill to conclusion this week. Today, we will make additional progress on the bill prior to those cloture votes, which will occur on Thursday. If cloture is invoked, there could be up to 30 hours remaining for consideration of the pending substitute amendment. Therefore, Senators should have ample time for debate and amendments. I hope we will not use all of the time and we could finish the bill at the earliest possible point in time. We expect a busy session for the remainder of the week as we continue to make progress on the highway bill.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we had a short recess for about an hour because of a security threat that, by now, has been covered well in the media. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Capitol Police and the various assistants throughout the Capitol because when we have that sort of alert, which comes very quickly, very unexpectedly while we are in session here, but at the same time this huge Capitol Building with literally hundreds and thousands of people working in this complex having to stop and evacuate in an orderly way is a real challenge. So I thank everybody, including our guests, because at the same time we have all of us who are working here in this Capitol structure, there are guests visiting throughout the Capitol. Everybody left in an orderly way and in a way that was safe and calm. As far as I have heard in talking with the Sergeant at Arms, there were no injuries. When you have that sort of rapid departure, that is always a risk. Our Capitol Police, Sergeant at Arms, and the Secretary of the Senate all responded in a way that we can all be proud of. Most importantly, the offending aircraft is now on the ground, and the pilot and whoever else was in the plane are being questioned. Now I am happy to turn to the Democratic leader.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I have not talked to the Democratic leader, but I think if we are about ready to vote, then what I might do is go ahead and do my statement in the interest of time, unless there is something just burning that the distinguished Senator from Florida has to say. I will go ahead and do my statement and then--if the Democratic leader is available?

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in a few minutes we will vote on the President's war and tsunami supplemental request. I take this opportunity to thank Chairman Thad Cochran, as well as Senator Byrd, for their leadership on behalf of our men and women in uniform. This is one of the first major appropriations for Senator Cochran under his chairmanship of the full committee, and I do congratulate him for a job superbly done. I also thank Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye. I am confident we have a bill that will shortly be overwhelmingly supported on both sides of the aisle. The legislation before us is absolutely critical to winning the war on terror. It provides $75.9 billion in support of our troops who are out in the field in Iraq and Afghanistan courageously hunting down the enemy, helping rebuild these countries, and spreading freedom and democracy. We are indebted to our soldiers, and this legislation reflects our deep commitment to their readiness, to their safety, to their families' well-being. This weekend, U.S. troops launched a major counterinsurgency offensive in western Iraq near the Syrian border. This region has become an infamous smuggling route and sanctuary for foreign jihadists. So far, our troops have killed over 100 of the terrorists, and they continue to press the enemy back. Meanwhile, this weekend, our military announced the capture of a top Zarqawi associate, Amar Zubaydi. He was apprehended in a raid on his home last Thursday. Zubaydi is an extremely dangerous man. He is believed responsible for multiple car bombings across Baghdad, as well as the attack on the Abu Ghraib prison last month which wounded 44 U.S. troops and 13 detainees. Authorities also discovered he was planning the assassination of a top Iraqi Government official. The good news is he is now in custody where he can no longer wreak his havoc. Military sources tell us Zubaydi's capture has provided invaluable insights into the Zarqawi wing of the al-Qaida network. This arrest, along with the capture of Ghassan Amin in late April and Abu Farraj al-Libbi in Pakistan last week, further tightens the noose. Indeed, we intercepted a note by one of their colleagues complaining of the group's low morale. Osama bin Laden and al-Zarqawi will be brought to justice, just as Saddam and his henchmen now sit in prison. Our brave men and women in uniform and their colleagues across the U.S. Government are risking their lives and working hard every day to bring that moment ever closer. I urge my fellow Senators to pass the supplemental swiftly so we can get this support to our military men and women in the field--and also, I should add, to the victims of the December tsunami tragedy. The war supplemental includes nearly $880 million in relief funds to help people in countries devastated by that deadly wave. Furthermore, it includes nearly $630 million to increase security at our borders by hiring 500 new border agents and tightening our driver's license ID requirements. America is leading the war on terror, and we are making great progress. As this supplemental appropriations demonstrates, we are a strong Nation, and we are a compassionate Nation. I look forward to an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on this critical legislation in a few moments. Our troops and our fellow citizens are depending on it. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. FRIST. I would be happy to yield.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we yield back the time on our side.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, last week, I had the opportunity to travel throughout the Middle East. My stops included Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. It was a fascinating and illuminating trip for me. We saw firsthand many of the challenges facing that region. I came away with a much greater appreciation for the remarkable developments we have witnessed in that part of the world in recent months: The elections in the Palestinian Authority, the Cedar revolution in Lebanon, and the significant reforms taking place in Egypt. Progress and democracy are on the march. Our first stop was in Jerusalem where we had the chance to explore the rich history of the old city, the heart of three of the world's major religions. We visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall. We had the opportunity to witness the site that is familiar to anyone who travels to that wonderful city of faiths. People were practicing their beliefs side by side, ways that in many ways are very different. That gives real confidence for the future when you experience it. I was truly overwhelmed, once again, by the old city's holiness and sense of history. We met with several Israeli political leaders. Senator Lieberman and I met with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Much of our discussion focused on that roadmap. The Prime Minister discussed with us his courageous decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. We discussed all of the contentious issues, issues such as those surrounding settlements. We discussed the importance of coordinating the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians in order to ensure stability in the Gaza Strip and to ensure security in the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal. A lot of attention was placed on the withdrawal out of the Gaza Strip wherever we moved throughout the Middle East. I believe the Prime Minister's Gaza disengagement plan is a bold step. It is a historic step. The success of his plan, however, will ultimately depend on the Palestinians' ability to stop terrorist acts, to strengthen democratic institutions, to provide security and to deliver tangible benefits to the Palestinian people. The Palestinian people have great expectations. It will be up to their government to deliver tangible benefits to open their world to something that is concrete but more importantly, to hope for the future. We also met with former Cabinet member Natan Sharansky; Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin, and foreign affairs and defense committee chairman Yuval Steinitz. All three of these individuals were opposed to the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. They are all gravely concerned about the militarization of the Sinai and weapons smuggling from the south up into Gaza. It was important to hear their views on these critical matters. I share their concern. The withdrawal plan is understandably controversial and difficult for many families living in the Gaza Strip. I also believe withdrawal is a crucial step toward securing a lasting peace in that part of the world. Our discussion confirmed my belief that the withdrawal must be coordinated with the Palestinian Authority so that the Palestinian Authority can prevent attacks against Israel and make tangible progress toward the roadmap. Right now, there is an opening for huge progress. Both sides have the opportunity to build the trust that will be necessary for negotiations on what we all know will be the most controversial issues. Both sides have to fulfill their obligations. To begin, Palestinians must dismantle the terrorist groups and stop all terrorist attacks against Israel. For the Israelis, it is critical to halt settlement activity and expansion. Much more will need to be done as we move along the roadmap. In our conversation with Prime Minister Sharon, we also discussed our mutual concern about Iran's nuclear ambitions. We agree that a nuclear- armed Iran poses a threat to Israel, the region, to Europe, and to the United States. In my view, the United States must support the work of our European allies to end diplomatically Iran's nuclear ambitions. Failing that, we must take the issue directly to the United Nations Security Council for action. A final meeting was with Finance Minister and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He is working hard to ease the tax burden in order to stimulate his country's economy. He has made remarkable progress. His plan is gaining success. The Israeli economy right now is growing. The economic output, in fact, is growing at a robust annual rate of 4 percent. If he is able to make further reforms, I believe we can expect continued and possibly even better growth in the future. As a physician, at most of these stops I take a few hours off to go to a hospital or a clinic where I have a little picture or window of the realities of what is going on in the country. I meet with doctors, nurses, and patients and ask them questions very directly. I went to the Hadassah Hospital, where I had not been, in Jerusalem. It is a large tertiary care hospital supported by a number of individuals in the United States. We toured the trauma unit, unique anywhere in the world in that it has seen more suicide attack victims than any trauma unit. In fact, they were telling me that there have been 32 suicide attacks in the last 3 years. Each of these suicide attacks--really, never thought about a decade ago there at the hospital--involved on average about 80 injured people; each one, on average, killing about 10 individuals. From an observer's standpoint, it points to the reality of what has gone on in that part of the world over the last 4 years. We also talked a lot about the potential for biological attack as well as chemical attack and their preparedness from the hospital facility standpoint. All in all, my trip to Jerusalem confirmed my confidence in the strength of our very special relationship with Israel and the need for continued American support for this vital friend and ally. Israel stands for what America stands for. Ultimately, it is up to the Israelis and the Palestinians to meet face to face and make the difficult decisions that will lead to peace. My meetings with Israel's leaders reinforce my belief they are willing to take the difficult steps. I will continue to do what I can to support them in their efforts. In closing, tomorrow I will speak very briefly on my trip to the West Bank. I do believe peace can be achieved. I look forward to sharing with my colleagues some of the observations and the lessons I have learned in my interactions with the people in the Middle East. I yield the floor.