Daniel Inouye

Mr. INOUYE

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

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be 120 minutes for debate with respect to the Feingold amendment, with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators Feingold and Inouye or their designees; that no amendment be in order to the amendment prior to the vote; that upon the use or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendment; that the amendment must receive 60 votes to be agreed to, and if the amendment doesn't achieve that threshold, then it be withdrawn; that if it receives that threshold, then it be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

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 Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. INOUYE. I have no objection.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that managers' package No. 3 be considered and agreed to. It consists of the following: amendment No. 3204, for Senator Sununu, regarding harbor surveilling applications; amendment No. 3116, for Senator McCaskill, regarding a Web site link for the DOD Inspector General; amendment No. 3182, for Senator Coleman, regarding the Laser Perimeter Awareness System; amendment No. 3135, as modified, for Senator Kennedy, regarding high temperature superconductor motors; amendment No. 3177, for Senator Inhofe, regarding Ground Warfare Acoustical Combat Systems; amendment No. 3163, for Senator Harkin, regarding MSOGs for F-15 aircraft; amendment No. 3176, for Senators Hutchison and Cornyn, regarding the improvement of barriers at the border; amendment No. 3136, for Senator Landrieu, regarding the Cyberspace Innovation Center; amendment No. 3175, for Senator Bennett, regarding Internet observer threat mitigation tools; amendment No. 3137, for Senators Obama, Coburn, and Reid of Nevada, regarding the Federal tax liability certifications. I ask for their immediate consideration.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 3, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in order to hold a hearing on Burma.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to conduct a hearing entitled: ``Current Mine Safety and Disasters: Issues and Challenges,'' during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing entitled: ``Preserving the Rule of Law in the Fight Against Terrorism,'' on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, at 10 a.m., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 226. Witness List: Jack Landman Goldsmith, Henry L. Shattuck Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The PRESIDENT OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, at 10 a.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled: ``Preparing the National Capital Region for a Pandemic.''

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 10 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order for a hearing to consider pending nominations. Agenda Andrew R. Cochran, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency. John S. Breslan, of New Jersey, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of 5 years. (Reappointment) John. S. Bresland, of New Jersey, to be Chairperson of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of 5 years. C. Russell H. Shearer, of Delaware, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of 5 years. William H. Graves, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2012. (Reappointment) Susan Richardson Williams, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2012. (Reappointment) Thomas C. Gilliland, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for the remainder of the term expiring May 18, 2011.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 2, 2007, at 10:30 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``An Examination of the National Flood Insurance Program.''

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Dodd, I ask unanimous consent that LTCOM Christopher Martin, a Congressional Fellow in Senator Dodd's office, be granted the privilege of the floor during the debate of H.R. 3222.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess until 2:15 p.m.

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

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, as I indicated in the earlier debate, we have been assured by the chair of the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Levin, and the vice chair, Mr. McCain, that this waiver process is working and has worked. It is not an easy amendment to speak against, but I am reminded of something that happened during my days of youth. After World War II, there was a very distinguished German, who was a Nazi. He was the prime person who helped develop the rockets and bombs that devastated London, who was then in the process of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile to devastate the United States. But we provided him with a waiver. He came to the United States and worked to develop rockets for the United States. If it weren't for this scientist, there is grave doubt that we could have sent a man to the Moon at the time we did or whether we could have developed the ICBM that we have today. His name was Dr. Wernher von Braun. I am against those crimes that my colleague from California cited. They are objectionable, they are horrible, and as the father of a son, I can imagine what I would go through if my son had been a victim of one of these crimes. But this process does work, and I think at this moment to flat-out determine that this process cannot be used in certain crimes may be shortsighted. So on behalf of the ranking member of the committee and myself, I move to table the Boxer amendment.

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

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

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I wish to announce that tomorrow morning, after morning hour, at approximately 10:45, we will consider and vote upon the Graham amendment. If there are no amendments after that, the committee is prepared to move to pass the bill on third reading, final passage. So those who have amendments, please come forward. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 4 p.m. the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Boxer amendment, as modified; that the time from 3:55 until 4 p.m. be equally divided and controlled between Senators Boxer and Inouye or their designees; that no amendment be in order to the amendment prior to the vote; that at 4 p.m. the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendment; that when the Senate resumes consideration of H.R. 3222 on Wednesday, following morning business, there will be 30 minutes of debate prior to a vote in relation to the pending Graham amendment; that the second-degree amendment be withdrawn and no other amendment be in order to the amendment prior to the vote; that the time be equally divided and controlled between Senators Graham and Inouye or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendment.

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the present amendment be set aside to reconsider the Boxer amendment.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, on August 2, 2007, by a vote of 83-14, the Senate approved S. 1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. The President signed the legislation on September 14, 2007. This ethics reform legislation will significantly improve the transparency and accountability of the legislative process. Pursuant to new rule 44, the chairman of the committee of jurisdiction is required to certify that certain information related to congressionally directed spending has been identified. The required information must be available on a publicly accessible congressional Web site in a searchable format at least 48 hours before a vote on the pending bill. In addition, Members who request such items are required to certify in writing that neither they nor their immediate family have a pecuniary interest in the items they requested. And, the committee is required to make those certification letters available on the Internet. The information provided includes identification of the congressionally directed spending and the name of the Senator who requested such spending. This information is contained in the committee report numbered 110- 155, dated September 14, 2007, and has been available on the Internet for 2 weeks. The Member letters concerning pecuniary interest are also available on the Internet. I am submitting for the record the certification by the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. I send to the desk such certification and ask unanimous consent it be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment, and that no points of order be considered waived by this agreement.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss H.R. 3222, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2008. The bill that I present on behalf of the Appropriations Committee was approved unanimously by the Committee on September 12. Senator Stevens and I crafted this bill together in a bipartisan fashion. It appropriates $459.6 billion in new budget authority which is equal to the subcommittee's 302b allocation. This amount is $3.5 billion less than the funding requested by the administration, not including supplemental spending for the cost of war. It is the same level as recommended by the House. I say to my colleagues this is a good bill, one that is critical for our Nation's defense. We believe it meets the Senate's priorities: ensuring readiness, protecting our forces, and acquiring the critical equipment that our service men and women need and deserve. The bill fully funds a 3.5 percent military and civilian pay raise, a half percent more than requested. It recommends adding nearly $950 million for the Defense Health Program to ensure that the health of our military families is protected. This includes $486 million above the budget request to support our military hospitals which suffer from significant shortfalls and are stressed by our wounded heroes returning from war. The Appropriations Committee included $1 billion above the President's request to purchase equipment for our National Guard and Reserves recognizing the serious shortfalls that exist in our reserve components. It fully funds the Army's highest priority, the Future Combat System. It supports the purchase of 20 F-22s and 12 Joint Strike Fighters as requested. The bill includes $470 million to support a multi-year purchase of the Virginia class submarine, and provides full funding for the V-22 for the Marines. It would fund the authorized level for the Missile Defense Program, about $300 million below the request. As my colleagues all know, this is a massive bill, with thousands of programs. While most of the administration's proposal is funded as requested, the bill is not a rubberstamp. Senator Stevens and I have recommended reductions in many programs because of schedule delays, cost increases, or other similar problems. In each case it is our judgment that the funds should be reapplied to other areas to address other urgent needs. In doing so, we have been able to increase funding for health care, National Guard equipment, a higher pay raise, and many other worthy initiatives. We should also raise the subject of earmarks in this measure. As you know, the Congress passed new legislation which requires that the committee identify each congressionally directed spending item, which we commonly refer to as earmarks. I want to point out that this bill includes more than $4 billion in adds which were not requested by the President. However, under the definition in S. 1 very few of these items are earmarks. For example, in many cases, the committee chose to provide funding for items not because they were requested by a Member of the Senate, but because of the national merits of the program. Under the definition in S. 1, these are not earmarks. None the less we have included in the report the name of all Members who requested such increases. In fact, to ensure full transparency the committee report not only lists the few earmarks that are required by law, but includes any item funded by the committee for which a Member sought an increase above the President's request. We have gone way beyond the legal requirement to increase transparency. We have nothing to hide in the funding that we are recommending in this measure. I am confident the Members who requested these funds have no reason not to have their names listed. Today is October 2. We have already started a new fiscal year. Our Defense Department is operating on scaled back funding under a short term continuing resolution. That is no way to provide for our common defense. It is critical that we expedite the consideration of this measure to ensure that our men and women in uniform and their families have the funding they need for their pay, their hospitals, their housing, and their schools. The funding that we recommend in this measure to equip our forces is critically needed as soon as possible. We understand the desire of many Members to address policies which relate to the war in Iraq. The war is extremely controversial; our Nation is divided. This matter is so serious it deserves the Senate's full attention and thoughtful debate, but that will take time. While we don't all agree on the proper course in Iraq, there remains one thing in which there is universal agreement. We must support those who are willing to wear our Nation's uniform and make the sacrifices to protect the rest of us. That is a huge sacrifice. We hope that in the coming weeks the Senate will consider a supplemental spending measure to address funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the global war on terrorism. We would urge our colleagues to hold off on supplemental related issues until that bill is considered. To this end, I have resolved to oppose any amendment which could jeopardize quick enactment of this bill. We can best show our support to the military by completing action on the fiscal year 2008 Defense appropriations bill as quickly as possible. I hope all of my colleagues will be able to endorse these recommendations and work with us to pass this legislation. Our men and women in uniform deserve no less. I yield the floor. I hope the Chair will recognize the vice chairman of the committee.