Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Fifteen minutes is what I reserved.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. Our goal is precisely that. We are trying to work out an agreement with Senator Kyl. Staffs are trying to work out a time agreement. The order, though, hopefully will be Senator Burr and then Senator Akaka. But we have to make sure the proper committees are notified that are involved in those amendments, and then we could, I think, have a unanimous consent agreement. That is our goal.

Mr. LEVIN. I am very pleased to hear the optimistic assessment. I can't honestly say I share that optimism, but I will be delighted to be surprised.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Burr be recognized next to offer an amendment. I understand there is not going to be opposition on this side and that he will accept a voice vote on it. Then I ask unanimous consent that Senator Akaka be recognized to offer his amendment, which he talked about last night.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I understand under the previous order, the Senator from Hawaii is now to be recognized to call up his amendment.

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

Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to object--and I will need to object-- we are working through unanimous consent agreements and amendments are lined up on both sides. We have not reached that point yet. There are other amendments that have to come first from the Senator's side, and that would be up to Senator McCain. I have to object at this time. Obviously, we will try to accommodate the Senator getting his amendment up, but Senator McCain would need to consider the Senator's proposal. I have to object.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, if I could just have Senator McCain's attention for a minute, I think we have a unanimous consent agreement. Mr. President, has the Akaka amendment been disposed of?

Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent that the Akaka amendment be temporarily set aside, that we then move to an amendment on European missile defense, which is a Lieberman amendment with many cosponsors, which we have worked very hard on and which is ready to be propounded. There is at least one additional speaker on it. Senator Sessions wants to speak on it as well. But I ask unanimous consent that Senator Lieberman be recognized now to introduce that amendment; that after he speaks, Senator Sessions be recognized; that I will then be recognized, and then Senator McCain, if he wishes to be recognized. I believe the intention here is that we may be able to adopt this by a voice vote; is that correct? That is the hope, anyway. Well, I will leave that part alone.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, may I ask Senator Lieberman to yield for a moment? First of all, I ask unanimous consent that no second-degree amendments be in order to this amendment.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I very much support the pending amendment. It is the product of a lot of work by a lot of people. Senator Lieberman, in particular, was considering offering an amendment during our markup in the committee. He agreed that he would hold off until we got to the floor to try to get broad bipartisan agreement on a very important subject. He did that. We are grateful to him for doing so. This amendment is consistent with the administration's policies for missile defense in Europe, including its consideration of a variety of options and architectures for defending Europe, including the so-called third site in Poland and the Czech Republic. The main purpose of these efforts in Europe is to act against an Iranian missile threat should it materialize. It is very important that we do so. Earlier this month, General Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, testified before the Armed Services Committee that the Department of Defense is considering a number of missile defense options in Europe. This amendment is also consistent with the administration's efforts to pursue missile defense cooperation with Russia as part of our efforts to address the Iranian missile threat. Those missiles, of course, potentially could be armed with nuclear warheads. This potential Iranian missile threat is a threat that confronts not just Europe as NATO but also Russia as well, obviously, and a number of other countries. It is a real threat. Everything we can do to deter that, everything we can do to defend, should it ever materialize, is something we must do. It is a major threat. In one of its findings, NATO recognizes this Iranian threat. This is the way NATO recognized this Iranian threat and the importance of trying to work together to deter, to try to prevent it from happening, and then, should it happen, to defend against it, to make it useless. Here is what NATO said in April: We support increased missile defense cooperation between Russia and NATO, including maximum transparency and reciprocal confidence-building measures to allay any concerns. We reaffirm our readiness to explore the potential for linking United States, NATO and Russian missile defense systems at an appropriate time and we encourage the Russian Federation to take advantage of [U.S.] missile defense cooperation proposals. Back in April, I led a delegation, with Senators Collins and Bill Nelson, to visit Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic to discuss missile defense and the potential for a cooperative approach. What we found is that there appears to be real potential for a cooperative approach and for having missile defense be a uniting issue against a common threat instead of a dividing issue. If we can find a way to cooperate with Russia on missile defense, it would send an extraordinarily powerful message to Iran that we are united against their continued development of nuclear technology and long-range ballistic missiles. That is the point of missile defense in Europe, to address the Iranian missile and nuclear program in order to enhance their security and our security. This amendment will authorize prior year's funds for a variety of cost-effective and operationally effective missile defense options that could protect Europe and the United States from Iranian missiles of all ranges, current and future. The amendment is designed to command and hopefully attract strong bipartisan support. I hope it does just that. I believe a voice vote may be possible after Senator McCain speaks. I hope that is the case, given the schedule.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

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

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

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that Senator Dorgan be recognized for up to 15 minutes and then we return to regular order.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, reserving the right to object. I will not object--of course--this would be the next amendment which would be in a line of amendments that Senator McCain and I are trying to work out alternating between the two sides.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I also reluctantly oppose this amendment. Senator Burr and Senator Hagan have both been very eloquent in their positions, and it is understandable how they and their States feel in this matter. The Navy has not done a particularly good job. Senator Webb, in committee, suggested some important language that will, hopefully, be helpful. Senator Webb was equally eloquent in his position. We adopted that report language. I think we should stand with it. It is simply not good public policy for Congress to prematurely limit training locations--particularly when those sites have not been fully considered by the military. So it is, hopefully, going to prod the Navy to do a lot better in terms of its consultation and communications with our communities in North Carolina, Virginia, and around the country. I also must oppose this amendment.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I move to reconsider that vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I see the Senator from Oklahoma here.

Mr. LEVIN. I object.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be laid aside temporarily and that it be in order for me to offer an amendment on behalf of myself, Senator Graham, and Senator McCain.

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