Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object, but I ask that Senator Nickles get 20 minutes so we will have a balance of the time. I urge all Senators to not feel they must use all of the time. I inquire of the Chair, with that change, has the question been put?

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment today to recognize one of the finest officers in the United States Air Force, Major General T. Michael ``Buzz'' Moseley. On August 3rd, General Moseley was promoted from his job as Director of the Air Force Office of Legislative Liaison to become the Commander, Ninth Air Force, Air Combat Command and Commander, United States Central Command Air Forces, United States Central Command. During his time in Washington, and especially with regard to his work on Capitol Hill, General Moseley personified the Air Force core values of integrity, selfless service and excellence in all things. Many Members and staff enjoyed the opportunity to meet with him on a variety of Air Force issues and came to appreciate his many talents. Today it is my privilege to recognize some of Buzz's many accomplishments since he entered the military 29 years ago, and to commend the superb service he provided the Air Force, the Congress and our Nation. Buzz Moseley entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M. While and ``Aggie'', he completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science. He earned his pilot wings in 1973 at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, and was then assigned to stay on as a T-37 instructor pilot. From 1979 to 1983, he flew the F-15 as an instructor pilot, flight lead and mission commander, first at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and then while serving overseas at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Over his career, General Moseley demonstrated his skill as an aviator in the T-37, T-38, AT-38 and F-15 aircraft, and logged over 2,800 hours of flying time. From early in his career, General Moseley's exceptional leadership skills were always evident to both superiors and subordinates as he repeatedly proved himself in numerous select command positions. He was the Commander of the F-15 Division of the United States Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and the Commander of the 33rd Operations Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. When stationed at Nellis Air Force Base a second time, he commanded the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing. With 26 squadrons, consisting of A-10, B-1, B-52, F-15C/D, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D, HH-60G and the RQ-1A Predator, it is the Air Force's largest, most diverse flying wing. The 57th also included the Air Force Weapons School, Red Flag, Air Force Aggressors, the Air Force Demonstration Squadron ``The Thunderbirds'', the Air-Ground Operations School, Air Warrior, 66th Rescue Squadron and the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle operations. Buzz Moseley also excelled in a variety of key staff assignments. These include serving as Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Asia and Middle East on the Joint Staff; Chief of the Air Force General Officer Matters Office; Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chair and Professor of Joint and Combined Warfare at the National War College; and Chief of the Tactical Fighter Branch, Tactical Forces Division, Directorate of Plans. General Moseley also serves on the Council on Foreign Relations and has been named an Officer of the Ordre National du Merite by the President of France. During his service to the 106th and 107th Congress, General Moseley was the Air Force liaison for critical readiness and modernization issues. He was a crucial voice for the Air Force in representing its many programs on the Hill, providing clear, concise and timely information. General Moseley's leadership, professionalism, and expertise enabled him to foster exceptional rapport between the Air Force and the Senate, impressing me with his ability to work with the Congress to address Air Force priorities. We were all pleased to see that the President recently nominated General Moseley for his third star. It is exceptionally well deserved. I offer my congratulations to him, his wife, Jennie, son, Greg and daughter, Tricia. The Congress and the country applaud the selfless commitment his entire family has made to the Nation in supporting his military career. I know I speak for all of my colleagues in expressing my heartfelt appreciation to General Moseley. He is a credit to both the Air Force and the United States. We wish our friend the best of luck in his new command.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if Senator Daschle will yield, I thank him for his remarks and I will respond in kind appropriately, but I will wait until after the unanimous consent is reached.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for agreeing to this request. I, too, want to thank Senator Daschle, Senator Reid, the leadership on the Democratic side of the aisle, and Senators Nickles, Gramm, Domenici, Stevens, and Warner who have worked on these resolutions, and many others. I realize this is a dramatic action in both cases. That is what is called for. I have never seen a better example of Members standing together, working together, swallowing our legalistic desires and our budgetary restraint feelings. These are difficult times. We have got to act decisively. The American people expect it of us and they will accept nothing less. We are doing that. We are moving today to provide humanitarian funds to assist in the cleanup, disaster assistance, and military action that is necessary. In a perfect world, maybe we would do it differently--with more money, less money, more language, less language--but the world has changed, and we are acting appropriately. With regard to the use of force language, again, I think it has been worked on by Democrats, Republicans, and the administration. If you look at it carefully, I think it does the job without putting us at risk. Senator Daschle said the conference was ready to go to do these things. I think this is the right thing, and I commend both conferences for this decisive action. Thank you for your leadership.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Did you propound a UC on the time for the 5 minutes?

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I just want to say also--and I will have more to say about the resolution in a moment--how much I appreciate the work yesterday that was totally nonpartisan, totally cooperative from the leadership on the Democratic side of the aisle and on this side of the aisle and with the House of Representatives. That was the right thing to do. It was done. Senator Daschle was there. He made decisions that were appropriate after consultation--and some of them were tough-- that even sometimes had to be modified later because events kept changing. I express my appreciation to him for that. Also, this resolution today is bipartisan and bicameral; the same resolution will be considered in the House of Representatives. It is a good resolution. I believe it is strong. It is important that the American people and the world know that is the way we are proceeding. I thank Senator Daschle for his cooperation.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, any expression of sympathy for the suffering today is too weak. Every expression of horror at this outrage is too mild. But we must confront these acts and find a way to come together and make sure that this kind of heinous, vicious action will not happen again in America. This premediated action against innocent men and women and children and their families, at the symbols of our country-- our economic strength, our military strength, and most importantly, our freedoms--is unimaginable. There's no way to understand it, to explain it, to defend it. Americans just don't think that way. That makes it hard for us to comprehend this very difficult moment and to do what's necessary to deal with terrorism and stop it in the future. Our prayers are going out to the victims and their families, to those who are suffering in so many ways in New York, in Virginia, and in Pennsylvania--in all of America. We have such a debt of appreciation to pay to those who have struggled mightily with these catastrophic events at the Pentagon and at the World Trade Center and in our cities and states--the volunteers, those who gave their lives trying to deal with this terrible moment. To our allies and to those around the world who see this not just as a strike at America, but at freedom and democracy all over the world, and to those who already have extended hands of cooperation, understanding, and support, we appreciate it on behalf of the American people. Now, Mr. President, it's so important that we show that even these terrible acts cannot stop America from going forward. We must get on with important work. But it is important also to make it clear that this is not business as usual. We're going ahead with our responsibilities. But we are going to act now, tomorrow, and in the weeks and months ahead to deal with those people who have taken these actions and with those who have supported them. We will take whatever action is necessary in the Congress, working with the administration, working with the American team to stop this kind of terrorism. Whatever we call it, we must put ourselves in a war footing. We must make up our minds we're going to fight this scourge of the world. We will. We have come together. There are moments in history when in the past the people of this country have set aside conflicts and prejudices and passions and have come together. We'll do it now. We've already done it. But we must continue to do so, regardless of region, religion, party, philosophy, or anything else. There's much to do. We've got to find out how this happened. Congress has a right and a responsibility to learn what has happened here. We must find out who did it. And we must be prepared to take actions and fight terrorist attacks in the future. This is not a time for timidity. This is not a time for pontification. Yes, we need to be sure of our actions. We need to be committed and determined. We need to be bold. Here in the Congress I hope we will think about how we most effectively can fulfill our responsibilities to do everything we can to fight terrorism, to provide the funds necessary in this fight and to provide the aid so necessary for those who have been damaged and have lost so much. Just in a few hours we will take up the Commerce-State-Justice appropriations bill. In that bill is funding for counterterrorism. Is it enough? Can we do more? What should we do? I call on the Senate, as I know it will, to rise to this occasion, to be bold. Let's act together. The American people expect no less. I yield the floor, Mr. President.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I seek the recognition of the Chair to note that if I have to leave the floor, Senator Gregg will manage the time on our side.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, next week the Senate will be honored with a visit from the Right Honorable John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia. Prime Minister Howard comes to the United States to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the signing ANZUS Treaty, the document that has formally tied our strategic destinies together for the good of the entire Asian Pacific Rim. Our relationship with Australia did not begin with the ratification of one treaty. American and Australian soldiers have fought together on every battlefield of the world from the Meuse Argonne in 1918 to the Mekong Delta and Desert Storm. We share a common historic and cultural heritage. We are immigrant peoples forged from the British Empire. We conquered our continents and became a beacon of hope for people struggling to be free. For over 100 years, the United States and Australia have been the foundation for stability in the South Pacific. Today, we are on the precipice of a new day in this vital region. The potential for economic growth there is staggering. Where our two countries provided the military basis for peace in that hemisphere, we now can set the stage for a new free market order that will open the frontiers of freedom for countless millions. On September 5th, I sent a letter to President Bush asking that he accelerate the schedule for creating a free trade agreement with Australia. We are Australia's largest source of foreign investment and second largest trading partner with a two way trade totaling over $19 billion. Even though Australia has a relatively small population, they are the 15th largest market for American exports. An American Australia Free Trade Agreement will be a capstone event on a century of friendship and mutual sacrifice. It has the potential for setting a new standard for all of the Pacific to follow. So we welcome Prime Minister Howard to the United States and look forward to another century of prosperity and peace. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my letter to President Bush dated September 5, 2001 be printed in the Record.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, 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. LOTT. Mr. President, I know from the expressions on the faces of all of our officers and staff members in the Senate Chamber, there is a bittersweet feeling about the fact that Elizabeth Letchworth will be leaving to go on to the next venture in her life. I have said many times--not often enough--how much I appreciated the great work done by the officers of the Senate and the staff, those who read the bills, the clerks, the Parliamentarians, our own floor assistants. They make this place run. They serve us all so well, Democrat and Republican. We get to take the bows and go back home to our constituents, or home for the night, and quite often they continue to work. I take this occasion to thank all for the great work they do and say how much I appreciate you. The record will show someday that quite often I took into consideration a very capable and deserving staff in deciding not to be in session on occasion. I do think about the staff, and I am sure that my successor as majority leader will do the same. Also I should say I regret that I am doing this alone, now, at this hour. There is probably not a Senator in this body who could not tell a personal story about some event or some situation where Elizabeth Letchworth helped--again, Republican and Democrat, and Independent. She has looked after us all, sometimes when we did not even deserve it, but she was particularly helpful to me while I was majority leader. The rules of the Senate are not easy to understand. We mess them up every now and then, especially if we try to do things on our own. If there is an Elizabeth or a Marty or a Lula or a Dave, quite often we avoid making a mistake. Elizabeth has been special. On behalf of all the Republican Senators, and all Senators, we thank her for her years of service and dedication. Senator Dole had a lot of fine staff, but I guess Elizabeth is the one who has stayed with me the longest. She serves the institution. She doesn't serve one leader or another. She has served us all well. We have been smart enough to keep her around. While I wish we had all 100 Members here--and perhaps I should have done this earlier today when we were all here, but it is typical of her--we were running around trying to figure out how we were going to get the Agriculture bill done with the least amount of pain and suffering for both sides and for the President. And we got it done. Once again, she helped to make it possible. I wanted the resolution to be read in its entirety because she has had quite a career. It is obvious she is quite young, still. But she has been around this institution for almost 26 years, going back to 1975. She started as a page during her junior and senior years in high school. Obviously she should have known then not to stay any longer, but she made a miscalculation, as young people quite often will, and she has been here ever since. Elizabeth had her first permanent position with former Republican Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania. That was so long ago I was not even in Congress--maybe I was. I guess I would have been, but I can't remember that far back. She served for Howard Baker, Bob Dole, and now for me as majority and minority leader. She is the first and only one, to date, to hold the post of Republican secretary, and she served in that position for 7 years. Elizabeth is a native of Virginia. Let me note, also, her parents are Jody and Don Baldwin. I want to mention them in particular because I have known her father for about 30 years myself, going back to when I was a staff member for a Democrat in the House. If that is not ancient history, I don't know what is. But I always loved him and enjoyed working with him. I know he was oh so proud of Elizabeth and the confidence we have had in her and the job she has done. She did, again, show great wisdom. She married Ron Letchworth, born in Greenville, MS, finished high school at Hazlehurst, MS, and as is typical of southern boys, he overran his kick coverage and married Elizabeth. That means he married way over his head, but he is a great guy. Elizabeth is retiring and going on to do different things, other things. I believe they will live in North Carolina and she will tend to her other passion--other than the Senate--golf and other things about life that are important. Too often, as staff members and as Senators, we get to thinking this is the world, it is all here in this room, in this Chamber, in this building, within the beltway. But out beyond the beltway is a wonderful life, a lot of wonderful people, and a lot of wonderful things to do. I understand there is life after the Senate. I am not sure of that, but for now I look forward to finding that out someday myself. Until then, I say to Elizabeth Letchworth, we appreciate all you have done. We will always think of you and love you and we wish you the very best at whatever you do.

Mr. LOTT. I am happy to yield.

Mr. LOTT. I thank the Senator from Vermont.

Mr. LOTT. I send a resolution to the desk and I ask that it be read in its entirety.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Now, we make a first attempt to name a successor, and that will be a difficult task. So I send a resolution to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. LOTT. Good luck, Dave; you are going to need it. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could be recognized just to respond briefly, I understand what the Senator from Nevada is saying. We discussed it. We believe Mary Sheila Gall's nomination to be Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission was treated very badly and very shabbily in terms of the things that were said about her and the vote that occurred. I am sure there will be those who make the argument on the other side. With regard to Otto Reich to be Assistant Secretary of State, he has not had a hearing. We believe it is unfair to single him out and send back just one nominee at this time. My understanding is over the past several years, during the 5 years I was majority leader, in every year but one we sent back no nominees. In 1999, we did actually send back nine. To isolate it down to one or two this early in the session, we believe, is a problem. We realize it is a ministerial process now. They will all be sent down and all will be bundled up and sent back, but it does highlight our concern about the way these two nominees are being treated. I understand what Senator Reid was saying. We have taken that action, right or wrong. Now we can move on.

Mr. LOTT. If the Senator will just yield on one point, I thank the Senator for nominations we are going to be able to move now. A lot of work has been done to get this list cleared. You have given a lot of time to it, as has Senator Nickles. I just wanted to thank you in advance for the work that has been done.

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, it is my understanding if this consent were granted on the two nominations, the two cited as PN 386 and PN 630, they would be returned to the White House. However, the White House could immediately resubmit the names. Therefore, I modify the request, or ask to modify the request so that all nominations remain in status quo during the adjournment of the Senate.

Mr. LOTT. Therefore, I object to the original request by the distinguished assistant majority leader.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor. THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Dayton). The Senator from Iowa.

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President--and I do not intend to object--I think the Senators who wish to be heard on this issue should have an opportunity. I did want to see if the ranking member on this side might have some request at this time with regard to the timing of the speeches or indications of how votes might occur. I withdraw my reservation and yield the floor to Senator Lugar.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I now ask for its second reading and object to my own request.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, let me say again that I appreciate the number of nominees that have been confirmed. I think that will help our overall relationship. A lot of these civilian nominees to head agencies and Assistant Secretary positions clearly need to be moved through. So I am glad to see it is happening. I hope we can continue this pattern when we return in September. And I hope we will begin then to make steady progress on the confirmation of judicial nominees both for the circuit courts as well as the district courts, and also, as soon as they are received, begin to move U.S. attorneys and U.S. marshals in districts throughout the country.