Richard Lugar

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. LUGAR. I yield as much time to the Senator from Texas as she may require.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, now that President Bush has declared an end to combat operations in Iraq, it is important that we take a moment to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. As we celebrate the swift and stunning victory in Iraq achieved by our men and women in uniform, we must be careful not to forget the pain and loss of those families whose loved ones fell on the field of battle. In my home State of Indiana, seven families have suffered the devastating loss of a loved one during this relatively brief military campaign. Seven truly fine young men will not be coming home to victory parades and joyful reunions. This Nation takes rightful pride in the extraordinary accomplishments of our Armed Forces, and we rejoice that the war has come to such a quick end. But we must always temper these feelings with the knowledge that this victory did not come cheaply. Today, I would like to pay tribute to those from Indiana who made the ultimate sacrifice in this war. Indiana National Guard Specialist Brian Clemens of Kokomo, was the State's first casualty of this war. Specialist Clemens, who was 19, died in Kuwait on February 6--six weeks before the ground attack into Kuwait got under way. He was riding in a Humvee which overturned. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 293d Infantry, one of two Indiana National Guard units mobilized to provide a robust force protection presence in the Persian Gulf. The units' 1,320 soldiers are guarding U.S. military installations and supply lines in Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar. Specialist Clemens was an Eagle Scout and a graduate of Maconaquah High School, where he was a dedicated member of the wrestling team. Before being called to active duty, he was working at Wal-Mart and saving money to enroll in college. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Cathy and Terry McCreay of Kokomo, and his father, Robert Clemens of Dayton, OH. Many of Brian's friends are still in the Persian Gulf region, and they have memorialized his death by wearing black wristbands. Brian Clemens will be missed. Marine Lance Corporal David Fribley, who grew up in Warsaw, IN, was killed on March 23. He was riding in an armored vehicle that encountered a group of Iraqi soldiers waiving a white flag. The Iraqis moved close and then suddenly opened fire. A rocket-propelled grenade exploded against his vehicle and he was killed. Eight other Marines in his unit were also killed in that encounter. Lance Corporal Fribley was 26 years old when he died. He had been a Marine for not quite a year. The middle child of Gary and Linda Fribley, he decided to enlist after 9/11 because he wanted to do something for his country. He didn't have to go. His decision came just months after he graduated from Indiana State University, and he had a good job as a recreation director in a retirement home complex. But Lance Corporal Fribley felt he had a duty to serve his country. In high school, he had lettered in football and track all four years. One of his football coaches describes him as the poster boy for Marine Corps commercials--tall, strong and unrelenting in his work ethic. Warsaw, IN, is a small and tightly-knit community of tree-lined streets and well-kept homes. Lance Corporal Fribley's funeral was held in the high school gym because a large crowd was expected. Every seat was filled. Many of the town's military veterans put on their old uniforms and medals and lined the streets to render a salute to David's flag-draped coffin as it passed by. David Fribley will be missed. Army Specialist Gregory Sanders, of Hobart, IN, was killed by a sniper's bullet on March 24. He was a tank crewman assigned to the Third Infantry Division. Greg was 19 when he died. Specialist Sanders joined the Army shortly after graduating from Hobart High School, where he had been captain of the cross-country team. He had always wanted to be in the military, just like his dad, Richard, who died of a heart attack when Specialist Sanders was 15. His mother, Leslie Sanders, told the local newspaper her earliest memory of her son was watching him play in a backyard sandbox with plastic toy soldiers. Dig a little and you can still find some of his soldiers. It was only 12 years ago. When residents of the town of Hobart learned of his death, they conducted a special candlelight service in his memory in front of the Doughboy Statue in the center of town. They laid flowers, candles, ribbons and wreaths all around the statue, creating an impromptu monument to the town's fallen soldier. Specialist Sanders leaves behind a wife, Ruthann, and a 14-month-old daughter, Gwendolyn. He was buried in Calumet Park Cemetery near Merrillville next to his father. Greg Sanders will be missed. Specialist William A. Jeffries of the Indiana National Guard died March 31 after falling ill in Kuwait, where his unit was guarding U.S. military bases. He was 39 years old. Doctors told his family he died in a Navy hospital in Spain of a pulmonary embolism and acute pancreatitis. Specialist Jeffries lived in Evansville, IN, with his wife, B.J. Unusually tall at 6-foot-5, he was known for his gentle nature. He had graduated from Reitz High School in 1982 and then served 10 years on active duty in the Air Force. Many of Indiana's National Guard members have prior service. Not only do they continue serving their country in uniform, but they find a camaraderie that just does not exist in civilian life. Indiana is very proud of the contribution its National Guard units are making to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Specialist Jeffries' unit was one of two Indiana National Guard infantry battalions mobilized to provide a robust force protection presence in the Persian Gulf. The units' 1,320 soldiers are guarding U.S. military installations and supply lines in Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar. Just before his battalion departed for Kuwait, Specialist Jeffries was given emergency leave to attend the funeral of his father, Kenneth. Although it was a sad occasion, it brought him together with his mother, Marie, and five older brothers for the first time in many years. William Jeffries will be missed. Marine Sergeant Duane Rios of Griffith, IN, was killed on April 4 during a firefight on the outskirts of Baghdad. He was 25 years old and the leader of a squad of combat engineers trained to do such things as build roads and bridges, clear minefields and handle explosives. Sergeant Rios joined the Marines after graduating from Griffith High School in 1996, and he thrived on the experience. He and his wife, Erica, who had been his high school sweetheart, were making a good life together in San Clemente, CA, close to Camp Pendleton where he was stationed. During his high school years in Griffith, Sergeant Rios lived with his late grandmother. He was a popular student remembered by his teachers as having an infectious smile. He last spoke to Erica by telephone the day after Valentine's Day. He told her he loved her and missed her and that the only other thing he needed was a hot shower. On the day of his funeral in Griffith, some 500 mourners gathered at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church. Many had to stand outside. The Griffith and Highland fire departments unfurled a giant American Flag across Broad Street, and police from departments all across northwest Indiana took part in the funeral procession. Duane Rios will be missed. Army Private First Class Jason M. Meyer, whose father, Loren Meyer, lives in South Bend, died on April 8 from wounds suffered during the fighting at Baghdad International Airport. Army investigators believe he was struck by an errant round fired from an Abrams tank. The round struck a building and ricocheted into his vehicle. PFC Meyer, 23, died one week after he and his wife, Melissa, had marked their first wedding anniversary. He was a combat engineer with Bravo Company, 11th Engineers, 3rd Infantry Division, and drove an armored personnel carrier during the division's now famous lightning drive from Kuwait to Baghdad. In 1999, PFC Meyer graduated from high school in Howell, MI, where he lived with his mother, Kathleen Worthington, and joined the Army two years later. He met his wife at a Halloween corn maze three years ago. She told a local newspaper that she will remember her husband for his ever-present sense of humor, which always kept her laughing. The last time she talked to him was by telephone was in late February while his unit was in Kuwait. He reported that he and his buddies had adopted a three-foot lizard as their pet, and that they were feeding it Meals Ready to Eat. Jason was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. During the ceremony Melissa was presented with her husband's Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals. Jason Meyer will be missed. Army Reserve Specialist Roy Buckley of Portage died on April 22 from injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident in Baghdad. A fuel truck driver, he was less than a month away from his 25th birthday when he died. He was a member of the 685th Transportation Company of Hobart, IN, whose 170 members, mostly heavy truck drivers, were mobilized to provide support for the 3rd Infantry Division. In civilian life, he worked at Midwest Steel, and his goal was to become a police officer. Specialist Buckley was engaged to another member of his Army Reserve unit, Jenina Bellina, and they planned to marry soon after they returned from the Persian Gulf. He had called his mother, Janie Espinoza, on Easter Sunday and speculated that he might even be home to see her by Mother's Day. In addition to his mother, he is survived by two brothers, a sister and a 6-year-old daughter. Roy Buckley will be missed. Our hearts go out to all of these families. We shall all mourn for the loss of these seven fine young men. It is my hope that these families will take comfort in knowing that their young men gave their lives to a noble and worthy cause--freeing the Iraqi people from a brutal dictator and making the world a safer place for all Americans.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my good friend and colleague, Senator Patrick Leahy in introducing the Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003. This bill takes a common sense, flexible approach to the sales of food that competes with federally supported school meals, and represents one component of addressing the overall health of our Nation's children. This year Congress will address a number of the Federal nutrition programs, including those administered through local school systems. Our Nation's schools provide our children with over 28 million federally subsidized meals each day. For some of these children, these meals provide the bulk of their nutrition needs. As a result, the meals served by schools should meet balanced nutrition standards in order to promote overall health. Unfortunately, an increasing number of our Nation's children are becoming overweight and obese. Children who are overweight and obese are much more likely to have difficulty controlling their weight in the future, which increases their risk of medical problems such as diabetes and heart disease. In order to address this issue, Congress has a duty to analyze variables at school that affect a child's health, including foods of minimal nutritional value. In addition to the federally subsidized foods served in our schools, many children have access to and choose to purchase competitive foods from other sources, such as vending machines. This bill asks the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate the sales of foods that are outside the Federal meal programs and issue a regulation that balances the schools' interests with that of overall childhood health. In particular, the regulation must take into consideration the financial benefits a school receives from competitive food sales, how likely a child is to make this choice instead of nutritious foods, and the nutritional needs of children according to their school grade level. This bill does not require the Secretary to implement any further restrictions than what currently exist. I believe this bill provides a rational approach to one facet of improving the health and fitness of our Nation's children. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting The Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my good friend and colleague, Senator Patrick Leahy in introducing the Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003. This bill takes a common sense, flexible approach to the sales of food that competes with federally supported school meals, and represents one component of addressing the overall health of our Nation's children. This year Congress will address a number of the Federal nutrition programs, including those administered through local school systems. Our Nation's schools provide our children with over 28 million federally subsidized meals each day. For some of these children, these meals provide the bulk of their nutrition needs. As a result, the meals served by schools should meet balanced nutrition standards in order to promote overall health. Unfortunately, an increasing number of our Nation's children are becoming overweight and obese. Children who are overweight and obese are much more likely to have difficulty controlling their weight in the future, which increases their risk of medical problems such as diabetes and heart disease. In order to address this issue, Congress has a duty to analyze variables at school that affect a child's health, including foods of minimal nutritional value. In addition to the federally subsidized foods served in our schools, many children have access to and choose to purchase competitive foods from other sources, such as vending machines. This bill asks the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate the sales of foods that are outside the Federal meal programs and issue a regulation that balances the schools' interests with that of overall childhood health. In particular, the regulation must take into consideration the financial benefits a school receives from competitive food sales, how likely a child is to make this choice instead of nutritious foods, and the nutritional needs of children according to their school grade level. This bill does not require the Secretary to implement any further restrictions than what currently exist. I believe this bill provides a rational approach to one facet of improving the health and fitness of our Nation's children. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting The Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, for the Committee on Foreign Relations I report favorably the following nomination list which was printed in the Record on the date indicated and ask unanimous consent to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that this nomination lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Charity, Aid, Recovery, and Empowerment Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important legislation, which would encourage more citizens to contribute to non-profit programs and institutions. I want to commend my colleagues, Senators Santorum and Lieberman, for introducing this important bipartisan legislation. The CARE Act is designed to promote charitable giving at a time when charities report increasing demands on their services along with a decline in contributions. After the tragedy of September 11, charitable contributions were greatly deminished. Donations to charitable organizations dropped last year by 2.3 percent and they are lagging even further behind this year. At the same time, more people are turning to charities for help because of job lay-offs, health concerns, and the needs of our children. The tax incentives contained in the CARE Act to encourage charitable giving are needed now more than ever. Included in this bill is language to encourage charitable giving by allowing a tax deduction for charitable giving for non-itemizers. Eighty-six million Americans do not presently itemize their deductions on their tax returns. This provision would allow for a tax deduction up to $250 for individuals and $500 for couples. Organizations such as the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes, and other charitable organizations that rely on low dollar donations believe that they will be able to generate more donations if everyone could take a deduction regardless of which form they file with the Internal Revenue Service. The ability to roll over excess funds from Individual Retirement Accounts to a charitable organization or university is also a part of this legislation. Many organizations and universities benefit from planned gift revenues. The IRA rollover provision will allow charities to increase the number of planned gifts, while being able to diversify their planned gift portfolios. I have been a supporter of Individual Development Accounts and was pleased that this initiative to expand these accounts is included in the bill before us. These accounts are made up of dollar-for-dollar matching contributions up to $500 from banks and community organizations to be used by lower-income working families to buy a home, start or expand a small business, or pay for college. I believe that one of the most important provisions that has been included in this bill is the Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Act. This important provision allows for expanded charitable tax deductions for contributions of food inventory to our nation's food banks. Demand on food banks has been rising, and these tax deductions would be an important step in increasing private donations to the non-profit hunger relief charities playing a critical role in meeting America's nutrition needs. As I have traveled around Indiana, I have visited many food banks in our state. They have confirmed the results of a study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors that showed demand for food at food banks has risen significantly. The success of welfare reform legislation has moved many recipients off welfare and into jobs. In many states, welfare roles have been reduced by more than half. But we need to recognize that these individuals and their families are living on modest wages. As the states' unemployment rates have risen, so has the demand placed on the food banks and soup kitchens. According to the Conference of Mayors survey, during the last year, requests for emergency food assistance has increased one hundred percent. Forty-eight percent of the people requesting emergency food assistance are either children or their parents. The number of elderly persons requesting food assistance has increased by ninety-two percent. Private food banks provide a key safety net against hunger. According to an August 2000 report by USDA, 31 million Americans are living on the edge of hunger. USDA statistics show that up to 96 billion pounds of food go to waste each year in the United States. If a small percentage of this wasted food could be redirected to food banks, we could make important strides in our fight against hunger. The food bank provisions under the CARE Act would allow farmers and small business owners to take a deduction when they donate food to their community food bank. Currently this deduction is available to large corporations but not to small businesses. This approach would stimulate private charitable giving to food banks at the community level. Each citizen can make an important contribution to the fight against hunger at a local level. I have been especially impressed by the remarkable work of food banks in Indiana. In many cases, they are partnered with churches and faith-based organizations and are making a tremendous difference in our communities. We should support this private sector activity, which not only feeds people, but also strengthens community bonds and demonstrates the power of faith, charity, and civic involvement. I would like to thank Senators Santorum, Lieberman, Grassley, and Baucus for their efforts in helping America's charities meet their funding goals, and to those individuals who take advantage of the services provided by these groups.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, by request, I introduce for appropriate reference a bill entitled the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005. This proposed legislation has been requested by the Department of State and I am introducing it in order that there may be a specific bill to which Members of the Senate and the public may direct their attention and comments. I reserve my right to support or oppose this bill, as well as to make any suggested amendments to it, when the matter is considered by the Committee on Foreign Relations. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record, together with a section-by-section analysis of the bill and the letter from the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs dated April 2, 2003.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, by request, I introduce for appropriate reference a bill entitled the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005. This proposed legislation has been requested by the Department of State and I am introducing it in order that there may be a specific bill to which Members of the Senate and the public may direct their attention and comments. I reserve my right to support or oppose this bill, as well as to make any suggested amendments to it, when the matter is considered by the Committee on Foreign Relations. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record, together with a section-by-section analysis of the bill and the letter from the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs dated April 2, 2003.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to name the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 46 East Ohio Street in Indianapolis, IN, as the ``Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' I am pleased to introduce this measure today to honor my colleague from Indiana, Senator Bayh. I am joined by my colleagues Mr. Byrd, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Sarbanes, and Mr. Stevens, who served in the Senate with Senator Bayh during his tenure 1963-1981. Birch Evan Bayh was born in Terre Haute in 1928. He attended the public schools; served in the United States Army 1946-1948; graduated Purdue University School of Agriculture at Lafayette in 1951; and attended Indiana State University, 1952-1953. Bayh graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in 1960; and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1961. He worked as a lawyer and farmer in Terre Haute, and served as a representative to the Indiana General Assembly from 1954 to 1962. In the Assembly, he rose to become minority leader in 1957 and 1961 and Speaker of the House in 1959. Senator Bayh was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962; reelected in 1968 and 1974; and served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. I am pleased to introduce this companion legislation in the Senate at the request of Representative Carson who introduced a bill in the House of Representatives. I hope this measure will be approved by the Congress.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to name the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 46 East Ohio Street in Indianapolis, IN, as the ``Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' I am pleased to introduce this measure today to honor my colleague from Indiana, Senator Bayh. I am joined by my colleagues Mr. Byrd, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Sarbanes, and Mr. Stevens, who served in the Senate with Senator Bayh during his tenure 1963-1981. Birch Evan Bayh was born in Terre Haute in 1928. He attended the public schools; served in the United States Army 1946-1948; graduated Purdue University School of Agriculture at Lafayette in 1951; and attended Indiana State University, 1952-1953. Bayh graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in 1960; and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1961. He worked as a lawyer and farmer in Terre Haute, and served as a representative to the Indiana General Assembly from 1954 to 1962. In the Assembly, he rose to become minority leader in 1957 and 1961 and Speaker of the House in 1959. Senator Bayh was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962; reelected in 1968 and 1974; and served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. I am pleased to introduce this companion legislation in the Senate at the request of Representative Carson who introduced a bill in the House of Representatives. I hope this measure will be approved by the Congress.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today in support of Theresa Springmann who is being considered for a position on the United States District Court of Northern Indiana. Early last year, Judge William Lee and Judge James Moody informed me of their decisions to assume senior status after distinguished careers of public service. Both of these individuals are remarkable leaders on the Federal bench, and I applaud their leadership to Indiana and to the legal profession. Immediately upon hearing of these decisions, I notified the White House and was asked by the President to help find the most qualified candidates to fill these two important positions in Hammond and Fort Wayne. I took this role very seriously and selected the candidates who would best serve the Northern District of Indiana. After sharing my selections with my friend and colleague Senator Evan Bayh, I submitted the names and applications of three outstanding candidates to the White House for their consideration. The President recently selected Assistant United States Attorney Philip Simon and United States Magistrate Theresa Springmann. Judge Theresa Springmann was the first woman to be made partner at Spangler, Jennings & Dougherty, the largest law firm in Northwest Indiana. She followed up this distinction by becoming the first woman judicial officer in the Northern District of Indiana. Judge Springmann has served as a United States magistrate judge since March of 1995, where she has presided over 30 civil jury trials, 10 civil and criminal bench trials, and conducted over 300 settlement conferences for the district court. She has received a number of high performance ratings throughout her tenure as a magistrate judge, including the A.V. rating from Martindale-Hubbell and the highest judicial rating from the Lake County Bar Association. I believe that Theresa Springmann will demonstrate remarkable leadership to Northern Indiana and will appropriately uphold and defend our laws under the Constitution. I encourage my colleagues to support her nomination.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise to recognize the 47th anniversary of Tunisian independence. On March 20, 1956, Tunisia took its place among the free nations of the modern era. Shortly after Tunisia's independence, in 1957, the United States stood by Tunisia in a challenging post-independence environment. Through the pledge of economic and technical assistance, the United States helped Tunisia to achieve its national goal of a self-confident and self-sustaining modern nation. Through the vicissitudes of history Tunisia has sustained the hardiness of its Berber forebears as Roman, Vandal, Moor and Ottoman Empires have come and gone. Each has left its cultural mark, but today Tunisia stands independent, and proud of its history. Today, Tunisia has shown its commitment to democratic ideals as a leader in the Arab world in promoting the legal and social status of women. In this its 47th anniversary of independence, Tunisia and the United States can look back on a much longer and more important relationship. In 1797 Tunisia was among the first countries to recognize the nascent United States of America. This recognition enabled America to make its way in the international community. In the 21st century, Tunisia has also shown support for the United States in the war against terrorism, and our two nations should seek ways to enhance cooperation. Congratulations on your 47 years of independence, and may you find that each subsequent year brings further peace and prosperity to Tunisia.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I yield myself such time as I may require on this initial statement. I ask unanimous consent that Senators Warner and Allen be added as cosponsors of S. Con. Res. 30.

Mr. LUGAR. I rise in support of this resolution thanking those nations participating with the United States in the ``Coalition to Disarm Iraq.'' I am pleased that this resolution enjoys the strong support of the ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Senator from Delaware, and the leadership on both sides of the aisle. Our resolution cites the important diplomatic initiatives originally undertaken by our allies in Europe in support of U.S. resolve to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441. On January 30, 2003, the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, and the Presidents of the Czech Republic and the Spanish Government issued a declaration stating the ``the Iraqi regime and its weapons of mass destruction represent a clear threat to world security.'' The declaration went on to say that ``. . . our governments have a common responsibility to face this threat. . . .'' These European leaders were immediately joined by the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In a declaration of February 5, 2003, the Foreign Minister stated in part: ``the clear and present danger posed by Saddam Hussein's regime requires a united response from the community of democracies. We call upon the United Nations Security Council to take the necessary and appropriate action in response to Iraq's continuing threat to international peace and security.'' This is not the first time the Senate has commended the important contributions made by the leaders and Foreign Ministers of these countries, but at a time when some question international support in Iraq, we thought it important to revisit their statements of support and reiterate our gratitude. In addition to these statements of support, our resolution identifies additional nations that have expressed their support for coalition action in Iraq. Nations around the world are providing important diplomatic and strategic support in a number of ways, including expressions of political support, overflights and basing authorization, intelligence-sharing, and other important strategies contributions. This list includes long-standing U.S. allies and relatively new partners in the war on terrorism: large nations with strong militaries and small nations who share our view of the inherent threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. In addition to the nations mentioned, international support grows each day. In an effort to acknowledge the contributions of each, I will list those nations who have made their contributions public to date: Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Azerbajian, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Honduras, Iceland, Japan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, The Netherlands, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, The Philippines, Rwanda, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Tonga, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. More specifically, our resolution expresses our Nation's sincere gratitude to Australia, Denmark, Poland, and the United Kingdom, whose forces have joined with the United States in sending troops into harm's way. Each of these nation is making important contributions to coalition efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein's regime of its weapons of mass destruction. In addition, we thank the numerous other nations that are providing military and logistical support to operations in the region. We also pay special tribute to the leaders of the United Kingdom, Australia, and Spain. Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prime Minister John Howard, and President of the Spanish Government, Jose Maria Aznar, have provided courageous leadership to efforts to disarm Iraq, and the Senate of the United States commends them for their efforts and expresses its thanks. I welcome the opportunity to introduce this resolution of gratitude to our allies around the world who are supporting our efforts in Iraq in so many important ways. I am hopeful this resolution will receive the unanimous support of the Senate, to ensure a strong expression of appreciation and commendation of the important contributions by members of the international community who are making the ``Coalition to Disarm Iraq'' a success. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator McCain be added as a cosponsor to this legislation.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, how much time remains on our side?

Mr. LUGAR. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, as the distinguished Senator from Delaware has pointed out, the resolution addresses very specifically the future, and I cite language from the resolution we are considering. Clause 5 says: (5) welcomes and encourages the active involvement and participation of these countries-- And those are the countries we have listed in the resolution-- other nations, and key international organizations in the reconstruction and administration of Iraq after the current conflict in Iraq; That is an important clause. This is a resolution of commendation, of affirmation. This is our expression, as the U.S. Senate, of thanks, and we are very specific about the nature of contributions many nations have made, and their leaders specifically. It is our intent to be inclusive deliberately and to indicate that we welcome the very broadest participation in the work to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. Having said that, we also welcome their thoughts, their contributions, their revenues, their physical support as we think of the postwar situation. That is a very important set of situations, as a matter of fact. I appreciate the good counsel of my colleague from Delaware when he talks not only about the inclusiveness and the need for participation along with us to share both the opportunities and the burdens but, likewise, the fact this will not happen by chance; this is going to require active American diplomacy. I commend the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, Dr. Rice, and others who have been visibly active in this role. But this is a role in which we can assist as a body in commending the nations today and through all of the contacts any of us may have with these nations to indicate ways in which they can be helpful and reasons they should be helpful. The distinguished Senator from Delaware, as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee last year, commenced hearings which he has cited today on the post-war Iraq situation. We could not have predicted last summer or last fall precisely in the circumstances, but at some point it was apparent to many of us that it would be important for those weapons of mass destruction to be found and to be destroyed. Our prayer then was that the coalition of nations in the United Nations, working through the Security Council or other groups, might, in fact, be persuasive; that declarations of the weapons would be made and that international authorities that could work with us in verifying their destruction. We are still in that quest. The large coalition we have talked about today is determined, in fact, to find the weapons and to destroy them, to rid the world of the problems of proliferation that could endanger any of the nations we are citing today, and others who have not chosen to join with us as yet. Our resolution is not one of censure or condemnation. We are not about the job of finger-pointing and asking why or why not. We are affirmative. We are saying affirmatively, these nations have taken a stand, and we hope they will take a larger stand because there will be much work to do. We hope there will be more joining with us in an inclusive move. As the Senator from Delaware has spoken, and I concur with him, we would include in that, as our resolution does, international organizations, our NATO allies, the United Nations, others who are very important for the future of the world in many sectors quite apart from the one we are discussing today. Having said that, it is important that we all understand that we are going to have to stay the course with regard to operations in Iraq, both with regard to the military situation, the disarmament situation, and the reconstruction situation. That will not be easy. The expense of that, regardless of the estimates--and many learned people throughout this country and throughout various organizations have been addressing this issue, our own government has been addressing the issue because it will be soon upon us, but the necessity of staying the course is absolutely imperative not only with regard to our credibility as a nation and the welfare of the people in this country and the people of Iraq and others who are with us, but with regard to the surrounding neighborhood and everybody who may be impacted by the military action presently. The great fear of many nations, either expressed or unexpressed, is that without extraordinary leadership and statesmanship, there will be chaos in Iraq in the postwar situation. There are many historical reasons for that which most of us have reviewed in the course of discussing Iraq. The whole origin of current Iraq, the repression of the Kurds which did keep the peace, albeit in a very cruel and harmful way to the people who were involved in the country, and frequently with enormous loss of life to the neighbors, as Iraq and the Saddam regime invaded other countries, used weapons of mass destruction to kill hundreds of thousands of people outside of Iraq, quite apart from those he repressed within the country. This is the history of a situation that is not on the face of itself correcting, or that of a unified spirit, or with lots of basis for democratic institutions and the ways in which people might find their way automatically. I commend the Senator from Delaware for pointing out that it is not our purpose--and we point that out in what we are saying today--to be governors of Iraq. The whole idea is Iraq for the Iraqis, for people who come forward to take leadership swiftly and surely, but with the right instincts with regard to human rights, freedom of expression, and a respect for other nations around them, and with all of the pursuits that we think are important to express up front. This is one of the basic reasons nations have joined with us, and we commend them as they commend us. This is a coalition of the willing with regard to disarmament, but it is a coalition of countries that are striving toward some common ideals as to how people should live and how they should treat each other. We have a very large job, and I make that point now because some have charged that the future has been muted, that there is an impression that somehow or another the war will happen, hopefully will be over swiftly and surely, the disarmament will occur, and some Americans, quite apart from the coalition of the willing we have listed, may have the impression that we are going to leave. In fact, many Americans, unless we have an up front debate, may very well favor that position and say this is a dangerous part of the world. Granted, the Iraqis have lots of problems. We are all for them working it out and doing the best they can. This is likely to lead to the chaos that is generally feared. Nations, not altogether cynically, advocated the continuation of the current regime because they said it would create stability. Some nations were prepared to accept tyranny because at least it brings stability. There are not going to be changes of boundaries, changes of government, people coming and going with strange doctrines. Or, from our standpoint, having watched a failed state in Afghanistan prior to the time that al-Qaida was utilizing camps, utilizing organization and finance, using that failed state as an incubator, attacked America, Iraq is a much larger country. A failed state there is conceivably an incubator for even more harm, whether it be al-Qaida or any number of other groups, some national, some unknown to us, who find sustenance, who find the possibility for proliferation of dangerous weapons and perhaps in due course weapons of mass destruction. To allow chaos to occur would be a monumental foreign policy and security policy failure by the United States. That is why we need to be forward looking, affirmative, inclusive, signing up more partners, commending those who come as they come. I have heard some say, the contributions of some of the countries that are listed in our resolution are very modest. In some cases, they have barely said: We are for you. We think you are on the right track. We want to identify with the United States. They say: Where is the beef? Where are troops? Where is money? Where are supplies? Those are legitimate questions. I would simply respond for each of the nations that we list today. They have made a declaration that could be fateful with regard to those who have authority in those countries. The leaders of those countries must answer to their parliaments, to their people, to others in the press and those who play some role in public opinion. This was not a casual association or declaration. Nor will it be after the war is over, and the responsibility for Iraq comes front and center for all of us. By ``all of us,'' I mean the countries we now have gathered together in the commendation and those, prayerfully, that will join us. That, hopefully, at some point will include all the nations of the United Nations and of NATO. It will include those that may not be with us as of this moment. I will take at least a minute of this debate to commend our colleague, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, simply because he was a person, in my own experience as a young person, as mayor of Indianapolis going with him to Brussels when he was a counselor to President Nixon and representing this country in a group called the Challenges for a Modern Society, as we talked about the problems of urbanization in our NATO countries, the problems of the environment, the problems of jobs for people. With Daniel Patrick Moynihan at my side, I invited the mayors of all the countries of the world to come to my city of Indianapolis in 1971, and he came. He gave a great speech about international relations, what NATO could do. He gave it at a time that he was on the threshold, as it turned out, of going into a diplomacy as our Ambassador to India and then to the United Nations. I remember visiting with him when he was our Ambassador. It was a year in which both of us were considering candidacies for the Senate, which, in fact, occurred in the year of 1976, successfully, for both of us. We came to this body together and served for 24 years. Throughout that period of time, his counsel, I am sure if he were on the floor today speaking on some issue, would have been to be inclusive, to be hardheaded, to understand the facts, to understand the history, the traditions, the difficulties, sometimes the cynicism and the remorse, but also the triumphs that can come with successful diplomacy and successful international relations. Those were missions he undertook gladly on behalf of our country and finally in service with the Senate. I mention that spirit today because I think it is appropriate. This is an important resolution. I appreciate the decision of the leadership to take it up now before this weekend, before any more time passes, even this sense of appreciation and mission and what is to follow, it seems to me, is critically important for all Americans, both to understand and then to participate in the debate which we surely will have. I ask unanimous consent Senator Hagel be added as a cosponsor to this resolution.

Mr. LUGAR. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LUGAR. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LUGAR. I yield such time to the Senator from Virginia as he desires.

Mr. LUGAR

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

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, we will soon vote on the nomination of Philip Simon to be considered for a position on the United States District Court of Northern Indiana. It is because of that I rise once again to commend this remarkable jurist. Judge William Lee and Judge James Moody informed me of their decisions to assume senior status after distinguished careers of public service. Both of these individuals are remarkable leaders on the Federal bench, and I applaud their leadership to Indiana and to the legal profession. Immediately upon hearing of these decisions, I notified the White House and was asked by the President to help find the most qualified candidates to fill these two important positions in Hammond and Fort Wayne. I took this role very seriously and selected the candidates who would best serve the Northern District of Indiana. After sharing my selections with my friend and colleague Senator Evan Bayh, I submitted the names and applications of three outstanding candidates to the White House for their consideration. The President recently selected Assistant United States Attorney Philip Simon and United States Magistrate Theresa Springmann. Philip Simon has a remarkable record as an Assistant United States Attorney. As Chief of the Criminal Division, he is responsible for overseeing all criminal prosecutions in the Northern District of Indiana. He has supervised and participated in prosecutions involving large-scale drug distribution rings, illegal firearms trafficking, white collar fraud cases, environmental crime, and mob related racketeering cases. In addition, he is in charge of a public corruption task force in Lake County, Indiana. Philip has been the recipient of a number of awards and commendations. In 1995, the Mutual Insurance Companies of Indiana presented the Sherlock Award to Philip for his work to combat insurance fraud. In 1999, Philip was given the Director's award by Janet Reno, the highest award given to an Assistant United States Attorney by the Justice Department. Aside from his outstanding public service, he is a dedicated community leader with an interest in assisting children and families with autism. I believe that Philip Simon will demonstrate remarkable leadership to Northern Indiana and will appropriately uphold and defend our laws under the Constitution. I encourage my colleagues to support his nomination.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask that the yeas and nays be vitiated.