John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. so that the weekly party caucus luncheons may take place.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 4. I further ask that on Tuesday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. I further ask that, following the prayer, Senator McCain be recognized for 5 minutes for a closing statement, with the majority leader recognized immediately following Senator McCain.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. I have no objection.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Oklahoma. I appreciate his involvement, and deep involvement, in this issue. I respect his views. I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Illinois, Senator Durbin.

Mr. McCAIN. I yield 2 minutes to the Senator from Delaware to respond.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I yield myself 1 minute to respond to the question from Senator Warner. This is exactly the same as the authority that was granted to the President in the case of Bosnia, in the case of the Persian Gulf war, in the case of going all the way back to Beirut, exactly the same thing: Telling the President of the United States that Congress does play a role. We ignore the War Powers Act. We all know that. This is not a war in the classic sense, and we do not declare wars. This is a role for the Congress of the United States to play, endorsing the President's ability to use whatever force is necessary in order to bring the conflict to a conclusion. It is no different than that of the Persian Gulf war resolution, the Bosnia resolution, the Lebanon resolution, the Grenada resolution--there has been literally one in every conflict in which we have engaged. Finally, may I say that it is also an effort, frankly, to get the President of the United States to do the right thing. I yield my time.

Mr. McCAIN. I will be brief in my response.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, with apologies and respect to my colleague from Virginia for going over time, I yield 15 minutes to the Senator from Virginia, Senator Warner.

Mr. McCAIN. The White House, the National Security Adviser, the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State are now frantically lobbying against this resolution, who are saying vote to table. Has my colleague ever heard of a time where the White House and the administration lobbied actively against obtaining more authority?

Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent for 2 additional minutes for Senator Biden--excuse me--I grant Senator Biden 3 additional minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I believe I was asking a question. I do not believe the Senator from Virginia has the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Will the Senator yield for one more question?

Mr. McCAIN. What does my friend from Delaware make of the argument that this is not the right time, this is not the right time to vote on this? So we are going to table this motion tomorrow and a whole bunch of our colleagues are going to say--including, by the way, my dear friend from Virginia: Yes, this is a problem. It has only been going on for 5 weeks now. Hundreds of thousands of people have been moved from their homes, thousands have been killed, massacres every day--but this is not the right time to vote on this particular issue. So we will vote tomorrow to table it and cut off debate and cut off discussion and abrogate the responsibilities that we have as Senators. Frankly, does my friend think that maybe they know better?

Mr. McCAIN. Will my colleague yield for a question?

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask that Senator Kerry be recognized for up to 30 minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kerry, be recognized for 15 minutes, followed by Senator Biden for 30 minutes, and the Record will show the incredible generosity of the Senator from Delaware, Mr. Biden, having allowed two--not one, but two--Senators to precede him.

Mr. McCAIN. After Senator Biden is Senator Kerry, Senator Warner, Senator Nickles, Senator Durbin, then Senator Dorgan, Senator Lieberman, Senator Cleland, Senator Levin, Senator Hollings, and Senator Brownback.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I yield 30 minutes to the Senator from Delaware, Senator Biden.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Same thing we were up to in the Persian Gulf resolution.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am grateful to those of my colleagues who have come to the floor this afternoon to speak on our war with Serbia, and even those who have spoken in opposition to the pending resolution. The role of the United States in the Balkans is obviously a matter of life and death, and surely deserves serious discussion in the Senate of the United States. So I thank those Senators who have recognized the importance of having this debate. I want to respond briefly to a few of the points made in opposition to the resolution. First, the resolution gives too broad a grant of authority to the President. As I observed earlier, the Presidency already has its authority. The Constitution gives Congress the sole right to declare war. It does not give us the right to declare peace unless we are asked to ratify a peace treaty, or if we refuse to appropriate money for the conduct of the war. That is the only peacemaking authority that we possess. If this Senate does nothing, and it seems at the moment to be the Senate's preferred course of action, the President has the power to commit all armies to the conflict in Yugoslavia tomorrow, if he should suddenly decide to seek victory there. Unless we cut off the money, nothing but his own lack of resolve can stop him from doing whatever is necessary to win the war. I offered the resolution not because I felt the President needed the authority but to encourage him to fight this war in a manner most likely to achieve our goals in Kosovo. So, please, Mr. President, let us hear no more criticism that the sponsors have given too much power to the President. The Constitution wisely gave him that power long before any of us arrived on the scene. If the opponents want to prevent the President from exercising the full power of his office, and fighting this war as if the stakes are as high as he claims they are, then they should not vote for the supplemental appropriations bill that will soon be on the floor. Any Senator who supports the troops but opposes this war as unjust, unnecessary, unwise, and not in our interest should also vote against the supplemental bill. Mr. President, you can't support the troops and permit them to be sent into a conflict that doesn't justify their sacrifice. Trust me. The troops would rather be spared that kind of support. If you believe this war is worth fighting, or if you believe that, once begun, America's vital interests and most treasured values are imperiled in this war, then vote to encourage the President to do the right thing by our service men and women. Vote to implore him to fight to win this war as soon as possible so that what losses we do incur will not be in vain. Have no fear that our troops won't appreciate it. They will do their duty, and they will expect us to do ours. They will win this war for us, the alliance we led, the people of Kosovo and for the values of the distinguished America for all of our history. They will win this war if only their elected leaders allow them to. Mr. President, I ask that the Senator from New Mexico be recognized for up to 10 minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I grant myself 3 minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Vermont and apologize for almost putting him out of order. The Senator from Kentucky wishes to speak for 10 minutes. I yield to him for that purpose.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Kentucky. Excuse me. I am sorry. I apologize to the Senator from Kentucky. The Senator from Vermont is next. I apologize to the Senator from Vermont.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader. We have a different view of the meaning of this vote, but I do appreciate his allowing numerous Senators who wish to speak on this issue to speak this evening before the vote tomorrow. I recognize Senator Robb for 20 minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I understand the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Helms, is to be recognized for 5 minutes.