John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, the vote will be at 2 o'clock. The Senators from New Hampshire and South Carolina wish to speak. I do not know if the chairman wishes to be before or during that or in between. But, also, it does not change the agreement we have, which has not been agreed to but we have agreed we will attempt to have a vote on the second Feinstein amendment at 4 o'clock still. Is that correct? We will attempt to do that?

Mr. McCAIN. So beginning at 3, whether we have a unanimous consent agreement--because the Feinstein amendment is very important--I would ask, informally, if we do not have a unanimous consent agreement, that we have an hour equally divided beginning at 3 so we can debate the second Feinstein amendment. In the meantime, as the chairman said, we will try to dispense with voice votes and other agreed-upon amendments, and perhaps even maybe a recorded vote if necessary on one of the amendments. I would remind my colleagues, we run out of time at 6 o'clock this evening, and we would rather do it in a measured fashion, allowing recorded votes or debate before those recorded votes, because those pending amendments will be voted on after 6 p.m. tonight. I hope I did not say anything the chairman does not agree with.

Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I yield 7 minutes to the Senator from New Hampshire and 8 minutes to the Senator from South Carolina.

Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I say to both Senators while they are on the floor, if it had not been for their invaluable effort, this legislation would not have come about. I thank them for their incredibly important contributions, using the benefit of the experience that both Members have. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. So then it really makes a more compelling argument to those who may be wavering on this amendment that there is a clear record on the part of China and Russia in the U.N. Security Council that we cannot expect a Security Council vote, but perhaps we could expect other nations to follow suit once the United States leads on this issue.

Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Senator.

Mr. McCAIN. Would the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. McCAIN. Is it the Senator's impression that action by the United Nations Security Council is pretty dim given the stated positions of Russia and China on this issue?

Mr. McCAIN. May I ask one additional question?

Mr. McCAIN. These questions are for either Senator. Is it true that in this legislation, there is a national security waiver, that the President can waive the provisions of this bill if he feels it is in the national interest? Also, how do you respond to the argument being put forward that this could destroy the world's financial system if this legislation would be put into effect?

Mr. McCAIN. On behalf of Senator Inhofe, I ask to withdraw amendment No. 1093.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, very briefly I would like to thank the Senators for their leadership on this issue. There is a threat to the security of the world posed by the Islamic nation of Iran. This is much needed legislation. I think it is important to note, as they did, that there is a national security waiver given to the President of the United States, and also we cannot expect a lot of help considering the membership of the United Nations Security Council and Russia and China's unwillingness to act on behalf of reining in this path that Iran is on to the acquisition and the possibility and the capability for the use of nuclear weapons. I congratulate both sponsors of the amendment, and I hope we can get a recorded vote. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Where would the congressional and staff salaries fit on that?

Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Senator.

Mr. McCAIN. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object, I thank my friend. I believe the Senator overlooked Brown of Massachusetts amendment No. 1090, I think, was agreed to be a part of that.

Mr. McCAIN. I note the presence of our friend from Texas, who would like to voice his objections to the package of amendments which is pending which have been agreed by both sides because of his concerns about a particular amendment he had. I would like to hear from him in a minute. I would like to say to my colleagues on this side of the aisle, if you have an objection, please come to the floor. We would intend to vote--or seek approval of what the distinguished chairman just proposed--at 5 after the hour. That gives them 15 minutes. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. I just wish to say I strongly support the amendment by the Senator from Texas, and I will do everything I can to see that this issue is raised. I cannot comprehend why we would not want to provide one of our closest allies with the equipment they need to defend themselves with the growingly aggressive mainland China exhibiting the characteristics of intimidation and bullying and perhaps threatening Taiwan. I wished to state, first of all, my appreciation to both Senators from Texas, who have been very involved in this issue, and I wish to tell them I will do everything I can to make sure this amendment is adopted. We do need to send the signal that we support our friends. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Massachusetts for his amendment. He has spent a great deal of time in his life serving in the National Guard, including spending time in Afghanistan recently. He understands the burdens our National Guard men and women bear. I am very grateful for his careful attention to their needs. This is clearly an issue that needed to be addressed. We are proud to have it as part of our legislation. Again, my thanks to the Senator from Massachusetts as well as to my friend, Chairman Levin, for helping make this amendment possible. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCAIN. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object, for the benefit of our colleagues, after spirited discussions for a long period of time we have reached a compromise with the Senator from California on language concerning detainees and there are certain Members on my side who wanted a vote on the original amendment as written. We modified it, so that there will be a vote on the original Feinstein amendment and then on the one which is modified by agreement among most of the people involved. There may be some who will still oppose it, but we have reached an agreement among the Senator from California, the chairman, myself, the Senator from Idaho, the Senator from South Carolina and others, that I think will be agreeable to the majority of the Members. I suggest to my friend, the chairman, that when the vote starts at 6, perhaps we can line up the other remaining amendments, on some of which we hope to get voice votes, some of which will require recorded votes, as is the procedure under postcloture.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, in the minutes remaining between now and 6 p.m. I hope we could roughly divide time on the amendment between the two sides.

Mr. McCAIN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. McCAIN. Yes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I will not repeat what the chairman said except that I would like to thank Senator Feinstein for her willingness to sit down and negotiate with us, and Senator Durbin, who has been a passionate advocate. I would also like to thank all of the people who came to the floor so often. I think the Senate is a better institution as a result of the debate, and I am sure the Senate and the American people are much better informed on this very important national security aspect of this bill. I thank my colleagues. I urge an aye vote.

Mr. McCAIN. I support the amendment. I think this amendment is vital at this time to send a strong signal to Iran, which recently tried to pull off the assassination of the Saudi Ambassador here in Washington, DC. It is long overdue, and it is too bad that the United States has to do it by ourselves rather than having the U.N. Security Council act. This is a strong amendment. I think it is very important and, again, I strongly support it.

Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Senator.