John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Minnesota for her strong efforts on behalf of the men and women in the military and their welfare and benefits. She is an advocate and a person who is committed to making sure that not only those who are now serving but those who have are cared for by our society and by our military and our veterans facilities. So I thank the Senator. I appreciate the very eloquent statement she just made.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. I send an amendment to the desk, as modified, No. 1246, and ask for its consideration.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, the amendment is to require the Secretary of Defense to consult with the Armed Services Committee in commissioning an independent assessment of U.S. security interests in East Asia and in the Pacific region. It has been cleared on both sides. I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would ask my friend, the chairman, if perhaps we could give our colleagues a brief update on where we are. There are not that many amendments remaining. There are a couple of rather serious amendments concerning detainees that are still outstanding. But overall I think we can tell our colleagues that we are pretty well moving along. We still have a pending package of amendments that have been agreed to by both sides that, unfortunately, we are unable to move forward. But, hopefully, we will be able to do that.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, we think we can get wrapped up tomorrow. But there are serious amendments remaining. The Menendez-Kirk amendment is a very serious amendment and one that probably is going to deserve some debate time as well as the Feinstein amendment. The Sessions amendment also is one as well. So I think our colleagues should be prepared for a pretty interesting day tomorrow. Amendment No. 1185, as Modified

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

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

Mr. McCAIN. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object, I thank the chairman for the progress we have made and also again point out that we have some very serious issues that deserve debate and discussion. But when cloture expires--the 30 hours--there will be an automatic vote triggered at that time. We look forward to working with our colleagues to make sure they have sufficient time to debate the amendments. It would be regrettable, as important as some of these amendments are, that we back up to the expiration of the cloture time and that would trigger an automatic vote. I am sure we will get the cooperation of all our colleagues.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to yield 2 minutes to the Senator from New Hampshire, followed by time from Senator Levin for the Senator from Connecticut, and then what time I have remaining for the Senator from Georgia.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, the pending amendment is the Udall amendment. Am I correct, I ask the chairman, in that we would intend, depending on--there are several things that have to be resolved--but we would intend to have this vote at around 2:15 p.m., if things work out? Is that correct?

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

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

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending McCain amendments Nos. 1230 and 1281 be modified with the changes at the desk.

Mr. McCAIN. I object. We have had a long time from the sponsor of the amendment, the chief proponent; we are going to have 10 minutes from the Senator of Illinois. So I yield to the Senator from South Carolina 10 minutes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, how much time is on this side?

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to thank all of my colleagues who have engaged in a very important debate. I would also like to say to my friend from Michigan, the chairman, I have observed him for many years debate various issues on the floor of the Senate and in the Armed Services Committee. I have never seen him more eloquent than I have observed in his statements today and throughout this debate. I also appreciate the fact that there are many in his conference who do not agree with the position taken by the chairman, and I especially am admiring of that. I yield.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Colorado be allowed----

Mr. McCAIN. Two minutes, at least.

Mr. McCAIN. Such time as he may need.

Mr. McCAIN

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

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I listened to the discussion by Senator Rand Paul, and I understand his theory. Facts are stubborn things, and 27 percent of those who have been released have been back in the fight. That is fact. That is fact. Some of them have assumed leadership positions with al-Qaida. That is fact. The Senator from Kentucky wants to have a situation prevail where people are released and go back in the fight and kill Americans. That is his right. He is entitled to that opinion. But facts are stubborn things. The fact is 27 percent of detainees who were released went back into the fight to try to kill Americans.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, in response to that, we are not arguing that they be sent to a foreign prison. What we are arguing is that they are designated as enemy combattants. When they are enemy combatants, then they are subject to the rules and the laws of war. Again, I point out the fact that there have been a number who have been released who have reentered the fight, and that kind of situation is not something we want to prevail. So as I said, facts are stubborn things, and they are designated as enemy combatants and will be treated as such during the period of conflict.

Mr. McCAIN. I take it that as long as the individual, no matter who they are--if they pose a threat to the security of the United States of America, they should not be allowed to continue that threat. I think that is the opinion of the American public, especially in light of the facts I continue to repeat to the Senator from Kentucky--that 27 percent of the detainees who were released got back in the fight and were responsible for the deaths of Americans. We need to take every step necessary to prevent that from happening. That is for the safety and security of the men and women who are putting their lives on the line in the armed services. I yield the floor.