John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Corker, I ask unanimous consent to temporarily set aside the pending amendment and call up the following amendments en bloc: amendment No. 1171, terrorist activities in Pakistan; amendment No. 1172, coalition support in Pakistan; and amendment No. 1173, Sense of the Senate regarding NATO.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Levin and his staff for their hard work on this very important piece of legislation. I am glad to see the chairman announced that the staff will be in working next week. For a change, the taxpayers will get a return on their investment. I am very glad to know that. But in all seriousness, they did a lot of work late last night and will be working hard all this week. I think that maybe our colleagues should plan on some late nights when we get back because we do need to get this done. There is a lot of important business before the Senate. I would also like to point out that we spent the better part of yesterday on the detainee issue, and I appreciate that the detainee issue is one that is of transcendent importance. It certainly goes beyond just national security. It is a very controversial issue with the American people and Members on both sides of the aisle. On one side of the aisle, they would like to see much more restrictive policies, and on the other side of the aisle there is a very serious concern--and a legitimate concern, although I don't share it--about erosion of the constitutional rights and liberties of American citizens. Hopefully, we can get a vote on that amendment so we can move forward to other very important amendments that Members obviously, by the large number of amendments, are very interested in in this process. I also hope we are able to get a unanimous consent agreement to limit, to cut off the number of pending amendments so that we can make progress on those that have been filed and those that are pending. I thank the chairman again and our respective staffs and our colleagues. I thought it was a very beneficial debate we had yesterday that a lot of Members participated in, and I think it served not only to educate our colleagues and the American people who observed it, but I also think it was a healthy discussion that was held on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of this issue, and it very well informed Senators on this issue. Again, I understand, for example, that the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin, came to the floor and said we need a very in-depth discussion on this issue. I think we had that. I also think this is a very important issue and one that deserved the attention of the Senate, but now I think it is time to move on. I also congratulate all Members who took part in sort of a colloquy and discussion we had amongst Members on both sides of this issue yesterday. I have found that those colloquies add a great deal to the debate as we get the input and ideas and sometimes spirited discussion on these issues. So I thank the chairman, and we look forward to getting this important piece of legislation done. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I don't want to talk too much longer. I see our dear friend from New Mexico, who has been serious enough to come in this morning and debate and discuss his concerns about the bill and amendments. But I would ask the chairman, we have, as the Senator mentioned, a large number of pending amendments--not just filed but pending--and one of them, of course, is for the detainee issue, there is another Paul amendment, and there are several others that perhaps we could vote on on Monday, as the chairman mentioned. If any of our colleagues feel they haven't the time to amend it, they are welcome to come now and they are welcome to come on Monday. I understand that may cause them some small inconvenience in their schedule, but if they filed a pending amendment, then there is an amendment pending and they ought to be able to adjust their schedules to come and debate it. If they aren't able to do that, we should still be able to dispose of those amendments, I say with great respect and courtesy to all of my colleagues. So I hope that Chairman Levin and I and others would say: Look, we are going to notify everybody that we are going to have votes on the following amendments on Monday afternoon after we vote on the judge. If you are interested in debating it, we will be here to debate it and discuss it with you. We have to get this legislation passed for the good of the men and women who are serving this Nation with far greater inconvenience than, frankly, our colleagues might experience by having to come back on Monday or by coming over here today. I yield.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I appreciate the indulgence of my friend, Senator Udall. If it is OK with the chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be considered pending on behalf of their sponsors? Would that be agreeable? For Senator Cornyn, amendment No. 1200, related to Taiwan F-16s; for Senator Ayotte, amendment No. 1066, related to financial audits; for Senator Ayotte, amendment No. 1067, as revised, related to the notification of Congress for the initial custody of members of al- Qaida; for Senator Ayotte, amendment No. 1068, related to the authorization of lawful interrogation methods; for Senator Brown of Massachusetts, amendment No. 1119, related to child custody rights; for Senator Brown of Massachusetts, amendment No. 1090, related to housing allowance rates; for Senator Brown of Massachusetts, amendment No. 1089, related to disclosures by schools participating in tuition assistance; for Senator Wicker, amendment No. 1056, related to military chaplains; and for Senator Wicker, amendment No. 1116, related to truck licenses for transitioning servicemembers.

Mr. McCAIN. Could I say, I hope Members on both sides, if they have amendments, get them to us this morning so we can bring this part of the process to an end.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I assume, then, having watched the debate and been informed, that the Senator from New Mexico now takes the position that Senator Levin and I do on this issue, and his next mission is to convince his colleague from Colorado of the correctness of our position?

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

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, our staff is working on various amendments that we could get approved by both sides. We think there are a number of those on which we can get agreement to make progress today. While we are going through that process, I would like to point out the front page of this morning's Wall Street Journal, I am sorry to note, may be a harbinger of events that will happen in the future, that will take place in the future, which will be unfortunate for the United States of America and indeed tragic for Iraq. The front page of the Wall Street Journal today says ``Standoff Over U.S. Airbase in Iraq.'' A tense standoff between local police and the Iraqi Army played out on Thursday at the gate of the U.S. airbase in the northern city of Kirkuk, where a dispute over land and oil threatens national stability and unity as U.S. forces withdraw. The territorial conflict, between the central government in Baghdad and the semiautonomous Kurdistan region, is just one flash point that some American and Iraqi officials say could boil over after the full pullout of U.S. troops at the end of December. Fears of a clash between Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces were heightened on Thursday when the Kurdish-dominated police in Kirkuk blocked senior Iraqi Army commanders from entering the airbase, where they said they were planning to take over the facility from the U.S. military. The Army officials brought reporters from Iraqi State-owned television to document the handover, in what appeared to be an effort to show the nation that Baghdad was in charge. The central government, headed by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, is increasingly eager to project its power ahead of the U.S. pullout. This is about a volatile region, particularly in the area around Kirkuk, which is also symptomatic of the entire northern Iraq border between Kurdistan, the semiautonomous region of Iraq, and the rest of Iraq. The area is inhabited by different ethnic groups that range from Turkmen to Arab to other nationalities who all inhabit the area. One of the reasons some of us wanted to have a residual force remain in Iraq-- one of actually three major reasons--was because of the tensions in this area which have already bubbled up on several occasions. In fact, there was a point some months ago where two forces were--the Pershmaga, the Kurdish military, and the Iraqi military--close to a shooting situation. The U.S. forces intervened. Obviously, they are not going to be there. Obviously, already before they have even left there has been a tense standoff at one of the major airbases in Iraq. I greatly fear--I pray not, but I greatly fear that we will see more and more of these kinds of tensions between the Kurdish area and the rest of Iraq. A lot of it has to do with oil. A lot of it has to do with who is going to control the oil revenues in the area. Other parts go back to the era of Saddam Hussein, where he moved out Kurdish individuals and others and moved in people who were loyal to him. There are still enormous land disputes in the area as well. Suffice to say, it is a place of great tension. I continue to be deeply worried about this kind of tension which could lead to armed conflict, but also over time, in the view of some, could lead to an actual breakup of Iraq into Kurdish areas, Sunni areas, and even two different Shia areas of Iraq. I am sorry to see this. I am sorry this is happening and that there are more people who are predicting greater tensions in the area, but I have to say, I am surprised. I am not surprised. The sad thing about all this--I had a rather, shall I say, spirited exchange with the Secretary of Defense the other day in the hearing that was held in the Armed Services Committee. This isn't a policy matter, this is a not an issue of whether we should have French fries served in school lunches. This is an issue we have shed the blood of well over 4,400 young Americans. I greatly fear that the opportunity that was purchased with their expenditure of American blood and treasure may go all for naught because of our failure to maintain a residual force in Iraq which, I repeat, was always envisioned when the agreement for U.S. withdrawal was made by the previous administration-- by the way, an agreement I disagreed with at that time. So I hope that when Prime Minister Maliki comes to Washington next month some of these issues can be ironed out, that we can have greater cooperation. But I don't think there is any doubt that right now up in the area of Kirkuk, they are paying much attention to the statements that may be made by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, yesterday, the Senate voted on the conference report to H.R. 2112. Unfortunately, I was not able to cast my vote in support of the conference report because it increased spending. By increasing spending, Congress is ignoring the fact that our country is facing a $15 trillion debt and $1.3 trillion budget deficit. By Congress refusing to cut Federal spending, we are telling the American public that we are not serious about restoring fiscal responsibility in government and will continue with business as usual. In addition, the bill contains language that would increase the FHA loan limits from $625,500 to $729,750, further putting the American taxpayer at risk. Taxpayers are already on the hook for $170 billion in bailouts to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because of irresponsible lending practices. And just last week Fannie and Freddie asked for an additional $13.8 billion in Federal funding from the pockets of hardworking Americans, many of whom are underwater on their mortgages. With over 50 percent of homeowners in Arizona underwater on their mortgages, I cannot support this increase in loan limits that could potentially worsen the disastrous housing market our country is currently facing. While I appreciate the fact that Congress is doing its job by moving appropriations bills, I could not in good conscience have voted in support of this conference report knowing we are bankrupting our country. We must make sacrifices now to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities that all of us have had instead of handing them a future filled with unsustainable debt and lost opportunities.

Mr. McCAIN

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

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

Mr. McCAIN. Is it correct that the U.S. Air Force not only supports this but considers it one of their very high priorities?

Mr. McCAIN. In these times of very difficult budgetary decisions that are having to be made, is it not true also the President's budget in 2011 had included a plan to retire 17 C-5As in 2011 and 5 in 2012?

Mr. McCAIN. I ask the Chair to put it to a vote.

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

Mr. McCAIN. I think what the chairman meant was, there would be two if----

Mr. McCAIN. Yes. I think it is the other side's turn.

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

Mr. McCAIN. I am a little puzzled. Maybe the Senator from South Carolina has a response to this. Perhaps Chairman Levin does. We did give a national security waiver, which is very generous, in that the President just has to certify that it is in the national interest.

Mr. McCAIN. Why does he think that would not be acceptable if there were a case where an individual would be held by civilian authorities rather than military authorities?

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would just say that we have the Senator from Maine here. I thought we were going to go through the process of pending amendments before we spoke. I think the Senator's amendment is already pending.

Mr. McCAIN. Not at all. It is no big deal at all. Maybe the Senator from Maine could make her amendments pending.