Bill Nelson

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, today the Senate considers the conference report to accompany S. 3, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and I want to take this opportunity to explain my vote. I am opposed to the procedure known as partial-birth abortion, except in cases where the life or physical health of the mother is in jeopardy. This legislation does not include an exception to provide for the physical health. That means that a physician could determine that a woman could be paralyzed for life, and it would not be considered an adequate exception under this legislation. Therefore, I must respectfully vote against this bill. (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record)

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, as many of our colleagues are aware, the National Guard has undergone a difficult year with their rapid mobilization and deployment to Iraq and a redeployment date that continues to slip. This has happened to the National Guard in State after State. It has particularly happened with regard to Florida. Florida was actually mobilized the day after Christmas. They went into the armories and started packing their gear. Many, of course, thought it was going to be a very short war, as it was. The military conflict was successfully prosecuted by General Tommy Franks. But all of them were clearly understanding there was the likely possibility they were going to be gone for a year. What they did not expect, with the occupation having been as difficult as it has, was that they were going to be extended, in some cases, up to 16, 17, and perhaps even 18 months from when they first came in to start packing up at the armory of their National Guard unit. In State after State, these National Guard units have been so effectively trained and, given the adequate and up-to-date equipment in the field, they have performed so admirably. That is clearly the case with the 124th Infantry, which consists of three battalions from Florida. They are so good, they want to continue to keep them. That is like a double-edged sword. Our Guard is so good, and yet they have families, they have employers, and they are making a financial sacrifice. They are prepared to do that. Now that we are offering these supplemental appropriations for Iraq, there is something we can do. It is my hope we are going to get to the point that the managers will accept this amendment. I have offered this amendment. I may not have to call for a vote because I think it might be accepted. This amendment provides $10 million for the Family Readiness Program. Right now that program does not have any funding. This program for the National Guard has 396 family assistance centers around the United States. These assistance centers are the primary point of assistance to the families on items such as unit information--this is the National Guard; this is not the regular Army--on referral to medical, financial, social services, and counseling for the families. Why do families need this assistance? Because often those families are suffering financial hardship. Their loved one as a civilian was earning a certain salary, and when they go on active duty, they are earning, in many cases, a much lower salary. Or, goodness gracious, let's not hope they are self-employed and that business is not being tended to while they are being extended. They all understood the sacrifice they were going to make, and they were willing to make that sacrifice because they are loyal citizens ready to fight for the interests of their country. The simple fact is, they need some assistance through these family assistance centers, and there is no funding set aside for this critical task. Out of the $15 billion--not the $20 billion because $5 billion of that is going to assist in building up an Iraqi security and police force--but out of the remaining $15 billion of the $87 billion supplemental appropriations, that is going to reconstruction, the infrastructure needs in Iraq, I respectfully suggest to our colleagues that we need to put some money into these family assistance centers through the Family Readiness Program of the National Guard. In August and just recently during the last recess when I was home, I ended up having 25 town hall meetings. I met with innumerable families. I am telling you, the support from these family assistance centers is often their Rock of Gibraltar, where they get information, where they share with each other, where, if they are in financial distress, they can get counseling, and if the financial distress leads to medical problems, they can get the right medical referrals. This is the least we can do for our people whose loved ones back home are often taking the brunt. Today I seek support for those soldiers in the National Guard who have supported our mission in Iraq so bravely and are serving far from home and their loved ones. I will stop my comments right there. I could go on. Does the manager of the bill have any questions for me? I will be happy to respond. I yield to the manager, the Senator from Montana.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Then, Mr. President, I yield the floor and, at the appropriate time, I will call for the vote, unless it is the pleasure of the managers of the bill that they want to accept the amendment as part of a package.

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

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, there is at this moment in orbit the first Chinese astronaut. Their successful launch of a piloted spacecraft marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of human exploration of space. Just the third nation to accomplish such a feat, I am happy on behalf of the Senate to welcome China into an elite group of nations that can independently send humans to explore the heavens. The United States and Russia established manned space programs decades ago and are pleased to have a new ally--we hope a new ally--in the quest to explore space. China's program will provide additional resources, I hope fresh ideas, and renewed enthusiasm for space exploration. My hope is that China will become a partner in our ongoing international efforts, such as the International Space Station, to make technological advances and to help solve mysteries of outer space. As China undertook its first such mission, my thoughts were with the first taikonaut who is the sole space flyer on Shenzhou 5. Americans know all too well the potential risk of space flight, and we commend this astronaut's courage. Americans also know that the benefits of space exploration outweigh the risks. We expect that the Chinese will reap rewards that space missions offer--to learn and to explore, to advance technology, and to uplift the human spirit. Now that China has opened a new chapter in human space flight history, it is fitting that America refocus our own goals on exploration. Now is the time to renew our commitment to space exploration with a vision that will capture the imagination and the support of the people on planet Earth. Congratulations to the Chinese. We look forward to a successful return, as he reenters, starting about 5 o'clock, as that reentry falls through space for about 30 minutes, and then as he starts encountering the upper atmosphere about 30 minutes from landing, which is a very perilous part of the journey, as we have very painfully learned as American citizens in the experience we had last February. I am very confident our future missions at NASA will be quite successful. I again commend Admiral Gehman and his commission for the excellent report of the Gehman Commission. I commend NASA and I encourage NASA to adopt all of the recommendations of the Gehman Commission. We again welcome the Chinese into this select fraternity of space-faring nations from planet Earth. I yield the floor.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. I thank the Senator for his comments.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. I see. Then, in deference to my colleague, I will just make a couple of comments, and then I will certainly want to hear from my colleague who is one of the greatest orators in this Chamber, the senior Senator from Illinois.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, parliamentary inquiry: Are we now beginning morning business that has been allocated to this side of the aisle?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, I ask the minority leader if he would comment further after his clear statement of having five times requested information about discrepancies in the White House with regard to the outing of a CIA agent. If I recall, when this fiasco broke several weeks ago, there was an attempt to minimize it by stating that the CIA employee was merely an analyst, not an operative. It is my subsequent understanding that, to the contrary of that minimization, the CIA agent whose identity was made public by someone in the administration clearly was a very important operative, as reported, I believe, in the Washington Post. Would the minority leader comment on the seriousness of this kind of outing, on the seriousness of it with regard to the security interests of the United States?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. If the Senator will further yield, it is also this Senator's understanding that this revealing of the identity of a special agent has so enraged the CIA and its employees that even though there may be an attempted coverup of this in the White House, that it is likely this issue will continue to bubble to the surface; is that the understanding of the minority leader?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. I have a couple of questions for the minority leader. On the question of the debt, it is estimated that in the fiscal year that just began, October 1, we are going to end up sending more than we have coming in, in tax revenue this year to the tune of $600 billion. That is over half a trillion dollars. My question to the minority leader is this. I have gotten feedback from innumerable townhall meetings over this past week in my State of Florida from people who are so concerned that by our not having the revenue and therefore having to borrow that, they are not going to be able to get the expenditures of the Federal Government in areas such as education, transportation, and health care. Would the minority leader comment on that?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. If the Senator will further yield?

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, I was under the understanding that was leader time?

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, I have had a wonderful time this past week in my State of Florida, over the course of 4 days, having about 25 townhall meetings, many of those townhall meetings in the smaller communities and in some cases rural communities of our State. We have a State that has a wonderful blend of urban and rural. Indeed, the State of Florida, as we so well know in politics, is often a deciding factor in a Presidential race because Florida has become a microcosm of the country as a whole, with many people moving to Florida from other parts of the country. Indeed, people are moving to Florida from other parts of the world, particularly the Western Hemisphere. There have been very clear messages that have come to this Senator from Florida from the people of that State as expressed in these townhall meetings in the past week. One of the clear concerns is that people are uneasy with the fact that $87 billion is going to be spent on the occupation in Iraq when there are so many needs here at home. As I would break down that $87 billion for the people in these townhall meetings I would point out that $67 billion will be relatively noncontroversial because that is money that goes to the support of our U.S. troops. What is at controversy is the $20 billion requested for reconstruction in Iraq. The World Bank says $70 billion will be needed. So this is the first downpayment on $70 billion, and the administration is proposing that $20 billion come from the United States right now. What is it for? It is for building of roads and bridges, it is building schools, it is providing teachers, it is providing training of teachers, it is providing $800 million for the restoration of wetlands. It is providing for all of the infrastructure such as water systems and road systems and electrical systems. As I would explain this, I would see people get very restive in these townhall meetings, for they would say: Well, what about our needs for restoring wetlands in Florida? What about our needs for building roads and bridges and repairing roads? What about our needs for money going into education, just as the majority leader has talked about in the $6.5 billion that is needed to fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act--the disadvantaged kids. What about the superintendents of the school systems who came to every one of those townhall meetings and said not only did they need that kind of assistance in their schools, but need resources to take care of disabled kids, too? What about the IDEA legislation, of fully funding it? The clear message that came to me regarding the legislation we will be considering here today on the infrastructure needs in Iraq and the infrastructure needs of our people at home here in America. We will be considering a number of amendments that do not have to be an either/or question because clearly it is in the interest of the United States to stabilize Iraq, and that we stabilize it politically and economically. But it doesn't have to be an either/or question. Iraq is sitting on the second largest deposit of oil reserves in the world. There is going to be a revenue stream once that oil is up and producing at maximum capacity. There is going to be a huge revenue stream coming from that oil. One of the amendments we are going to consider is the amendment to pledge future Iraqi oil revenue to pay back the $20 billion the United States of America is going to provide for building up the infrastructure, including the $800 million for wetlands restoration. That is a clear message given to me from the folks who came to these townhall meetings. I will close with this, because I want to hear from the Senator from Illinois. There was another bombing just a few minutes ago in Iraq. It was the bombing of the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad. It is clearly at first blush my impression that this is an attempt at intimidation of the Turks because they have indicated they were considering in their Parliament the sending of troops to assist United States troops in Iraq. There was another bombing yesterday. We are having, on average, one bombing a day, and/or the killing of U.S. and Iraqi civilian personnel. Iraq has become a magnet for terrorists. It is clearly in America's interests to stabilize Iraq. Yet, where is the attempt of the White House and this administration to reach out to the international community at the behest of bipartisan voices in this Chamber? Many of those bipartisan voices come from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee saying you don't want just an American face as an occupier in Iraq; that what you want is an international face; that this is an international problem and not just America's problem; and we have to turn Iraq around from being a magnet for terrorists. It is my hope the administration will finally start listening to Republicans and Democrats in this Chamber who have not only argued but who have pled for an international approach to stabilize Iraq. Look at the experience in Bosnia. We are finally getting Bosnia stabilized. But it has taken 8 years. The United States had to go into Bosnia first. But then we were able to bring in the world community, including the United Nations. That can be a good model for us, but it is also a realistic model to realize that it is going to take a lot of troops and it is going to take a lot of time. With that somber note, I yield the floor.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of modern history's most caring and unconditionally loving people on the eve of her beatification. Through her work as a teacher and provider to the poor and suffering, Mother Teresa of Calcutta demonstrated the essence of what it means to love. It was March of 2002 that I was humbled and privileged during a personal visit to the Nirmal Hriday, Pure of Heart, Home for the Dying Destitutes in Calcutta, started by Mother Teresa in 1952 to give hope and care to those with neither. Although Mother Teresa passed away 5 years earlier, the spirit of kindness and concern that nearly transcended human boundaries lived on in that small hospice, and showed on the faces of its volunteers, and shined in the smiles of nuns carrying on her work. That day I was also honored to visit with Mother Teresa's successor, Sister Nirmala. Sister Nirmala and I spoke briefly of the importance of continuing Mother Teresa's work, and in some small way, I hope the recognition we provide will further that cause--that comfort, care, and love she gave unconditionally. Born in 1910, Mother Teresa became a Roman Catholic nun at the age of 18. She began by teaching geography and history at St. Mary's School in Calcutta, but became anxious to aid those outside of the convent. Twenty years later, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order based on attending to the impoverished and afflicted whom no one else served. Mother Teresa later turned her focus to the establishment of care programs for AIDS victims. Although she was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Foundation for Hospice and Homecare's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1985, Mother Teresa felt most honored by the joy of providing comfort and care to those in need. As her beatification by Pope John Paul II nears, we pause to reflect upon the example set forth by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa demonstrated true and unconditional love for her fellow persons, giving herself fully to their care, and shall forever be remembered as one of the world's most generous and inspiring human beings.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a great patriot, soldier and fellow Floridian, LTG John M. LeMoyne. General LeMoyne is retiring after a distinguished 35-year career in the United States Army. John LeMoyne entered military service in 1968 after graduating from the University of Florida, in Gainsville, FL. He was commissioned through ROTC as a second lieutenant in the Infantry and has served with distinction for over three decades in peace and during two wars. Most notable was his final assignment as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1. He was personally selected by the Army's senior leadership to serve as its head personnel officer and to take control of an organization which had sustained substantial casualties during the September 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. His calm hand, steady leadership and personal touch were instrumental in guiding the organization through a period of mourning and reconstitution, while continuing to support the Army's many personnel needs. Over the past 2 years, during a period of unprecedented global action, with Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, General LeMoyne ensured that the Army's personnel challenges were met. Throughout his career, General LeMoyne has distinguished himself in numerous command and staff positions both overseas and in the United States. In Vietnam, he commanded an infantry company, where he was recognized for his heroism and received a Purple Heart. In Europe, his assignments included command of the 3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division; Operations Officer and later Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army. General LeMoyne's stateside assignments included serving as the Commander, 1st Brigade, 24th Infantry Division and Commanding General, U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, GA. While in command of the 1st Brigade during Operation Desert Storm, General LeMoyne's unit led the famous ``Hail Mary'' into the Iraqi Army's rear which contributed to the quick end of hostilities and the defeat of the Iraqi Army in Kuwait. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking General LeMoyne for the leadership he has provided, for the care and concern he has demonstrated for our soldiers and their families and for his dedicated and honorable service to our Nation and its Army. As he returns to Gainsville, we wish him, his wife Marion and family Godspeed and all the best in the future.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, this Nation's fiscal policy is careening off the road into bankruptcy. And that means, if we are having to go out and borrow money--by the way, borrowing it from places such as Saudi Arabia and the Chinese--in order to pay our bills, that means we are not able to spend money going into education and health care and Social Security. You have to get some relief somewhere. This is a good place. Stop the tax cuts that are supposed to be going into effect for the wealthiest, and let that $87 billion pay for these expenses that are incurred in Iraq. I thank the Chair.

Mr. NELSON of Florida

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Will the Senator further yield for an additional comment? It is not only, interestingly, those who are directly in the services of the CIA now, but it is also the retirees. I will never forget being in an almost deserted embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, after September 11. I heard my name being called. I turned around, and I saw an elderly looking gentleman, and he recalled how we knew each other back when I was in the House of Representatives. I said: What in the world are you doing here? We were getting ready to do a raid in 5 cities simultaneously that night, of which we got 50 al-Qaida, and we got the No. 3 guy. And, lo and behold, he was a retired CIA agent they brought back in the aftermath of September 11, when we were trying to catch up until we could get the new guys trained. They reached out, and they got the old guys who had all the knowledge.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I wanted to pick up on something the Senator from New York said. I can best illustrate it with Veterans Day and Memorial Day when we typically are commending those young men and women in uniform. We have to modify that now because of the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq. We commend the young men and women not only in uniform but in the service of their country, because the CIA was the first to go into Afghanistan. They were all over Afghanistan before we ever went in with our military forces. They are working in conjunction with our military forces. Indeed, the first American to be killed in Afghanistan was Mike Spann, a CIA agent. What we are dealing with, lest folks get this all mixed up with politics, is a crime of the most serious nature because it jeopardizes the security of the United States and its people. When someone's identity is suddenly revealed and is an agent of the U.S. Government, their life is in jeopardy and the lives of their contacts are in jeopardy. That is the gravity of this leak. That gets lost in all of this. He said, she said, and so forth is just branded as politics. But we are dealing with the lives of people. As in any normal criminal proceeding, if a violation of law is thought to have occurred, then let us allow the cops to investigate and let us bring that person in front of the responsible judicial tribunals. The question is, which cops will be able to investigate and get to the truth? If you leave it to the professional law enforcement people, they will. But isn't it sad that we have to be concerned that political influence will direct that investigation? Whatever turn it takes, what the Senator from Florida is standing for is I know our people want to get to the truth, and it ought to be the professional law enforcement investigators who determine what is the truth. That is why I wanted to come and support the Senator.

Mr. NELSON of Florida. So we are talking about the protection of the interests of this country, and not only those in the active service right now but those who are retired who in times of emergency are called back as well.