Jack Reed

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. I move to reconsider the vote and to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to thank so many people who were significant in the passage of this legislation. First, let me recognize Senator Hutchison, the ranking member, for her valuable contributions throughout. Also, and gladly, I not only welcome back Senator Johnson but recognize that as chairman of this committee, we communicated. He was very influential in the final outcome of the legislation. I not only welcome him back, but I gladly and joyfully give him the reins of the subcommittee so that the next time this bill comes to the floor, Senator Tim Johnson will be managing it, and I will be proud to be working with him. I particularly want to thank staff members who made such a huge and critical contribution to this effort: Christina Evans, B.G. Wright, Chad Schulken, and Elizabeth King from my staff; and from the minority staff: Dennis Balkham, Chris Heggem, and Yvonne Stone. I thank all my colleagues who cooperated so willingly and effectively. I yield the floor.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I point out that a similar measure passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 383 to 35 on a bipartisan basis, strongly supported in the House. Also, during the BRAC process, the Army determined the capacity of Fort Carson was adequate for the brigades stationed there. I urge the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. REED. I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2662

Mr. REED. I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2664

Mr. REED. Mr. President, Senator McConnell is proposing additional resources for the Bluegrass chemical demilitarization facility. It is a very important project. It is one we funded already in the bill. I can assure the Senator from Texas that I will work with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to allow additional resources going forward, perhaps through reprogramming, so that we can achieve Senator McConnell's goal, which is to as quickly as possible put this facility into operation to begin to eliminate some of these chemical weapons we have had in our inventory for many years.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 6, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the Senate in order to conduct a markup on Thursday, September 6, 2007, at 10 a.m. in SD-266. Agenda I. Bills S. 453, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 (Obama, Schumer, Leahy, Cardin, Feingold, Feinstein, Kennedy, Whitehouse); S. 1692, A bill to grant a Federal Charter to Korean War Veterans Association (Cardin, Isakson, Kennedy); S. 1845, A bill to provide for limitations in certain communications between the Department of Justice and the White House (Whitehouse, Leahy) and S.772, Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2007 (Kohl, Coleman). II. Resolutions S. Res. 282, National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week (Kohl, Hatch) and S. Res. 134, Adopt a School Library Month (Durbin). III. Nominations Richard A. Jones to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington; Sharion Aycock to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi; Jennifer Walker Elrod to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, September 6, 2007, at 1:30 p.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``A DHS Status Report: Assessing Challenges and Measuring Progress.''

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to hold a hearing on the Nomination of Charles E.F. Millard, of New York, to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 5, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate office building.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``An Examination of the Potential Human Health, Water Quality, and Other Impacts of the Confined Animal Feeding Operation Industry.''

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 5 p.m. in Executive Session to continue to receive information relating to the treatment of detainees.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 6, at 10 a.m., in open session to receive a report on the findings of the Iraqi Security Forces Independent Assessment Commission.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. I am happy to discuss this issue with my colleagues from New Jersey.

Mr. REED. I know of no further debate.

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

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. REED. I move to reconsider the vote and to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2679

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I agree that great work has been done at Fort Monmouth to support our military and it deserves recognition. Fort Monmouth has played an important role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the men and women working there are to be commended.

Mr. REED. I thank the Senator for his thoughts. It is my understanding that the Army plans to issue a report on Fort Monmouth by the end of the year. I can also assure my colleagues from New Jersey that the Senate Armed Services Committee as the authorizing committee will continue its oversight of the BRAC process.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2679 for Senator Landrieu regarding a report on the progress of the veterans hospital in New Orleans.

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warriors legislation, be printed, as passed by the Senate on July 25, 2007.