Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have been informed that the Department of Defense does not support the Bingaman amendment, the pending amendment No. 1830. It has bipartisan support. Let me explain to the Senate why there is opposition from the Department. At the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Presidential Executive Order 132-89, dated March 12, 2003, authorized global war on terrorism, Expeditionary and Service Medals for members of the United States Armed Forces who have served in military expeditions to combat terrorism around the world as defined by Department regulations on or after September 11, 2001. This was created and tailored to recognize both combat and noncombat operations not just in a single campaign or country but worldwide. To be eligible for the Expeditionary Medal, service members must have served within the area of eligibility. However, initially approved operations for Expeditionary Medals are Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Battle stars for the Expeditionary Medal are provided for service members who engaged in combat against the enemy in the area of eligibility. Because antiterrorism operations are global in nature, the area of eligibility for an approved operation may be deemed to be noncontiguous. The combatant commander has authority to award medals for personnel deployed within his or her theater. There is a separate medal called the Service Medal that provides commanders the flexibility of recognizing supporting personnel and will not be restricted by geographical boundaries. Unlike the Expeditionary Medal, the Service Medal includes not only support for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom but also Operation Noble Eagle and airport security operations from September 27, 2001, to May 1, 2002. The Department urges against the establishment of an Iraqi Freedom Medal for two reasons. First, it is redundant with the global war on terrorism medal in its purpose. Second, it is divisive in that it values participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom as being more worthy of individual recognition than Operation Enduring Freedom. In other words, there are people who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, there are people who have served in Afghanistan and not Iraq, and Iraq and not Afghanistan. The whole concept of this global war against terrorism is that there are also combatants in the Philippines and in Indonesia and other places throughout the world. I don't know how many there are, but I have been told some of the global war on terrorism medals have been awarded. The problem about the Bingaman amendment is, what happens to those people who received those medals? Do they give them back? Do they also get an Iraqi medal of freedom? What happens to the people from Afghanistan? As I understand it, I could be wrong, but it covers only the Iraqi liberation medal.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Time has expired. Mr. President, I call for a vote. I opposed this before. The Department opposes it. I call for a vote.

Mr. STEVENS. Parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I simply say that I am sorry about this recent dispute. In the period of time before lunch, I made a statement, based upon a memo we got from the Department of Defense, that pointed out that the medals in question were authorized by the President at the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They had two reasons to oppose this Iraqi freedom medal. First, it is redundant to the general war on terrorism medal; second, it is devisive in that it inherently values participation in the Iraqi operation as opposed to Afghanistan and all others. In particular, the Department pointed out that, under the Global War on Terrorism Medals, there is an Expeditionary Medal that goes to those who serve in Iraq, Afghanistan, or in those places where there has been combat in the war against terrorism. The other medal is a Service Medal to recognize those people who are supporting personnel. It is not restricted by geographical boundaries. It is not only for the support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; it also applies to Operation Noble Eagle and airport security operations from September 27, 2001, to May 1, 2002. The Senate has defeated a proposal to go on record to issue an Iraqi medal only to those who served in Iraq, and the Department has taken the position--that is what really caused consternation because they want medals to recognize specific and general sacrifices and contributions made by all Armed Forces in the efforts to combat terrorism in all forms throughout the world, both in current and future operations. The Expeditionary Medal will continue to be issued to those who participate in the global war against terrorism and are involved in combat operations. I think what the Department has done at the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is inherently fair and proper. I want to reassure those who supported the position I enunciated and are opposed to this amendment, I believe you have done the right thing by those people who are in uniform and are sacrificing themselves and really exposing themselves in harm's way throughout the world.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished leader. I ask unanimous consent that there now be 30 minutes for debate in relation to the Stabenow amendment, with 20 minutes under the control of Senator Stabenow and 10 minutes under my control; provided that following the debate time, the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the amendment, with no amendments in order to the amendment prior to the vote; that following that vote, the time until 6:30 this evening be equally divided in the usual form in relation to the Dorgan amendment No. 1846; and that the vote occur in relation to the Dorgan amendment at 6:30 p.m., with no amendments in order to the amendment prior to the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to table the amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I would like to start the process of having amendments offered from this side, too. So we are going to have two from that side. Can we reserve a time for people to offer amendments over here and decide about--I do not have any problem with Senator Durbin offering an amendment, but the order of presenting them we will decide tomorrow.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I would like to yield to the Senator from Nevada for purposes of offering some amendments, and then I would like to get a time agreement, if we can, on the amendments that we are going to lay down and debate tonight.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we are preparing a unanimous consent request. May we----

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have no problem with Senator Corzine, Senator Reed, and Senator Durbin offering their amendments, but in the line here of being pending, of amendments being set aside temporarily, I would like the right tomorrow to suggest the order in which these will be presented following the votes on Senator Corzine's and Senator Reed's amendments.

Mr. STEVENS. It is just an understanding. I do not ask unanimous consent. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes consideration of the Iraq supplemental on Wednesday, there be 4 minutes equally divided prior to the vote in relation to the Corzine amendment No. 1811; provided further that following that vote there be 7 minutes for debate in relation to the Reed amendment No. 1834, with 5 minutes under the control of Senator Reed and 2 minutes under the control of the chairman; further, that following that debate the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the Reed amendment, with no amendments in order to either amendment prior to the votes.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittees on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Terrorism: Radical Islamic Influence of Chaplaincy of the U.S. Military and Prisons,'' on Tuesday, September 14, 2003, at 10 a.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Witness List Panel I: Mr. John Pistole, Assistant Director of Counterterrorism, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC. The Honorable Charles Abell, Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense, Washington, DC. The Honorable Harley Lappin, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Washington, DC. Panel II: Dr. Michael Waller, Annenberg Professor of International Communication, The Institute of World Politics, Washington, DC. Mr. Paul Rogers, President, American Correctional Chaplains Association, Waupun, WI.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 2, 2003, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on ``The Implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Restoring Investor Confidence.''

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, October 2, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. on media ownership.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, October 2, 2003, at 2:30 p.m. on Amtrak.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 2, 2003 at 1:30 a.m. to hold a Business Meeting.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 2, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing on U.S. Policy Toward Cuba.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, October 2, 2003 at a time and location to be determined to hold a business meeting to consider the nomination of C. Suzanne Mencer to be Director, Office for Domestic Preparedness, Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and House Committee on Energy and Commerce be authorized to meet for a Joint hearing on Managing Biomedical Research to Prevent and Cure Disease in the 21st Century: Matching NIH Policy with Science during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 2, 2003 at 10 a.m. in SD-106.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, for the reasons previously stated on this side, I move to table Senator Biden's amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Before the Senator leaves, Mr. President, could we explore a time agreement on the amendment?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we have a Senator's agreement that we are going from side to side. We have another amendment ready to go. We would be happy to proceed. The Senator from Colorado wants to speak for 10 minutes on the bill itself, but I should think we could get a time agreement.

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