Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. This amendment would require Federal agencies to pay any difference between military pay and civilian compensation for employees of the Federal Government who are called to active duty. We have concerns about requiring all Federal agencies to absorb the cost of implementing this program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the initial cost is $80 million this year. We have not opposed this amendment. I offered to take it to conference. The authors have demanded a vote. I will not oppose the vote. I intend to work with the two authorization committees that have jurisdiction over this matter, the Senate Armed Services and Governmental Affairs Committees, to ensure this is the appropriate policy to address the Guard and Reserve retention. I believe it will be modified in conference.

Mr. STEVENS. Have the yeas and nays been requested?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, 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. STEVENS. Mr. President, this amendment will cap future funds for reconstruction unless the President certifies that additional funds are ``equal to or exceeded by'' an amount contributed by members of the international community. The President may waive the requirement if he deems it in the interest of national security. But part of this money is money for reconstruction and development of Iraq. The amendment will potentially impact on the momentum for reconstruction which, as we have said, is critical to bringing our troops home as soon as possible. I don't think you can have it both ways. I don't think you can support the troops for military operations and oppose reconstruction efforts. At the appropriate time I intend to move to table the amendment.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, 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.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on October 14, an amendment offered by the Senator from North Dakota was tabled by a vote of 57-39. This is a similar amendment. This amendment states that no further funds will be committed for reconstruction beyond those in the underlying bill; all future reconstruction funds must come from revenues from Iraqi oil production. They could not spend any State Department money. They could not spend any Defense Department money--no funds except from moneys secured through oil production. This is another one of those amendments that will slow down the momentum of reconstruction in Iraq and really is another amendment that possibly will delay the return of our troops. I intend at the proper time to make a motion to table this amendment.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate the Corzine amendment No. 1882.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on this matter there be 20 minutes under the control of Senator Roberts, 5 minutes under the control of Senator Rockefeller, and 5--whatever time Senator Corzine requests.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am appalled by the statement of the Senator from New York. There is no distress in this country of the intelligence system. The distress is all political. We have had a problem. There has been a leak. There have been leaks before. This President relied on the same intelligence that President Clinton did when he made the speech in 1998 saying: We are going to invade Iraq. I don't know what is going on here that suddenly this becomes another subject to send more people into harm's way to find out what went on in Iraq. Under amendments already adopted, we have two different inspectors general, and we have the GAO going in on two different amendments, and now we want to send another independent commission into Iraq. What is going to happen when they get there? They are going to use all the people in uniform to protect them. Last night, four more people were killed in Iraq. What is going on here? I don't see any reason to bring the campaign of 2004 to this Chamber on this bill, but that is what is going on with what has just been said by the Senator from New York. I take great offense at that. We are investigating this matter. There is no question we are investigating it. It is being investigated by the commission, it is being investigated by the Department of Justice, and it is being investigated by the CIA. To get into the political harangue I just heard is just absolutely nonsense.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to table the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. 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. 1884 To Amendment No. 1819

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, there is some concern about the individual items pledged. We are going to take care of the problem of some of the allocations that have been listed in the report from Mr. Bremer's office about how this money should be spent. I ask unanimous consent Senator Bond be added as an original cosponsor to Cantwell amendment No. 1857.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent when I yield the floor that I be permitted to yield to Senator Byrd to finish his remarks. He has time remaining on his allocation; following his remarks, I be recognized for the purpose of making a motion to table the Byrd amendment. I would like to have 2 minutes for my time before making that motion to table. I ask the two cloakrooms as a courtesy to Senators at lunch to send out word there will be a vote on a motion to table within 15 minutes. I further ask that the time on that vote not be 10 minutes because people are out of the building and they have to return. I ask this amendment not be a 10-minute vote, that it be a regular vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I have no problem with that. I just ask his time occur after or before Senator Byrd's time but at his discretion.

Mr. STEVENS. I leave that up to Senator Byrd, whether he wants to speak before or after.

Mr. STEVENS. As I understand, there is an allocation of 15 minutes for Senator Kennedy; is that correct?

Mr. STEVENS. Senator Byrd still has time.

Mr. STEVENS. I merely point out, as the Washington Post editorial did on Wednesday, rebuilding the electricity grid, fixing the water supply system, getting oil flowing, maintaining public safety is all central to the hopes for stability and a representative government that is the means of getting our troops back. I have had conversations--as a matter of fact, I just could not answer a call from Ambassador Bremer. I have great admiration for him. He has said there is no doubt the funds will help contribute to the peace and stability of not only Iraq but the entire region being stabilized. To deny them will delay the return home of our U.S. troops. I understand there is pending an underlying amendment and second- degree amendment. I make a motion to table the underlying amendment which will take both amendments, if I am successful, and I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. 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.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have a unanimous consent request to make that will terminate the consideration of this bill if the Senate will listen. I ask unanimous consent that the only remaining amendments in order be the following: Senator Byrd, regarding flexibility of money, 10 minutes equally divided; Senator Byrd, National Guard deployment, 10 minutes equally divided; Senator Byrd, amendment No. 1819 as a substitute, 10 minutes equally divided; Senator Brownback, an amendment on rescission of money, 20 minutes--15 minutes for him and 5 minutes for the manager of the bill. Those will be the last votes. We also have the Leahy amendment; the Dorgan amendment on oil; the Boxer-Schumer amendment on shoulder-fired missiles, as modified by the two managers; Senator Domenici wishes to speak for 5 minutes; and we have a Bond amendment which we believe will be adopted and will not require a vote. We have at this time four votes. I further ask unanimous consent that upon the disposition of the above-listed amendments and any final debate, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, with no intervening action or debate. I further ask unanimous consent that when the Senate receives from the House H.R. 3289, the House companion, that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 1689, as amended, be inserted in lieu thereof; that the bill then be read for a third time and passed, with no intervening action or debate. I further ask unanimous consent that following passage of the bill, the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House, and the Chair be authorized to appoint the full Committee on Appropriations as conferees on the part of the Senate.

Mr. STEVENS. The Leahy amendment, the Dorgan amendment, the Boxer amendment, Domenici, and the Bond amendment will be worked out with the managers and accepted without a vote.

Mr. STEVENS. There is 10 minutes equally divided. I yield our 5 minutes to Senator Bond, chairman of the National Guard caucus.