Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, how much time remains?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I point out that Senator Byrd's amendment would prohibit the obligation of funds to deploy to Operation Iraqi Freedom a member of the National Guard or Reserves if that member has been involuntarily deployed for any period of 6 months or more during the 6-year period ending on the date the involuntary deployment overseas would otherwise commence. As I understand it, that would mean these people could be deployed to Pakistan, Afghanistan, or anyplace except to Iraq, where they are needed most. When the Senator has completed his time, I ask that I might be recognized to make a motion to table the amendment. How much time remains?

Mr. STEVENS. I yield the remainder of our time to Senator Warner, but I ask at the end to be recognized to make a motion to table the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move that the Senator's amendment be tabled. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask that this be the first vote in the stacked order when we agree to a time later and ask that we temporarily set aside this amendment so we might take up the next amendment on the list.

Mr. STEVENS. I asked that the amendment be set aside temporarily after the yeas and nays have been ordered so we may have a series of stacked votes later on. There is another Byrd amendment, a third Byrd amendment, and a Brownback amendment. We wish to consider all of those and have stacked votes after they are completed.

Mr. STEVENS. Yes.

Mr. STEVENS. Well, I did make a motion to table. I apologize to the Senator from West Virginia. I thought we had an understanding we would go through these and have one series of votes that would be 10 minutes apiece.

Mr. STEVENS. All right. The Senator is entitled to his vote, if there is an objection to putting it off.

Mr. STEVENS. No; we will just go to the vote. The other request was objected to.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent there be 10 minutes on the Dorgan-Wyden amendment, 4 minutes apiece for Senators Dorgan and Wyden, and 2 minutes for myself.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator.

Mr. STEVENS. Which amendment is that?

Mr. STEVENS. Very well.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, is all time yielded back on the other side?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we have agreed to take this to conference. The House has deleted approximately the same amount of money. I do not think it is precisely the same items covered but very close. The allocations are close to what the House made. We want to do our best to work in conference. We accept the fact the Congress is going to reduce this bill, but I do want to make certain the urgent needs particularly of oil production are met. I know the Senator from Oregon and I may have a little disagreement on that. I do not think he disagrees that all production means should be really modernized sufficiently so we can be assured of that oil production. That oil production is essential to Iraq taking on their own future. We will work in conference. Senator Dorgan will be in the conference, so we will keep them informed of what is going on. But we are going to take this amendment and adopt it. As I said, it is quite similar to what the House has done, and we are going to work it out to the best of our ability, to use this money and prioritize it in a way that meets the needs of those people who have the job to do in Iraq. I yield back the remainder of my time and ask for the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. Now, Mr. President, Senator Byrd has an amendment No. 1819, 10 minutes equally divided. I ask the Senator, are you prepared to go forward now?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we had extended in the previous supplemental similar discretion to the President. During the period of great change, such as the global war on terrorism, we have done that since from September 11, 2001. This provision in our bill does not eliminate or reduce congressional oversight. Every transfer of these funds above the threshold must be--notice must be given in advance to the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. We have done this in the past, and it is necessary for the future. We put up the money. They come to us and tell us how they are going to spend it. We approve it or modify it, but we have oversight, and we continue to have oversight. The commander of the special operations command seeks and needs authority to prevent new terrorist cells from forming. We have enormous needs from the combatant commander who really has the key job in Iraq in fighting the war on terrorism that is now developing even more intensely in Iraq after the magnificent victory of our forces. We believe the authority is no different than what the Congress has approved in the past. Madam President, has all time been yielded back?

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I yield back the remainder of my time. I move to table the amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, if I can have the attention of Senators, I have three amendments we have worked out. We have one more to work out. I ask unanimous consent that there be 1 minute for Senator Boxer and 1 minute for Senator Schumer to explain the modification of their amendment, which we will accept. I have a statement to make with Senator Domenici on his amendment. Senator Brownback has his amendment. He has agreed to limit his remarks to 8 minutes, and we have 5 minutes if we want to use them after that. I remind the Senate, after these amendments are handled, there will just be one more vote. We then have to proceed to a vote on final passage. I understand there are some Senators who wish to make a statement before final passage.

Mr. STEVENS. Before passage?

Mr. STEVENS. After those speeches, there still will be a vote on final passage. Amendments Nos. 1807, As Further Modified, 1850, As Modified, and 1860, As Modified, En Bloc

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I send to the desk three amendments that have been cleared by both sides: Senator Leahy's amendment No. 1807, which is on the list; Senator Clinton's amendment which is amendment No. 1850, which is on the list; and Senator Harkin's amendment which is amendment No. 1860. Two of them are modified. I ask that they be modified and presented to the Senate so we may call them up en bloc.