John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. And the distinguished ranking member, I believe, has roughly an hour.

Mr. WARNER. I notice the presence on the floor momentarily of our distinguished colleague from South Carolina and, indeed, the current junior Senator from South Carolina. I know the Senate is anxious to hear from both our colleagues with regard to the forthcoming retirement of our distinguished colleague, Senator Hollings. I also see my colleague from Colorado who desires to speak to the matter before the Senate. I say to the Senate that I think this debate and discussion among the members of the committee as relating to the nomination is about to come to a close, and subject to the ranking member's views, which I ask he provide the Senate at this time, I would like to give--how much time would the Senator from Colorado desire?

Mr. WARNER. I think the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Inhofe, wants about 5 minutes. Perhaps 15 minutes on this side, I say to my colleagues, is the remainder of the time we would seek on this nomination.

Mr. WARNER. I certainly would not impose any objection to a colleague wishing to expand the remarks.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I call to the attention of my colleague that this issue of General Shinseki's remarks has been and perhaps will continue to be debated and discussed. But actually, on the floor of the Senate--and my recollection is it was last fall from this fall in connection with the conference report-- I said to the Senate that I had asked repeatedly of the Army, of members of the Army: Was there any staff work done on this issue of the troop levels required in a post-conflict situation, either in the Department of the Army or in the joint staff? I urged that that be forthcoming and that information be given to the committee. To the best of my knowledge, no one has come forward to show any staff workup that provided the basis for the General's reply. As I point out, the General did not, in the course of these opening remarks, in a prepared statement, make any reference to that. As a matter of fact, he was supportive of the figure that was in the budget.

Mr. WARNER. Yes.

Mr. WARNER. You address this thing in a very broad context, which you are free to do. I was very specific. When he said several hundred thousand, I inquired as to whether there is any document, either in the Department of the Army or the joint staff, which supported that several hundred thousand individuals would be needed in a post-conflict situation.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, at this point I further ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record testimony by General Franks in response to questioning by Senator Levin on this issue.

Mr. WARNER. That concludes the debate at this point. I wonder if Senator Allard and Senator Inhofe--I see Senator Sessions--we are trying, if I might, to acquaint my colleagues who have arrived on the floor--the distinguished senior Senator from South Carolina desires to speak to his forthcoming retirement. The senior Senator wishes to speak to that. Yet this issue has been fully debated by those who have been on the floor. I judge my colleagues here wish to take some time. If my colleague could indicate that to me, I would like to allocate the time you would like to have. First, Senator Allard.

Mr. WARNER. Other Senators?

Mr. WARNER. Let's say 5. He is the chairman on the subcommittee for the Army and I think that is important.

Mr. WARNER. I say to the Senator from Oklahoma----

Mr. WARNER. I will leave that to the Senator's judgment. For the moment I will say 7 minutes. Is that agreeable?

Mr. WARNER. Does the Senator from Colorado wish to allow our distinguished colleague from Alabama to proceed?

Mr. WARNER. For that purpose, I ask unanimous consent for the Senator from Alabama, to be followed by the Senator from Colorado, followed by the Senator from Oklahoma, to address the Senate in the confines of the time allocated.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, does the Senator from Oklahoma desire additional time?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I yield to the Senator 3 more minutes.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to conclude this debate on the nominee. The nomination will be voted on, I am told, at 5:15, subject to modifications at that time. I say in conclusion that I think we have had a very good debate on this nomination and also the serious issues affecting the Department of the Army. I think it has been helpful in many respects. I am prepared to yield back all the remaining time which I have in the debate. I understand the distinguished ranking member is prepared to do likewise.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, in that case, I yield the floor with the understanding that the distinguished colleague from South Carolina can now proceed as he desires with regard to a very important set of remarks the Senate is anxious to receive. I say that in all sincerity. I thank colleagues for their participation in this debate. I strongly urge Members of the Senate to vote for confirmation of the nominee. This particular individual who is nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Defense came before the Armed Services Committee. He was reported out favorably to the floor and had been waiting for some period of time for confirmation to that position. The Secretary of Defense made the decision to resubmit his name in connection with the Secretary of the Army. I strongly urge colleagues to support this nominee. This is the nomination of the President of the United States. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote and I move to lay that motion on the table.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, today I commend an outstanding Virginian, Mr. Wendell L. Johnson, whose work has adorned the walls of many members of the House of Representatives. The ``Member of Congress'' seal designed by Mr. Johnson has been used numerous times by our federal legislators over the years, and he deserves the acknowledgment of this chamber for his service to the United States. As a young man of 18 years, Mr. Johnson enlisted in the Army to help his country during World War II. Rising to the rank of Sergeant, he earned a Good Conduct Medal before being honorably discharged in December 1945. Continuing a career of public service, Mr. Johnson joined the staff of United States Representative Alvin E. O'Konski of Wisconsin. While assisting the congressman in preparation for a televised speech in 1958, Mr. Johnson astutely realized that the viewing audience, who soon would be tuning in with this new medium, might not be able to identify Representative O'Konski at first sight. Understanding correctly the value of the congressman's image on television, Mr. Johnson hurried to the hardware store for the tools and supplies necessary to create a logo dignified enough to appear with a member of the United States Congress. By the time that the good people of Wisconsin had turned on their RCAs and Zeniths, Representative O'Konski spoke proudly from behind a podium bearing Johnson's exceptional ``Member of Congress'' seal. While not the official seal of either the House of Representatives or the Senate, Mr. Johnson's noble design represented the first insignia and plaque used for an individual member of the United States Congress. In the decade following its first use, his handiwork became very popular among Representative O'Konski's colleagues in the House. Mr. Johnson was thrilled to see orders for his product from the House Stationery Clerk, and he made a hobby of providing plaques to a host of members, including Harold Ostertag, Louis Wyman, Bill Brock, Dan Rostenkowski, and Donald Rumsfeld. Mr. Johnson's artistry expertly reflects the dignity and honor of the legislative branch. Featuring a proud eagle under a field of fourteen stars, the circular plaque bears the words ``Member of Congress'' above the name of our nation. A banner of ``E Pluribus Unum'' is clutched in the beak of the eagle, which holds in its talons a branch of olives and three arrows. Mr. Johnson's design has earned the esteem of many, as it has appeared on Congressional stationery, the official oil portrait of two committee chairmen, and even a number of gravestones. I thank you for the opportunity today to give Mr. Wendell L. Johnson the recognition that he so rightly deserves for his service to Congress.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee be authorized to meet on Tuesday, November 16, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., on Global Climate Change: Arctic Climate Global Assessment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Tuesday, November 16, 2004, at 9 a.m., on ``Judicial Nominations'' in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226. Witness list Panel I: Senators. Panel II: Thomas B. Griffith, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia. Panel III: Paul A. Crotty, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York; and J. Michael Seabright, to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Hawaii.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet today, Tuesday, November 16, 2004, from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. in Dirksen 628 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.