John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, as usual our distinguished colleague has stated the facts with accuracy.

Mr. WARNER. Not on time yielding, as I understand it; whoever seeks recognition. I have had a time to speak. As I understand it, my colleague from Michigan----

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote in relation to the pending Warner-Levin-Stevens amendment occur at 6:30 tonight, with no second degrees in order to the amendment prior to the vote.

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

Mr. WARNER. My colleague very kindly referred to our conversation earlier today when he, as every Member of this Chamber, has taken time to attend funerals in their respective States for those who lost their lives in the conflicts now ongoing, principally in Afghanistan and Iraq. I mentioned to him a soldier's grave at the Battle of Normandy. It was a British soldier, and he was killed in the invasion. As custom in the British military, the families may put a brief inscription on the tombstones. On this tombstone is the phrase: To the world he was known but as one. To his family he was known as the world. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wonder if I might be allowed one-quarter minute to reply to my colleague from Vermont?

Mr. WARNER. I suggest the distinguished Senator from Vermont be given such time as he may consume.

Mr. WARNER. First, I thank my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma, as well as those we have just spoken. These are individuals who, like me, have first and foremost in their hearts the welfare of the men and women of the Armed Forces in every possible way, but we must also bear in mind the fiscal realities with which we are confronted, the equities between the balance of benefits to the Active Duty and Reserve and the Guard and the need at this time. It is available should anyone want it, but it has to be on a shared- cost basis with the taxpayers of the United States. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague from Alabama, as well as the senior Senator from Oklahoma, and now I am privileged to have the wisdom of the junior Senator from Oklahoma.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I will seek additional time for my colleagues if that becomes necessary.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I yield to our distinguished colleague from Alabama such time as he may require, to be followed by our distinguished colleague from Oklahoma, with the understanding that the vote will commence, as described under the standing order, at 3:45.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, at this time I would like to lay this amendment aside and proceed with another matter, with the understanding that prior to the vote, assuming we do establish the vote to be at 3:30, there may be some desire by the proponents as well as the opponents to speak for a few minutes. We will proceed at this time.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague. At this time, I suggest that we go off of the Warner amendment, which I ask be laid aside, and return to the pending amendment by the Senator from South Carolina, at which time I think a number of colleagues are anxious to address the Senate.

Mr. WARNER. I now ask unanimous consent that following the granting of this consent, the pending amendment be temporarily set aside in order for the chairman to offer an amendment regarding a $25 billion contingent fund. I further ask consent the vote in relation to the pending TRICARE amendment occur at 3:45 today, with the 15 minutes prior to that vote equally divided in the usual form, with no second- degree amendment in order prior to the vote. I further ask consent following the vote, the Senate begin the 60-minute period during morning business and provided for earlier. That will address the recognition of the World War II veterans who are currently Members of the Senate. I amend one thing, if I may, from my reading, and that is at 20 minutes prior to the vote, I understand there is another speaker on my side who may wish to speak.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct.

Mr. WARNER. Quickly, our colleagues are pretty well familiar with this, but I will take a short few moments to address it. When the administration presented its budget request for fiscal year 2005 in February, the request did not include funding for costs associated with the ongoing global war on terrorism. This is in keeping with longstanding tradition of funding ongoing military operations through supplemental appropriations. At that time, the administration stated that it expected to request a supplemental to cover these costs, after the start of calendar year 2005. Prior to the passage of a supplemental, the administration planned to cover the cost of the war with funds from other military accounts--a process commonly called ``cash flowing.'' Administration officials stated in February and March that ``cash flowing'' ongoing military operations presented acceptable and manageable risk. On May 5, President Bush announced his intention to request a $25 billion contingent reserve fund for fiscal year 2005 for United States military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The President stated that, ``While we do not know the precise costs for operations next year, recent developments on the ground and increased demands on our troops indicate the need to plan for contingencies. We must make sure there is no disruption in funding and resources for our troops.'' In my judgment, this is a prudent course of action, and it has my strongest support. It is important to note that, even with this reserve fund, the administration will still request a full fiscal year 2005 supplemental after the first of the year, when it can better estimate the costs of the ongoing war on terror. When the President made his announcement 3 weeks ago, the committee was in the process of marking up the fiscal year 2005 national defense authorization bill. At the request of Senator Byrd, the committee deferred action on this request for additional funding until we could hold a hearing to receive more information on this request. On Thursday, May 13, the committee held a hearing on the administration's amended budget request. Committee staff then met with administration and Defense Department officials to address concerns raised by committee members during that hearing. After careful study of the administration's request and consultation on both sides of the aisle, the committee supports inclusion of a $25 billion reserve, with some additional restrictions and reporting requirements. As proposed by the administration, this contingency reserve fund would essentially have been a $25 billion transfer account. Many members expressed concern over this in our hearing. As drafted, the amendment requires that $22 billion of the fund be spent on specific accounts. Only $3 billion would be in the form of a transfer account which could be spent only after prior consultation and notification. Increased demands on our troops, particularly in Iraq, have led to concerns that additional funding may be needed prior to the start of calendar year 2005, thus the need for contingency funding. As proposed, the contingent emergency reserve fund would act as a ``bridge'' between the fiscal year 2005 budget request and the fiscal year 2005 supplemental expected in February 2005. Without a contingent reserve fund, to mitigate the risks, the department may be forced to ``cash flow'' ongoing operations with other funding sources until supplemental funds are appropriated, which could be well into the second quarter of fiscal year 2005. Ongoing procurement programs, modernization efforts, and even training could be adversely affected from having to pay up front for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I agree with the President that our first commitment must be to America's security and that our troops ``have the resources they need, when they need them.''

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee and his colleagues for supporting this issue. As he most eloquently stated, the purpose is clear. It is to avoid the repetition of the past where we have gone into the forage fund to meet contingencies. We know they exist today. It is best we face up to it and put it on record.

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER. May I thank my dear friend. I do not in any way deserve what he said, but he and I do reflect often on how we got where we are and that is because of men such as Jackson, Stennis, Goldwater, and Tower, and the greats whom we have served under as chairmen of this committee. The Senator from Michigan has been chairman of the committee. I have been chairman of the committee. We were trained by the best and we learned so much of what we practice today from those great teachers, Senators, of towering strength and wisdom. I thank my friend for sharing his thoughts with me. In every sense, he emulates those titans and giants who have run this committee.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Presiding Officer.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I think it is appropriate that I am the last veteran of World War II in the Senate to rise because I am the youngest. I say that only because it reflects on my very modest career in World War II. I was but 17 in January 1945. The Navy called me and I served in training commands. All of our generation went in. It is hard to remember back, but everybody wanted to go. The Battle of the Bulge had just occurred, where my distinguished colleague here served. All of our high school class suddenly recognized that from this great and powerful Nation, for those 3 weeks of the Battle of the Bulge, there was an element as to when we would eventually have the victory for which we all prayed. It was no big deal. It was exciting. I have always looked back on my modest service of less than 2 years because the war ended rather unexpectedly. We were all trained to go into the Pacific as the war in Europe had stopped. We were prepared to go aboard our ships as replacements for those who endured months and, in most instances, years of service. We talk about the youngsters who went off for 6 months today, or even for a year. But in those days, it was not unusual to be gone for 3 years and never go back home. We were all prepared as youngsters to go and were quite willing, well-trained, beautifully educated in our respective responsibilities. I was a radio- radar technician. That was the spirit of America, which was totally unified behind us. My colleague paid homage, most appropriately, to the home front. I think Senator Inouye said the Nation won the war, which is true. Behind all of the military people were hundreds of thousands at home. What beautiful eloquence here today. It has been an enriching experience. Yes, I, too, think the medals should have gone to our parents, as Senator Inouye said. My mother and my father died. He served in World War I in the trenches as a doctor, wounded and decorated. I was brought up knowing he and my mother had been associated with the Red Cross and tended the wounded. They would have expected their son to go, as did all parents in those days. I served later in the Marines--that time as a staff officer in combat zones, but always in support of those in combat arms and in the air. I never claimed the title of a combat soldier. I am proud to have served with the distinguished men who did. They have been my big brothers. There have been 114 who served this body from World War II. I expect that in my 26 years, I served with half of them. I had a younger brother but never a big brother. Now I have had all these wonderful veterans who trained me. I would not be in the Senate had it not been for the discipline, sense of mission, self-reliance, and the sense that you owe a debt to your buddies in the military and others who helped you in life. Lastly, the GI bill was the greatest investment ever made by this Nation for a generation. How proud all of us in this Chamber are today that we have continued that educational program, such that the current men and women in the Armed Forces are able to get those benefits, as did we, and hopefully they can have the careers we have had. This is such a magnificent nation in which we live and we are so grateful. I am deeply humbled to be the youngest, the most inconspicuous, and the most modest in terms of military service, of all to participate on this memorable day. I express our appreciation first and foremost to God Almighty who for one reason or another spared those who have come to this Chamber, having served in World War II, to our parents, and to our buddies, fellow sailors, airmen, and marines with whom we served. I am grateful to our leaders who had the concept to bring this memorable hour for all of us to share in and express our deepest gratitude. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am presenting this unanimous consent request, together with the distinguished Senator from Nevada, who will comment on it as soon as I have completed reading it. I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendments be temporarily set aside, and that following this consent, Senator Daschle be recognized in order to offer an amendment related to TRICARE. I further ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes the Defense bill on Thursday morning, tomorrow morning, the Senate proceed to a vote on adoption of the pending Crapo amendment No. 3226, to be followed by a vote on the adoption of the underlying amendment No. 3170, as amended. I further ask unanimous consent that Senator Cantwell be recognized to offer an amendment related to nuclear waste, and that there be 4 hours for debate equally divided in the usual form; provided further that following the use or yielding back of time the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the Cantwell amendment, with no amendments in order to the amendment prior to the vote--before the Chair rules, I would announce it is my understanding that the pending Graham and Crapo amendments would not require rollcall votes and would be accepted by voice--provided further, I ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the TRICARE amendment, the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, be recognized in order to offer an amendment related to the $25 billion contingent fund requested by the President.