John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. It is a big plus to us, also. I take this opportunity to thank all of the staff members listed by my good friend and colleague, Senator Levin. Mr. President, I want to reach across the aisle, while nobody is looking, and shake hands with my colleague. We have worked together these 25 years and we are a pretty good team. It is a sheer joy to work with him.

Mr. WARNER. Let me suggest the following. I will not ask for unanimous consent.

Mr. WARNER. Take up to 5 minutes.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I listened carefully to my colleague. I have the privilege of having served on the Environment and Public Works Committee for many years. The Senator referred to action taken by the committee when this issue was before it. Could he be more specific? I don't recall. He said the committee took certain actions. I am having difficulty recalling that the committee took an action. We had a hearing. I remember consulting with my colleague about the essential need to have the Vice Chiefs of Staff of all the three military departments which came before the Environment and Public Works Committee. And to the individual, they were consistent in their urging that the Endangered Species Act be changed in such a way to permit--and this is the key--only this amendment to apply to Government-owned land on military reservations. I remember that. But does he recall the committee having taken action? I think if you look back through your words, I listened very carefully.

Mr. WARNER. I readily accede to the request of my full partner in working on these matters for these 25 years. We will do that and that will accommodate colleagues who are waiting to speak, if you do not mind that the chairman was rather lengthy in his remarks. It was important that be done.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, will the Senator indulge the manager for a moment to make an inquiry?

Mr. WARNER. To accommodate other Senators, I ask the Senator about how much time he wishes to speak.

Mr. WARNER. I suggest our leadership, together with the managers of the bill, consider that, following Senator Collins, then we could go into a period of morning business and give Mr. Byrd the time he is seeking, and then Senators could come over as in morning business, speak on behalf of the bill, and ask their statements be printed in the colloquy prior to the unanimous consent request.

Mr. WARNER. As chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, together with my distinguished colleague from Michigan, the ranking member, we are proud to bring a conference report on national defense authorization for fiscal year 2004 for final passage. It is fitting that we consider this important legislation on Veterans Day, a day when our Nation pauses to honor those who serve in the Armed Forces, their families, and those who have gone before them, proudly defending our Nation's freedom. I was deeply moved earlier today by the number of Senators on both sides of the aisle who spoke out with a sense of reverence and respect on this Veterans Day, November 11, 2003. This bill provides much needed benefits to those now serving, and their families, in the Armed Forces, as well as addressing longstanding needs of military retirees and veterans. This has been an unusually interesting and somewhat lengthy conference. In my 25 years, I think Senator Levin and I would indicate that it was quite a challenge, but I commend the distinguished chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hunter, his colleague, the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Skelton, and above all my own partner of these 25 years, Senator Levin. We had many challenging issues to resolve. Among them, of course, the base closure issues commonly referred to as BRAC; another category of provisions with regard to trade commonly referred to as Buy America, and the concurrent receipt issue which was pioneered in the Senate both last year and again this year. We did resolve these issues. I say ``we,'' because, again, it was a partnership of the four of us working together for these several months. I am proud that we achieved our goals of concluding a conference which sent a strong message of support to our men and women in uniform and their families, wherever they are in the world today. An undertaking of this magnitude is ultimately a bipartisan effort. I am proud in my many years on the committee, together with Senator Levin we have carried on the tradition of our predecessors, Senators Nunn and Tower and Goldwater and Stennis and Jackson. These were men of enormous distinction. We are proud to have that reputation as a committee. It prevails to this day and I hope on into the future. I especially thank those who worked with me, all the members of the committee, not only my distinguished ranking member but the chairmen of the subcommittees and their ranking members. They all put in tireless efforts to make this bill possible. It is probably one of the largest, if not the largest money bill passed by the Senate, in terms of authorization. I readily salute and thank them for their many hours of work to make it possible. No committees succeed without a dedicated professional staff. I think the staff of the Armed Services Committee is envied throughout the Senate, again, for its bipartisanship, for its long hours and, in many instances, for its original thinking which Members accept and incorporate into their legislative creations. I especially want to recognize the efforts of the staff director of the Armed Services Committee, Mrs. Judy Ansley, and the Democratic staff director, Richard DeBobes, veterans of many years on the staff of Armed Services. Mrs. Ansley was my staff director when I was ranking member of the Intelligence Committee. She is an extraordinarily accomplished woman who proudly but humbly holds the title of the first woman in the history of the Senate to be the chief of staff of the Armed Services Committee. They have led a great staff of their subordinates, all of whom deserve--I wouldn't say equal credit, but nearly equal credit to the staff director and the Democratic staff director. This staff worked long hours and helped Members reach the agreements that are contained in the conference report before us. It is always a challenge to the staff when it comes to conference. They are always ready to step up and accept that challenge and help us produce this conference report. I believe it is a strongly bipartisan bill that serves the best interests of the men and women of our armed services and of our Nation today. I urge its swift passage to my colleagues. As we stand here today beginning this conference report debate, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, active and reserve, guard, and countless civilians who have worked for many years in the Department of Defense and who support the troops--they collectively are serving bravely around the world, from the Persian Gulf region in Afghanistan, to Europe, North Korea, and on down as far as Australia, New Zealand, and that part of the world. All Americans are justifiably proud of what the U.S. Armed Forces and their coalition partners have accomplished in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the global war on terrorism. It is far from over. But never let it be said those in uniform and their civilian counterparts have not done their duty. We are ever mindful the defense of our homeland begins on the distant battlefields. To the extent that we can contain the threats on those battlefields or those areas which are not battlefields but are potential battlefields, the less likely that we would experience a problem here at home--as we reverently refer to 9/11 in our history. As we begin this debate, we must pause and remember that military success is not achieved without sacrifice. Thankfully, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom were remarkably swift in terms of days, weeks, and months. But no matter how well conducted those operations were, and are continuing, military victory does not come without sacrifice and loss. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in these operations and in other military operations to make America and the world safe. I also pause to say we think foremost about those who have given their lives, but many have given their limbs. They have bodies which have been wounded. Those wounds, in some instances, are carried for the rest of their lives. So let us keep in mind those who suffer the scars of war and those families which lovingly nourish and care for them and will in the years to come. We mourn the loss of all of our soldiers and resolve to forever remember their service. In this month of Thanksgiving it is especially appropriate that we give thanks to those who serve and have served their Nation with distinction throughout its history. I wear the poppy in my lapel today. It is now distributed all across America for veterans organizations. It reflects on the sacrifices of World War I--the enormity of the casualties this Nation suffered in that war. I am always especially proud of my father, a young doctor who served in that conflict in France, in the trenches, and cared for the wounded. We are blessed to have this new generation of great Americans, so committed to American traditions, values, and ideals, carrying on the traditions of those who preceded them, with equal dedication, with equal valor. Without a doubt, the U.S. military is the most capable military force in the world today. We don't say that boastfully; we say it factually. It is a model of excellence and the standard by which others are measured. The provisions in this conference report sustain and improve on that excellence. Throughout its history, America has never gone forward from our shores, in harm's way, to try to take the land, the possessions from others. There have been instances where we have had to occupy for a period. But by and large, we have always gone, and most certainly in two of these conflicts today, the two principal ones--Iraq and Afghanistan--we are there solely in the cause of freedom. We must send a strong message of support to these men and women in uniform serving on the distant posts throughout the world, indeed the battlefields. They are bravely protecting our Nation here at home. By passing this important legislation today, we send that message. This conference report contains much deserved pay and benefits for military personnel and families, much needed increases in family housing and quality of life projects on military installations, as well as prudent investments in the equipment and technology our military needs to successfully counter future threats. We must always be looking, not 1 year, not 2, but decades in the future, to try as best we can to ascertain what is the threat to freedom here at home, to freedom abroad, and to fashion those weapons to enable the Armed Forces of the United States, together with coalition forces with which we have fought in World War I and World War II and on the battlefields of Korea and in the battlefields today, to give those weapons to those brave persons to use them in the cause of freedom. The conference report also makes significant improvements in the benefits for disabled veterans, as well as an important new benefit for members of the Reserve component who play such an important role in our national security. When I use the word ``Reserve,'' I include the reservists equally as the National Guard. Sometimes it is a confusing term for those who are listening. By no means do I exclude either the Guard or Reserve. It is a total force. I remember so well when I was privileged to serve in the Pentagon as Navy Secretary when Melvin Laird, the Secretary of Defense at that time, coined the idea of having a ``total force'' and to discontinue the draft. It was a calculated risk, but we did it. It succeeded largely because there are many men and women of the Armed Forces today who are proud to say, ``We are volunteers'', or ``all volunteers.'' Fortunately, the National Guard and the Reserve have established themselves as a strong and equal partner in this total force concept. This conference report endorses the President's budget request for defense in fiscal year 2004. And I wish to commend the President and the Secretary of Defense and all of those who prepared this budget that came to the Congress. It is largely incorporated in the conference report before us today. That report continues the momentum of recent years in making real increases in defense spending to sustain readiness, enhance the quality of life of our military personnel and their families, modernize and transform the U.S. Armed Forces to meet current and future threats, and take care of our retirees and veterans. The conference report before us provides $401.3 billion for defense, including $74.2 billion for procurement, $63.4 billion for research and development, and $114.4 billion for current readiness. This is in addition to the $65.5 billion for the Department of Defense contained in the supplemental we just passed to sustain our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world during fiscal year 2004. This conference report will authorize the Department's portion of the supplemental. I once again commend the very brave and courageous and determined President of the United States in going to the American people and saying these funds are necessary not only to protect our freedom but the freedom of peoples throughout the world wherever we can work with our coalition partners in achieving those goals. There are many provisions of this report that are important and of which I am very proud. I want to highlight just a few. First and foremost is the 4.1 percent pay raise for the men and women in uniform, and the extension of special imminent danger pay, family separation allowances, and other benefits for those in harm's way. We are asking a lot of our men and women in uniform and their families in these challenging times, and they have never failed to respond. Their pay raise and extension of combat benefits contained in this conference report signal our strong support to those troops and their families. For years, we here in Congress have been grappling with how to resolve the problem with concurrent receipts--an inequity that many use in our compensation system for disabled military retirees. By law, military retirees are prohibited from collecting both their hard-earned military pay and their disability pay. Last year, we were able to establish a new form of special compensation for military retirees with combat-related disabilities--so-called Purple Heart Plus. It was really conceived right in this very Chamber by a number of individuals, including Senator Levin, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, Senator McCain, and a number of other veterans who recognized that this was needed and that it was time. That was a start. We called it a beachhead. I am very pleased we have been able to expand on that beachhead in this conference report by extending the special compensation for combat- related disabilities to military retirees with disabling conditions due to combat or combat-related operations, and by phasing in full concurrent receipt over 10 years for those retirees with disabilities rated at 50 percent or greater. This is a major step forward. I remember the day when there were three Senators standing right there in the well--Senator Reid of Nevada, my distinguished ranking member, Senator Levin, and myself--and at that time the Senate bill had a concurrent receipt provision in it; the House bill did not. By voice vote, we passed that amendment and put it in this bill. By virtue of that action--not just the three of us; I happened to be here at that moment, but many others who had worked this issue--that was the beginning, that was the engine that finally drew this train out of the barn and down the tracks to where we are today. I think it is a successful achievement. And many in this Chamber made it possible. The Senate had that provision in its bill. With respect to the controversial ``Buy America'' provisions, I believe the conferees reached a balanced compromise that shows our support for a strong U.S. industrial base without undermining our important defense cooperation and defense trade relationships with our allies. The conference agreement also removes several unnecessary barriers to defense trade which are contained in current law. The ``Buy America'' provisions have the full support of all relevant agencies and the administration. The final version went through many iterations. I commend the Director of the Office of Management and Budget who, working with the Chief of Staff of the White House, put this bill together in final form at the request of myself and others. With the President's goals clearly in mind, this revision was incorporated in this conference report. My colleagues and the distinguished chairman of the House Armed Services Committee did a great deal of work on this provision. He was tenacious in his desire to see that this bill contained provisions important to the preservation of our industrial base, and those goals were achieved at the same time in a manner that is consistent with our goals as a nation of free trade. A part of this conference report of which I am particularly proud is the provision which authorizes a program to begin replacing our aerial tanker fleet with new aircraft through a lease of no more than 20 KC- 767 aircraft and a multi-year procurement of an additional 80 aircraft. Extensive analysis by the General Accounting Office and the Congressional Budget Office indicated the multi-year lease pilot program proposed by the Air Force would be significantly more expensive than a traditional procurement. After a hearing before the Committee in September 2003, the Department was asked to examine alternatives where a fewer number of aircraft were leased, with the rest of the 100 aircraft purchased under a multi-year procurement program. This examination confirmed that the fewer aircraft leased and the more aircraft purchased, the greater the savings. These findings have resulted in a conference agreement that will give the Armed Forces the modern equipment they need, but will save the American taxpayer over $4.0 billion over original proposals. This is a win for the Air Force and a win for the American people. The civilian personnel system of the Department of Defense has been in need of reform for some time. The Secretary of Defense had the vision to determine that this had to be revised subsequent to the just earth-shaking, dramatic event of 9/11. He made a very strong personal effort to achieve it, and I think this bill reflects upon his great credit and tenaciousness and those of his colleagues. We have included provisions in the conference report that will provide expansive new civilian personnel authorities for the Department of Defense. I am pleased we were able to provide the Secretary of Defense with the increased flexibility necessary to allow the DOD to respond to the new threats of the new century and the demands of the war on terrorism. While providing the new authorities, the conferees were sensitive to the concerns and the rights of the vital civilian employees of the Department of Defense. I have spoken on this floor many times, and rarely if ever have I omitted direct reference, because they are teammates--full teammates and partners--to the men and women who serve in uniform. The establishment of a national security personnel system which is authorized in this conference report gives the Secretary of Defense the flexibility he needs to manage the current civilian workforce and to transform--and I underline the word ``transform''; it is essential. The Secretary of Defense has been unfailing in his efforts to look into the future and to transform the Department of Defense to meet those changing threats that are on the rise and needs to do so to manage his workforce for the future while providing appropriate protections and appeals processes for the employees. I recognize the very hard work of my colleague, Senator Collins, my long-time friend in the House, Congressman Tom Davis, and indeed Senator Levin, who, together with Senator Collins in the Governmental Affairs Committee, crafted a piece of legislation which was largely drawn as a model to follow in this instance. We did not measure up to all the goals in the Collins-Levin bill, but, in fact, we in large measure achieved a number of the goals of that piece of legislation. Balancing the readiness needs of the Armed Forces with the critical need to protect the environment is always a challenge and a risk. We have included provisions in the conference report to make modifications to both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act which ensure realistic training opportunities for our military without unnecessarily endangering environmentally sensitive areas. There are many other important items in the conference report that deserve mention, from enhanced access to TRICARE for certain Reserve component members, and I particularly thank the distinguished Senator from South Carolina, who is a leader on this issue. We needed increased spending for our special operation forces to continue investment in important homeland defense initiatives. The bottom line is this conference report is an extremely important piece of legislation that provides the resources to continue the global war on terrorism while safeguarding Americans here at home. It sustains the current readiness of the Armed Forces and provides resources to prepare them for the future. This conference report sends a clear signal to our citizens throughout the world, to nations all over, that the United States is committed to a strong national defense and to the freedom so richly deserved by nations throughout the world. More importantly, it sends a clear signal to our men and women in uniform, from the newest private to the most senior flag and general officer, that they have the support of the Congress and of the American people. I urge my colleagues to support this conference report legislation that upholds the President's fundamental national security priorities and makes the right investments in future capabilities. It is imperative we send our President, our fellow citizens, and the world a message of resolve from the Congress--a national defense authorization conference report that provides authority to our Nation's leaders and our Armed Forces to protect our Nation and our vital interests around the world. It takes care of the troops, their families, and our veterans, who have all served so well in the defense of freedom. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if I may simply add, if the Senator will indulge me, because this is a very important point about the work that was done on concurrent receipt. In the final analysis, the administration came to fully support it and worked with us. I also salute Senator McCain who was tireless in his efforts on this very legislation through the many years I have worked on it with him and others. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from Georgia, first, for his work throughout the year on this bill. I listened very carefully. He reflects a lot of hard work in his comments. I thank him for his service on this committee. We are basically rotating. The distinguished ranking member has yielded his slot at this time to the distinguished Senator from Alabama. But after that, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Michigan be recognized for such time as he desires to complete his comments on this bill.

Mr. WARNER. I have been notified Senator Sessions is on the way to bring his important contribution to this bill. At this time I ask those Senators anxious to work with this tentative agreement to so advise the managers.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, before the Senator starts, we urge any other Senators to kindly contact the managers because in consultation with the leadership, we are proceeding to conclude this debate.

Mr. WARNER. I thank our distinguished and very valued colleague of the committee, Senator Allard, for his remarks and his work on this bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the distinguished ranking member and I are trying to work out accommodations for a number of Senators. The Senator from Hawaii will speak next, followed by the Senator from Maine.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I commend our distinguished leader for addressing this matter which is of extraordinary importance to the institution and indeed the United States. I humbly say I have been privileged to serve in this body for 25 years. I have been a member of the Intelligence Committee in years past, 8 years; the last 2 of those years serving as the ranking member with Senator DeConcini, who is now retired from the Senate. I speak now as a former member of the committee and draw on those 25 years of my own experience. I have never seen an incident of the level of seriousness to our very vital security interests in this country as this particular memo presents. I think our leader, in a very fair and balanced way, has addressed the challenges. I commend the distinguished chairman, Senator Roberts, with whom I have served these many years in the Congress and the Senate. I conclude by saying, speaking for myself and I think many Senators, with everything we do in this body today, I keep in mind the young men and women of the Armed Forces, wherever they are in the world today, serving valiantly, most particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, and how the actions we as an institution take hopefully are in their best interest. I thank the Chair and the distinguished leader.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Chair. Amendment No. 2135

Mr. WARNER. The Senator is correct. Given that this could well mean many Senators will leave, I just wish to put them on notice we have this one shot to get it done so we can have it on the calendar next week.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to address the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on both sides of the aisle. The House of Representatives is remaining in session until the wee hours of the night in the hopes they can receive from the Senate a conference report with sufficient signatures on it by which we can get the bill passed early next week. I am working with my distinguished ranking member, Senator Levin, and others. To those who can sign it at this point in time, I would greatly appreciate it. I ask Senator Levin be given a chance to reply.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I seek recognition to honor a Virginia soldier, Captain John Robert Teal, who was tragically killed in action in Iraq on Thursday, October 23, 2003. I want to express gratitude, on behalf of the Senate, for his service to our Nation. The American people, I am certain, join me in expressing their prayers and compassion to his family. Captain John Robert Teal followed his father Joseph, a retired firefighter, into public service. He understood the importance of his present assignment and despite the personal risk, wanted to serve the United States and the people of Iraq during this critical time. A medical officer attached to the Army's 4th Infantry Division, he was a dedicated and compassionate young man who, according to news reports, spent his final days helping sick children. Captain Teal leaves behind his father Joseph; his mother Emmie; and his sister Elizabeth Kormanyos. His parents, Joseph and Emmie, with whom I have had the pleasure to speak, albeit under tragic circumstances, are brave souls who have sacrificed so much for this Nation. We owe them and the other families who have lost their loved ones a debt of gratitude. John was a 1990 graduate of Benedictine High School. Upon graduating from Benedictine, he attended the Virginia Military Institute from which he graduated in 1994 and received a commission in the United States Army. He was an exceptional young man with a bright future in front of him. He was known as a wonderful person and according to friends, the kind of individual that no one could say anything bad about. The Commonwealth of Virginia and the entire Nation shall mourn his loss.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I thank the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I wish to commend him, Senator Byrd, Senator Inouye, and others, and our distinguished colleague from Vermont, for working on this. As we debate passage of this important emergency supplemental spending bill, I want to pause for a moment to acknowledge the tragic losses our forces in Iraq suffered this weekend. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who died and those who were injured. Indeed, we must pause to remember all who have perished, American, coalition partners, and Iraqis military and civilian, who are fighting for freedom in Iraq and around the world in the Global War on Terrorism. We are fortunate as a Nation to have these dedicated citizens who willingly make such great sacrifices to defend liberty and extend the cause of freedom. I rise today in support of the conference report on emergency supplemental funding for Iraq and Afghanistan for Fiscal Year 2004, and urge my colleagues to do the same. Seldom do we have choices before us as fundamental as this one. Our choices are to go forward, stand still, or quit. Two of these choices would represent failure. There is no choice--failure is not an option. We must go forward; we must stay the course and win the peace for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as for our own enduring interests in the Global War on Terrorism. The timeliness and importance of this support for Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be overstated. The stakes in Iraq and Afghanistan are enormous. The military victories achieved by our Armed Forces, together with their coalition partners, must be secured. We have achieved extraordinary success, in a relatively short period in Iraq. Saddam Hussein and the threat he posed are gone; the future is hopeful for the Iraqi people. We must send a strong message of resolve to our fellow countrymen, to our troops, to our coalition partners, and to the rest of the world, that we will see this through to completion-- to win the peace. We have had an unprecedented amount of debate on this funding request. General John Abizaid captured the essence and urgency of this supplemental request when he stated, ``We can fight the terrorists her [in Iraq and Afghanistan], or we can fight them at home.'' I think we all prefer to fight them there and get the job done. In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet with several Iraqi leaders, including members of the Iraqi Governing Council and recently appointed ministers. They are clearly committed to achieving democracy, security and opportunity for the Iraqi people and deserve our support. The ministers are technically very well qualified and committed to building a new Iraq as soon as possible. These are not people who have assumed positions of responsibility through tribal affiliations, nepotism and greed, as has been past practice in Iraq. These are highly qualified public servants--17 of 25 ministers have PhDs in technical fields--who have subordinated their own personal aspirations and accepted considerable personal risk to assume positions of high visibility, to build a new Iraq. Many have left lucrative careers, comfort and families in other countries to return to their homeland and lend their skills to this endeavor. I salute their courage, their patriotism and their selflessness. They are an inspiration to all Iraqis and they deserve our full support. Some of our colleagues have passionately argued that some of this funding should be in the form of loans, to be forgiven if other debtor nations reduce or forgive old loans to Iraq. I understand why some have arrived at this conclusion, but additional debt now would be economically disastrous, and send the wrong message to Iraqis and, indeed, the world. At some point in the not too distant future, loans will be appropriate, but we must help establish those conditions now. The United States will seek to convince the principal holders of Iraqi loans--Russia, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia--to forgive some or all of these loans. We have an opportunity before us to send a message of full commitment to Iraq and of a balanced, fair U.S. foreign policy in the larger Middle Eastern region, by providing this reconstruction assistance to Iraq. Less than overwhelming support will be viewed as just the opposite, and would be counterproductive to our larger goals and interests in this important region. There is a perception, I fear, that this supplemental will fully fund Iraq's reconstruction. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reconstruction needs of Iraq are enormous--not because of war damage, but because of three-plus decades of neglect, mismanagement and greed by Saddam Hussein's regime. The funds included in this supplemental will only begin to address these daunting needs, but adoption of this package will put the Iraqis in a much better position to help themselves in the future. The Iraqi leaders I spoke with want nothing more than to do just that, but they need our help for now, not with crippling conditions attached. When U.S. troops entered Baghdad in early April, they were, indeed, greeted as liberators. The image of Iraqis celebrating in the streets-- helping U.S. soldiers topple a statue of Saddam Hussein--will long be with us. Despite the pockets of resistance in Iraq today, that feeling of gratitude and good will toward the United States remains. Recent polling found that most Iraqis believe that ousting Saddam Hussein was worth the hardships they have endured since the invasion, and two-thirds think Iraq will be in better condition 5 years from now than before the invasion. We must build on this good will and seize this historic opportunity to show our overwhelming support and commitment to help build a thriving democracy and ally against terror in Iraq. American forces and coalition partners have already done a remarkable job of restoring basic services, rebuilding schools and hospitals, preventing ethnic violence and creating an environment where reconstruction can succeed. Many Members of this Chamber have seen this with their own eyes, and the response of most who have been to Iraq is concern that the good things that are taking place in Iraq are not being fully reported to the American people. This reconstruction work is being done in a difficult environment of harsh conditions and significant personal risk, as those who have been removed from power in Iraq seek to delay their inevitable defeat, and as terrorists lash out at the loss of another haven. We are ever mindful of the risks our troops face, every day, and the sacrifices made by the families and communities that support them. It is imperative that we give our President and our troops the resources they need to complete their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The faster the money gets to these countries, the faster conditions will improve, and the faster our troops will come home. As Ambassador Bremer stated before the Armed Services Committee last week: Every day that goes by where we are not speeding up the Iraqi Army, speeding up the civil defense corps, speeding up the training of police, is a day when our soldiers, men and women, are not being substituted by Iraqis. Every day that Iraqis do not get electricity, do not get water, do not have proper sewage, is a day when their quality of life is such that they are less likely to view us as liberators, more inclined to view us as occupiers, and that also increases the danger to our men and women. Lasting peace and security in Iraq will be achieved when we establish the environment for a democratic, economically viable Iraq. The first steps to democracy have been taken and a fledgling government is preparing itself to assume the responsibilities of sovereignty. Let us join together in a clear message of resolve to provide the resources that will meet the immediate needs of the Iraqi people and best serve our interest in Iraq and the larger Middle East region. I urge my colleagues to support the conference report and send a message of overwhelming support to our troops, to their families, and to the newly liberated people of Iraq and Afghanistan. We must do what is necessary to secure this important victory in the war on terrorism. Mr. President, again, I express my tremendous commendation for the managers of this bill and, particularly, for their wisdom and insight into the needs of the men and women in the Armed Forces, and the ability to step up and get TRICARE for the Reserve and the Guard. The Reserve and the Guard have performed magnificently, and not just in this most recent conflict in Iraq but beginning back in the days of Bosnia, Kosovo, and all the way through. Those of us who went into Sarajevo years ago remember that it was the National Guard planes that would take us in during that period of combat and strife in the Balkans. Of course, they performed magnificently in connection with the Afghanistan campaign, and then again during the course of the campaign in Iraq, the freedom of the Iraqi people being their goal. So I commend the leadership of the Appropriations Committee for doing the TRICARE and addressing those pay provisions, which were due to expire. We have been addressing that in the Armed Services Committee, where we have original jurisdiction over these matters. But the plain fact is that we have not reached a resolution of our conference report as of this time. Therefore, often the Appropriations Committee needs to step forward and do these things which must be done, and done promptly. So I commend our distinguished members of the Appropriations Committee. Over the weekend we suffered this tremendous tragedy, the loss of the helicopter with so many brave individuals on board. I and others have expressed our compassion to their families, their loved ones, and to their fellow colleagues and comrades all throughout the region. Each one of them feels the loss of one of their own when it happens--whether it is on the streets or in an aircraft that unfortunately comes down. Those of us--many in this Chamber--who have had the opportunity to visit in Iraq, and particularly Baghdad and other areas, got a clear perception and feeling of the extraordinary risks being undertaken night and day by these young men and women not only of the Armed Forces of the United States but the coalition forces. I am proud of the way our President stood up today before the world. He stated these words, which time and time again should be considered by the American people as spoken from the heart of the President. Imagine the sadness in his heart and that of the First Lady and others, because the buck stops on the President's desk. When the news broke of that helicopter going down, I fully appreciate what he went through, and indeed the Secretary of Defense, this weekend. He addressed the Nation on three public television shows about this tragedy of the loss of the helicopter. But both the President and the Secretary of Defense are absolutely steadfast in their resolve to continue their role as leaders. The President said: The enemy in Iraq believes America will run. The President said: That is why they are willing to kill innocent civilians, relief workers, and our coalition troops. He finished by saying: America will never run. I commend both the President and Secretary of Defense. At one time, I was in the Pentagon during Vietnam for some 5 years as Navy Secretary. I remember awakening in the night and the morning to receive those reports about exceptional losses, such as this one, and then often go, as we had planned, before the media the next day trying to interpret it and explain it for the American people and for the people throughout the world. It is not an easy task, but our President and others in authority are stepping up to it and being absolutely unflinching in their resolve, as this Senator is, to see this through.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 3 minutes.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, tomorrow I hope to attend the funeral service for a brave Army captain, a VMI graduate. I happened to go to the neighboring school of Washington and Lee. His family called me and talked with me and I talked with them. They asked if at all possible could I attend. I said I would do that irrespective of what is going on in the Senate. The mother said to me: We feel deeply the loss of our son, but, Senator, I want you to come and say to me that you and others will stay the course so that his life is not given in vain. I have made that commitment to his family, as I will to many other families. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks a letter to the editor published in the Saturday Washington Post by Dr. David Kay who is responsible for the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate two Virginians, Dr. Edward Ayers and Dr. Patty Hale, on their recent selection as Professors of the Year. This award, given by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, is a major accomplishment as only four national awards are given out each year. Dr. Ayers was recognized as Outstanding Doctoral and Research College Professor of the Year, and Dr. Hale was recognized as Outstanding Master's University and College Professor of the Year. While I have not had the pleasure of meeting with these individuals personally, I have reviewed their qualifications. These two individuals, who have dedicated large portions of their lives to higher learning and to educating tomorrow's leaders, are imminently qualified for these awards. How fortunate we are in Virginia to have two such distinguished professors. Dr. Edward Ayers is a Professor of History and Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. An expert in Southern history, Dr. Ayers has taught for over 20 years and has authored numerous books. In 2000, he was appointed to the National Council for the Humanities by President Clinton, and in 2002, he was named to the Executive Board of the National Council for History Education. He has also been recognized for excellence in teaching, having received the Arthur Stocker Award for Outstanding Teaching from the ODK Honor Society at U.Va. and the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia. In addition, Dr. Ayers has created an innovative online program, the Valley of the South Project, which is a digital archive that allows people from around the world to explore the history of the Civil War. Four million people have visited the Valley of the South Project to explore the issues surrounding the coming, fighting, and aftermath of the Civil War. The Project has also won the critical acclaim of Dr. Ayers' peers, garnering the James Harvey Robinson Prize from the American Historical Association and the E-Lincoln Prize for Best Digital Project. Dr. Patty Hale is a Professor of Nursing at Lynchburg College, in Lynchburg, VA. At Lynchburg College, she has won several teaching awards, including the State Council of Higher Education Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award. One of Dr. Hale's most successful ventures has been her collaboration with four of her students on writing two directories of their community's health and social services. These booklets have been distributed free of charge to area residents and health professionals and have enhanced the knowledge and patronage of area health resources. Her work has earned Dr. Hale great respect and honors in her community, including the James A. Huston Excellence in Scholarship Award. Dr. Hale is committed to serving those less fortunate and has invested countless hours in forging community relationships to help disadvantaged people in her area. She and her students have started programs to provide health services to residents at several area shelters, clinics, and neighborhood health centers, most of which serve inner city low-income populations. I commend both Dr. Ayers and Dr. Hales for the excellence in education, and am pleased to recognize them as recipients of Professors of the Year.