John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. The Chair is correct, to both requests.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague for permitting my colleague from Connecticut and myself to ask questions. I think the Senator from Connecticut can go first with his question.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I say to my good friend, regrettably we have to very forcefully object to your amendment before the vote. But I say that our President, at the urging of everybody who said go to the United Nations, went to the United Nations. He gave a brilliant speech. The Secretary of State met with us yesterday. I met with him personally. The Secretary of State is doing everything possible to avoid a two-step process. I say regrettably to my good friend, were we to adopt this amendment, it would completely dislodge the efforts ongoing at this time in the United Nations to get, if possible, one single No. 17 resolution and put it in place.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct. Senator McCain and I will engage in a colloquy.

Mr. WARNER. May I join Senator McCain. Also, there is reference in here to time allocated to Senator McCain and myself. We will assure our distinguished Senator from Connecticut that that time will be given to him as allotted between Senator McCain and myself. Lastly, Mr. President, we still have a number of Members who have been attempting to make statements relative to the underlying bill. I assure Senators DeWine, Collins, Specter, and others that we will be working with them with regard to scheduling tomorrow.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we recognize that.

Mr. WARNER. Might I make an observation along the lines of the distinguished colleague now debating this?

Mr. WARNER. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague and dear friend from West Virginia. To both of my colleagues, the Senator from Maryland and the Senator from West Virginia, this debate, as stated, started on the 4th, which was last Friday.

Mr. WARNER. Fine. I had the privilege of being on the floor last Friday afternoon for over 5 hours with this debate on that side of that aisle, led by my distinguished colleague from West Virginia. The Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, participated. The Senator from Connecticut, Mr. Dodd, participated. We had 5\1/2\ hours. I returned to the floor on Monday. We had another roughly 6 hours of debate. Tuesday is fresh in the minds of all. And here we are. This is the point I wish to make. I share with my distinguished colleague the seriousness of this vote. It is a vote, hopefully, to ensure a resolution which will act as a deterrent, I say most respectfully, a deterrent, to the use of force, a resolution that will support the United Nations that is this very hour working to possibly craft a 17th resolution which would call for inspections. It is timely that the United Nations hear from not only our President, who gave a brilliant speech, but a unified Congress with these resolutions. I can conclude my remarks by saying in 1990/1991, I and all of the Members here--most of us were involved in that debate--the record shows the debate began on January 10, 1991, on the Persian Gulf resolution. There were two resolutions, one submitted by myself and the distinguished Senator, Mr. Lieberman, the other by the then-majority leader, Mr. Mitchell. That debate started on the 10th. It concluded 2 days later, just 2 days later, on January 12, 1991, concluding with 2 votes on both resolutions. So that ended up sending men and women of the Armed Forces, ours and other nations', into harm's way. Let us hope we have had adequate time, having begun on the 3rd, as stated by the Chair, and now we are here today with 13 amendments which have just been submitted, which will be respectfully treated by this body in due course, I hope expeditiously. The rule is being complied with. This is clear. But it is 13 amendments.

Mr. WARNER. Could I reply to the Senator from Michigan?

Mr. WARNER. May I ask the Senator from Michigan a simple question?

Mr. WARNER. Could I just ask the Senator from Michigan a simple question? Did you not have the right to offer an amendment on Friday, Monday, Tuesday? That question has been open to the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, could we entertain the desire of the Senator from Kansas to speak?

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. The Senate now turns to the resolution, it is my understanding.

Mr. WARNER. The leadership has indicated there have been expressions of interest to speak this morning from Senator Feingold for approximately 30 minutes; Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison for 30 minutes; the Presiding Officer, Senator Leahy, for 20 minutes; and Senator Grassley for 20 minutes. Further, we have expressions on this side by about half a dozen other Members who would hope to speak during the course of the day and the afternoon, but we will await announcement of names and times until the other side indicates the expression of interest on their side.

Mr. WARNER. I say to my colleague that Senator Reid, the assistant Democrat leader, working with us, established the order. In consultation with Senator Reid, if he wishes to come back and suggest to us an amendment to what he had in mind, certainly we will take into consideration the desire of the Senator from West Virginia. But at this time, I feel the leadership has established this, and I would not be at liberty to agree to anything else.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we can rearrange the Senators on our side because the Senator from Arizona made the point last night, Senator Graham came in--we were here-- unexpectedly, laid that amendment down, and indicated to this Senator that he was going to pursue it early in the morning.

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

Mr. WARNER. The Senator from Texas is present in the Chamber. My understanding is, she is next to be recognized.

Mr. WARNER. Reserving the right to object. Senator McCain will address the Chair.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, might I at this juncture complete my statement to express strong support for the remarks made by the distinguished Senator from Texas. She has been very much involved in the planning for this resolution, and I very much appreciate her remarks. (Mr. REID assumed the Chair.)

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, late last night in a colloquy between myself and the Senator from Oregon, the Senator from Oregon read into the Record portions of a letter addressed to Senator Graham, chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence, signed by George Tenet. I ask unanimous consent that that letter be printed in the Record today, followed by a statement issued by Mr. Tenet bearing on his interpretation and intent in writing that letter.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I associate myself with the remarks of our distinguished colleague from Connecticut and therefore I will not elaborate given the shortage of time. I say to my colleague from Florida, I am very impressed by his statement today. I think there is merit to be found. I draw the Senator's attention to Public Law 107-40. As the Senator recalls, that is the amendment that the Congress adopted on September 14, 2001, and that dealt with the authorization for use of military force against those responsible for the recent attacks against the United States. It seems to me that particular statute and that body of law is the place where an amendment like that of the Senator from Florida should be placed, and I say that with all due respect. My further added observation is that our Secretary of State is now busily engaged at the United Nations with regard to the possible framework of a possible 17th resolution. The draft amendments before the Senate and the House of Representatives are indeed the subject of those discussions. At this time, to broaden that base could well in some respects jeopardize the efforts on behalf of the United States and others to craft a tough resolution directed clearly at the weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein, and those surrounding his regime. I yield the floor.