September 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11841 Mr. HATCH. One concern that I I would ask the chairman of the intend to clarify how Federal health raised, which we all agreed would have HELP Committee, Senator KENNEDY, agencies may use and release Medicare been included in the conference report whether he would agree to this request. data and make the appropriate amend- language had we filed such a report was Mr. KENNEDY. It is a great pleasure ments in the Social Security Act. At a clarification about the meaning of to work with my distinguished col- that point, it will be important that ‘‘scientific or regulatory issues.’’ It leagues from the Finance Committee the use of Medicare data be appro- was our agreement during negotiations on this reauthorization of important priately tied into the drug safety provi- on FDARA about what is perhaps an programs at the FDA. I know they sions of the FDA bill under consider- obvious point: if the law requires a have a deep interest in seeing that the ation today. We would hope that our delay in approval of an ANDA or medicines that Americans take are colleague, Senator KENNEDY, would 505(b)(2) application, for example be- safe and effective. agree to make conforming amendments cause of a patent or an exclusivity, this Senator BAUCUS and Senator GRASS- to the Federal Food, Drug and Cos- new provision will not change that re- LEY have rightly raised a question re- metic Act as needed to make FDA law quired legal result. The law is the law, garding the interpretation of section consistent with appropriate Medicare and its effect should not depend on 905 of this bill. Section 905 adds a new law. whether or not it was brought up in a paragraph (3) to section 505(k) of the Mr. KENNEDY. I appreciate that petition to FDA. I would appreciate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. conforming amendments in the Federal chairman clarifying if that was the This new paragraph establishes a sys- Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act may be agreement we had. tem for FDA to query databases re- necessary as you point out. I agree to Mr. KENNEDY. I do agree. Let us be garding information that may help de- work with the Senator in the future on clear: The citizen petition provision is tect adverse drug effects. It is essential this issue. designed to address attempts to derail to detect drug safety problems early, Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask generic drug approvals. Those at- so that they may be corrected before unanimous consent that the bill be tempts, when successful, hurt con- people are hurt and an electronic drug read a third time, passed, the motion sumers and the public health. The cit- safety system is one important tool for to reconsider be laid upon the table, izen petition provisions are not in- doing so. and that any statements relating to tended to alter laws not amended by The Medicare claims database is list- the bill be printed in the RECORD, with- the provision. I thank the Senator. ed as one of several possible sources of out further intervening action or de- MEDICARE CLAIMS DATA data in section 505(k)(3)(C)(i)(III)(aa). I bate. Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today want to assure my friends from Mon- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without we have before us an important piece of tana and Iowa that our intent is that objection, it is so ordered. legislation, the FDA Amendments Act Medicare’s participation will be deter- The bill (H.R. 3580) was ordered to a of 2007. It has come to my attention mined by provisions of the Social Secu- third reading, was read the third time, that this bill includes a section that rity Act, over which the Finance Com- and passed. makes an effort to authorize the FDA mittee has exclusive jurisdiction. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, the to use and release Medicare claims Nothing in this section is intended to New England Journal of Medicine, data for use in postmarket surveillance infringe on that jurisdiction or to in which is probably the most distin- of drugs approved by the FDA. I fully any way preempt the ability of the Fi- guished medical journal in not only support the goal of making drugs safer nance committee to act to specify the this country, probably in the world, for all Americans. participation or nonparticipation of has made the comment that this legis- As chairman of the Finance Com- the Medicare claims data base in the lation is the greatest progress, in mittee, however, I am obligated to system established under section 905. terms of drug safety, in a century. This point out that any use of Medicare The matter before the Senate amends ought to be reassuring for every family data is exclusively governed by title the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic as to the safety of their prescription XVIII of the Social Security Act, and Act. The section to which you have drugs and also in terms of their food. that the Finance Committee has exclu- raised concerns authorizes use of Medi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sive jurisdiction over title XVIII. I care data ‘‘as available.’’ I acknowl- ator from Massachusetts. would ask the distinguished chairman edge that under current law, that is Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I con- of the Health, Education, Labor and not possible. gratulate my colleague from Massa- Pensions Committee, Senator KEN- Mr. BAUCUS. I thank the chairman. chusetts on another landmark piece of NEDY, to acknowledge that the Senate I intend to continue working with my legislation that he has been able to Finance Committee has sole jurisdic- good friend Senator GRASSLEY to ad- shepherd through this institution. It tion over Medicare data and title XVIII dress the release and use of Medicare adds to a remarkable string of legisla- of the Social Security Act and ask that data by Federal health agencies and tive accomplishments. he endeavor to consult us on matters private researchers soon through legis- We are all pleased this important re- before the HELP Committee that touch lation written by the Finance Com- form effort and advance is going to be on the Senate Finance Committee’s ju- mittee. made. It is a terrific step forward. I risdiction. I make the same commit- Mr. GRASSLEY. I agree with my col- congratulate Senator KENNEDY, Sen- ment to him that he makes to me: I league, Senator BAUCUS. I have been ator ENZI, and others on the committee will commit to consult on matters be- working a long time on legislation to who worked so hard to make it happen. fore the Finance Committee that touch permit the use of Medicare data to im- f on the Senate HELP Committee’s ju- prove drug safety. After all this is risdiction. some of the best and most complete NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- To avoid unnecessary confusion as to data available. In fact, Senator BAUCUS TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR the jurisdiction of the Finance Com- and I joined together to introduce leg- 2008—Continued mittee or further delay in the consider- islation to accomplish just that during Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I have ation of this important conference the 109th Congress, S. 3987, the Medi- been listening to my colleagues on the agreement, I would agree to accommo- care Data Access and Research Act, other side of the aisle, and sometimes I date your request to withhold any ob- and this Congress, S. 1507, the Access think we are talking past each other jection to the Senate’s consideration of to Medicare Data Act of 2007. Improv- and about different legislation. it with the acknowledgement that the ing drug safety is a top priority of The proposal in the Levin-Reed- release and use of Medicare data are mine and the appropriate use of Medi- Kerry and other Senators legislation governed by title XVIII of the Social care data will likely enhance drug safe- says nothing about precipitous. I don’t Security Act and are under the exclu- ty. That will benefit all Americans. I know how one interprets ‘‘precipitous’’ sive jurisdiction of the Finance Com- look forward to completing our goals when we leave the President the discre- mittee. This does not represent any for Medicare data later this year and tion to decide how many troops he is waiver of jurisdiction on the part of including this on legislation within the going to have there for training, for the Finance Committee on this subject. purview of the Finance Committee. We prosecuting the war on terror against

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S11842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2007 al-Qaida, and for the job of protecting Then after the Iraq Study Group re- While we have waited for General American facilities and forces. ported, everybody said: OK, we are Petraeus to report, a lot of young The fact is that for many people in going to wait and give General Americans have died. Meanwhile, today the country, this is inadequate. It is Petraeus an opportunity to report; we in the Senate, we were distracted by not precipitous. To have a debate about are going to wait for September, and this much discussed, much condemned buzz words that excite the base does we will see whether we are going to ad in a newspaper 2 weeks ago. Some not serve our troops well, and it cer- change the strategy. saw a chance to score cheap political tainly does not serve our national secu- What did General Petraeus talk points on the floor of the Senate. In- rity interests very well. about when he finally gets here at this stead of joining with everybody to con- We keep hearing these words ‘‘sur- long-awaited moment that everybody demn all those kinds of ads and in- render’’ and ‘‘choose to lose,’’ and so is waiting for to measure the strategy volvements in American politics that forth. It is insulting to a lot of people with respect to Iraq? He talked about people do not like, the other side could who have spent a lifetime, some who tactics, about military tactics that do not bring themselves to do that. But served in the Armed Forces, being told not amount to a strategy for how you they have to have their singular tar- this by people who have not, that they resolve the fundamental problems of geted, one-entity specific, not even af- are somehow choosing to put a strat- Iraq. filiated party entity, and go on and at- egy in place purposefully that is to sur- The Senator from Alabama, Mr. SES- tack it. Frankly, it is as insulting as it render on behalf of America or to lose SIONS, a moment ago pointed out this is illuminating that in a week-long de- on behalf of America. Come on. It hap- complete contradiction where they are bate about Iraq, in which both sides pens that a lot of people in the Senate claiming: Well, the streets are safer have just five amendments to try to af- and the country believe there is a bet- and they have been safer for, what, 7 fect the policy, the Republicans took ter way to defend American interests. months, 8 months now because General one of those amendments to try to, in- I will tell you, if you take a real Petraeus’s own chart shows the vast stead, play pure politics. measurement by facts of where we are preponderance of the violence went Mr. President, all of us opposed any with respect to American security in- down before our troops even got on the kind of personal attack on the distin- terests—let me give them to you: Iran line. guished general, and we said so at the is stronger than Iran has ever been in One of the reasons it went down is time. I think I was one of the first peo- recent years. Iran loves the fact that because there has been a massive ple to speak out and say so. But I am we are bogged down in Iraq. Iran is amount of ethnic cleansing because the not going to join in some kind of hi- strengthened by the fact that we are militias have done their dirty deed jacking of the Senate for political pur- bogged down in Iraq. Our own national across the country, and Baghdad, poses to score points and create 30-sec- intelligence agency has told us we are which used to be 65 percent Sunni, is ond advertisements as a consequence of now experiencing more terrorism, not now 75 percent Shia. That tells you the votes. It is a disgrace, and it does a dis- less, because of our policy in Iraq. That story. service to what we are trying to do. is our intelligence community telling There is a total mythology here We have had a lot of colleagues who us that, that there are more terrorists, about al-Qaida, not mythology in the have referenced the fact that the esca- not less. Osama bin Laden is free and sense that they are dangerous and they lation of sending more troops into Iraq doing what he does out of Pakistan, are real. We all understand that. Al- was to give Iraqi politicians the chance talking on the Internet to the world, Qaida is a threat. Al-Qaida is a serious to be able to make up their own minds attracting terrorists, and plotting to challenge to all of us in both parties, to about their political future. And we attack America. Hamas is stronger the country, to every citizen. But al- have heard a lot of people talk again than it has ever been. They took over Qaida is not the principal problem in and again and again about how there is the Gaza and are creating havoc in the West Bank. Hezbollah is stronger than Iraq. no military solution. I know what hap- It was again interesting that General it has been. Al-Qaida is reconstituted. pens in the sort of ‘‘speech-ifying’’ that Those are all facts. Do you know Petraeus, in answer to a question in goes on here, and the repetition, I what they add up to? They add up to a the Armed Services Committee, was guess, of some of these facts. They kind weak foreign policy, to a weak defense asked about Osama bin Laden and al- of get glossy. They just sort of slide by policy and, in fact, those who claim Qaida in Iraq, whether they were there people and people don’t really focus on and talk about surrender and about at the beginning, and he said no. There the real meaning or the impact of what choosing to lose are losing today when is no connection between al-Qaida in is being said as a result. But the fact measured against the real interests of Iraq and 9/11, none whatsoever, despite is, the President very clearly told our country. They are not making countless, countless references by the America the rationale for sending more America safer. Interestingly, one of the President, the Vice President, and a troops was not to go out and secure a most important things General bunch of folks on the other side to try whole bunch of communities for the Petraeus said in that hearing, in an- to link them together and confuse sake of having a general come here and swer to a question from the Republican Americans, grab their emotions, get say we know how to secure a commu- former chairman of the Armed Services them in the gut, and somehow that is nity. Committee, somebody respected and going to excuse a policy that cannot A lot of us, in discussing the so- revered by people on both sides of the find another excuse. called surge, said at the time that this aisle, Senator WARNER, are we safer?— It is a disgrace, and it doesn’t serve is not going to be the thing that General Petraeus couldn’t say. He said: our national security interests. I re- changes the fundamental dynamics I don’t know. peat, we are not safer in the grander that are now ruling Iraq absent an in- So I have had enough of this gobble- sense of strategic interests of our coun- crease in significant political diplo- dygook talk about ‘‘precipitous’’ and try. When you measure what they have macy and political strategic thinking. ‘‘surrender’’ and ‘‘walking away from done with respect to Hamas, Hezbollah, And in that, we have been proven 100 responsibility.’’ The responsibility here Iran, al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden, they percent correct. The Iraqis have not is to get this policy right for America have a failed national security policy made fundamental decisions. and for our troops. for this country—a failed national se- Let me ask you, Mr. President, what Where is the accountability? We were curity policy for this country. The is the relationship between more secu- told by the President of the United measurement is given to us by our own rity and making a decision about how States last January, when he stood up intelligence agency, which tells us al- you distribute oil revenues? Are you and he talked to the Nation, one of Qaida is reconstituted and capable of telling me they can’t get into a room those big televised ‘‘We are going to attacking from anywhere. and figure out the Kurds have this talk to the Nation,’’ he said to Amer- It is obvious for everybody to see how much, the south has this much, the ica: The Iraqis are going to do the fol- we have lost leverage and lost credi- Sunni triangle doesn’t have any? The lowing. Here is what they are going to bility and lost influence in the world. Sunni are 20 percent of the population, do: A, B, C, and D. Then he said: And That does not make our Nation safer, so we have to have some revenue going we are going to hold them accountable. not in the least. to them from a national basis. Do you

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY September 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11843 need security to make that decision? deed, being armed, being trained, and LUGAR has talked about it repeatedly, There is a complete disconnect in what fighting back against al-Qaida because to the point of exhaustion, that you is being talked about here. they got tired of al-Qaida’s cruelty. have to have people who are talking to Do you need security to decide The Shia will never get along with each other every day. You have to have whether you are going to allow people al-Qaida because al-Qaida and al- envoys of consequence. who were formerly members of the Qaida’s beliefs and its attempts to es- Why couldn’t we have former Presi- Baath Party, but who were there be- tablish a caliphate in the region and dent Bush and President Clinton serve cause they were coerced or because it out of Iraq does not include Shiism. as special envoys to convene and meet was the only way to stay alive but who You are better off as a Christian or a with these folks and work through never took part in the excesses of Sad- Jew in the eyes of al-Qaida than Shia these differences on a daily basis, with dam Hussein, do you need security to are in the context of Muslim and the the notion that you are going to try to make the decision—and I am not say- faith of Islam. So the Shia, and par- create a resolution, or find the resolu- ing you can get them all to go into the ticularly Iran—and I heard my col- tion, like we did in Bosnia and Kosovo, mainstream of the life of Iraq—but to league from Alabama turn to Iran as as we have in so many other conflicts make the decision as to whether you the reason to somehow talk about what in the world? are going to let them go in? You need is happening with Iraq and al-Qaida. As a young person, when I came into security to do that? No. You need a po- Iran is not going to tolerate al-Qaida, politics, I remember one of the things I litical will. not for an instance. admired on both sides of the aisle was I will tell you why they are not mak- The Kurds are not going to tolerate those titans of American diplomatic ing the decision. It is not because of al-Qaida. Al-Qaida is not in Kurdistan, history. During the period that I grew the absence of security. It is because of and al-Qaida doesn’t do so well down up, there were people with names such the fundamental reality of their con- there where the Shia are, and it is not as Acheson and Ball and Bundy and a stituencies. The Shia have spent 1,300 doing so well right now where the host of others, and some did better years being basically subjugated by Sunni are. The jihadists, as opposed to than others. Kissinger and then Jim Sunni, and they have now been given the former generals of Saddam Hus- Baker, who I remember made 15 trips at the ballot box what they could never sein—al-Qaida in Iraq is made up of a to Damascus just to get President achieve in any other way. They have number of different entities, and the Asaad to agree finally to Desert Storm. been given the right to run the coun- worst, obviously, are the jihadists. And he went the last time, on the 15th try. And guess what. After what hap- Those are the foreign fighters who trip, without even knowing what the pened in 1990, when President Bush, 41, come in across the Syrian border or outcome would be, but he knew that he excited the notion they could take on across the Iranian border, but they are had to repeatedly be there and be in Saddam Hussein and encouraged them the first who are going to find a mas- their face and cajoling and working to revolt, and they did, and then we sive unwelcome in Iraq because they and moving the process. pulled the rug out from under them, are foreign and because there is no way There has been such a total absence tens of thousands of them were bru- that either Sunni or Shia or Kurd is of that kind of effort over the course of tally murdered, and they remember going to allow the jihadists to get a these last years, it just frustrates me that. That is the freshest massacre in foothold of any kind of consequence. to think about young men and women their memory. That memory says to The Baathists are using al-Qaida in a on the front lines suffering these griev- them, we are not going to let go of this way because it serves their interests to ous injuries and believing in our coun- power very easily, especially when we foment some of the problems because try and in the idea of trying to help now have an opportunity to have a they are targeting us as well as the Iraq and not having the kind of support Shia Islamic state, which is what they Shia, and they want to create this dis- and policy that does justice to the want. That is what the constituency ruption. The only way to resolve that risks they are taking. It is stunning, wants. is through this political issue, and that Mr. President. The Sunni constituency, which has raises the question of, how you do solve I believe, as Tom Friedman said the been running the place for most of it? There are some very smart people other day, negotiating in the Middle those years—not every single one of who know more about Iraq and its his- East—without leverage is playing base- them but most of them—has now been tory than I do who suggest it may not ball without a bat. And that is basi- emboldened in the notion that they be possible, for the time being, because cally what we have been doing because have to reject this notion of a Shia Is- of what has been unleashed—the open- we will not get up from the table. lamic state, and Iran and Iran’s influ- ing of Pandora’s box, or the genie out There has never been a baseball owner ence, and they have the sense that they of the bottle, or whatever you want to in history who went into negotiation can return to power. In that struggle is say. It has changed the possibilities with another player and said: I can’t written the history of the IEDs and now so that you may not be able, for get up from the table. That is a nego- most of the ethnic cleansing and most the time being, to achieve any kind of tiation that is not going to end well. of the violence we have seen. Now, not legitimate central government or plu- That is the negotiation we are basi- all of it. Yes, al-Qaida has been in- ralistic society. You may have to have cally in today. volved in brutal incidents; and, yes, al- this federalism that has been talked The President of the United States Qaida is trying to stir things up; and, about for some period of time because has said to the Iraqi Government, we yes, al-Qaida was involved in the they may have to live apart before are going to have 130,000 troops there Samarra mosque and other things. We they can live together again in order to next summer. It is already there. What all understand that. But my colleagues prove you can get over these hurdles did they have to do? What do you have are dead wrong when they come to the and create some governments. to do if you are an Iraqi sitting there floor of the Senate and they tell us, or Even today, we had a meeting with playing your game, knowing you are tell America, that al-Qaida is the prin- the French Foreign Minister here, and going to be there, not us, forever, if cipal problem that keeps us doing what he mentioned how there is a growing you stay alive; knowing that you are we are doing in Iraq. It is not true. sense among some Iraqis that this may able to use the 130,000-troop promise of Al-Qaida will not survive in Iraq, in be the way in which you have to try to next year and you can just float along any kind of Iraq, if we are not there. build a resolution. Those are the kinds and avoid any kind of responsibility or The Sunni have made a decision. And, of things we should be talking about in decisionmaking and play your own po- incidentally, the Sunni didn’t make a the Senate. These are the kinds of litical power game for the future? If decision that was based on security. things we ought to be pursuing in di- you are already aligned with Iran, as The Sunni made a political decision to plomacy. And where is the diplomacy? many of those politicians are who are work with the United States, and then Where is the significant standing sum- Shia, in the majority, they have no the security came as a consequence of mit? I think 3 years ago, when I was motivation whatsoever to compromise. the political decision. The political de- running for President, I talked about You have to change the dynamics. cision came first, and the Sunni made the need to have a standing summit You have to change the play on the up their minds, and now they are, in- and a standing conference. Senator ground. You have to get them worried

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S11844 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2007 and get them thinking about legiti- there for the long run because we have other areas. By any measure, until you mate implications of what happens if this massive footprint with great big deal with the provincial elections, the we do something. Right now, when the bases and unbelievable amounts of constitutional issue, the federalism, United States starts talking militarily equipment. A whole bunch of people the oil, and debaathification, you can- about Iran, they are not particularly think we are not just there to help not begin, if you can at all, in the cur- scared because they know the situation Iraq, we are there for the long run, we rent atmosphere, to reconcile these dif- with our troops. They read the news- are there because we want to be there ferences. papers. They hear the debate in the for much larger purposes. General Petraeus can come back next Senate. They know how overstretched I think we have to do this differently. March and he can say, oh, we are mak- we are. I mean this is not complicated. The open-ended, seemingly endless ing progress, but if there is no political We don’t have the leverage that we commitment has clearly done nothing progress, then what are our colleagues ought to have to get them to do what to directly confront the problem. What going to say and do next March? Ask they ought to be doing—if they are we need to do, the responsibility that for another 6 months? Say we have se- willing to do it at all—and put it to the each of our colleagues has, is to look at cured this area a little more and that test to find out if they are willing to do these kinds of dynamics and examine area a little more, give us another lit- it at all because we are going to have them. If the Shia really believe what tle 6 months? 130,000 troops there no matter what they believe and the Sunni really be- I think as long as you give the Iraqi they do next summer. We have already lieve what they believe—and you can politicians as long as they want, they told them that. The same number of talk to them and read history and will take as long as they want. As long troops we had last year when America make judgments about it—then the as we say we are there for as long as it said staying the course was not good troops are not going to change what is takes, they will take as long as they enough; we want a better strategy, our necessary for them to try to make want. That is exactly what they are strategy is to go back to where we were some decisions. doing today. GEN Tony Zinni—for whom I have when the country almost disintegrated That is our policy. The policy of Gen- great respect, who is former CENTCOM a year ago with 130,000 troops. eral Petraeus is basically a policy for commander, he travels frequently over The other thing we know is that we staying, it is not a policy for winning, there and meets with an awful lot of are not going to put enough troops in absent the political reconciliation. No people—some time ago talked to me there to secure every single commu- one has shown how you get that polit- about an idea that has appealed to me nity. So when you push in Baghdad or ical reconciliation. If it was doable, very much over the last years, which is you push in Anbar, and then somebody why couldn’t it have been done in the the need to negotiate a new security goes over to Baqouba, or somebody last 7 months? Why couldn’t it have arrangement for the region itself; if we goes over to Diyala Province or one of been done in the last 4 years, when were to become involved in trying to the other provinces, they have infi- there was less violence 3 years ago, and engage these other countries in that nitely more capacity to move around. 4 years ago, than there is today? Why I learned that lesson a long time ago, arrangement, which can be leveraged couldn’t it have been done? Because back in the war of the 1960s, in Viet- by the notion that we are going to pull the political will is not there to do it. nam. We learned what it was like to go back, that we are going to shift respon- We have changed tactics, not strat- into these villages where you don’t sibility to the neighbors to begin to egy. Yes, we have some gains. I am not share the culture, the language, you bear some of the strategic long-term going to stand here and say there are don’t look like the people, the reli- requirements—with respect to Iran, for not some tactical gains or that our gion—any of it. You are carrying guns, instance; with respect to the protec- military hasn’t done a good job. They and they think you are occupying their tion of the Gulf States—Saudi inter- have done a tremendous job under the land. It is tough. It is tough on our ests, Jordanian interests, et cetera—re- toughest of circumstances and they folks. membering always that those countries What are they doing? They are going are Sunni. An awful lot of the money have made some gains in those commu- out and finding IEDs the hard way. I that is reaching the 20-percent Sunni nities. But it is not producing what you hear folks talking about these battles population who are resisting today is need to change the overall dynamic in and the enemy. The enemy? The enemy coming from those places. So our Iraq, if it is changeable in the current are IEDs. Obviously the people who friends and our allies are even part of context. plant them, but they don’t see them the problem right now because we are What I regret is all this talk will see very much. Most of the wounded are going it alone. us back here in March. They will not from IEDs. Most of the killed are from Our strategy, in my judgment, is that bring peace or long-term stability to IEDs. This is not a set piece battle while Americans fight and die to give Iraq absent diplomacy. If we come back such as we have seen in a lot of other Iraqis breathing room, Iraqi politicians here in March and we have resolved the wars we have fought. It is not even the refuse to resolve the political issues political differences, it will be because same kind of insurgency battle we have that matter the most. There is no they decided to resolve the political seen in a lot of other wars we have progress on the lynchpin issue of shar- differences—which they could do at fought. It is very different. ing oil revenues, no progress on the any other time or could have done any- I don’t think we have been as smart debaathification law—despite the fact where in the last few days. or as thoughtful and creative in the they tell us, on the oil law, they are So rather than ‘‘no surrender,’’ I kinds of strategies we need to change sharing some revenue. That doesn’t think the policy we have today is ‘‘no it—particularly when you hear the Iraq satisfy Sunnis, if there is no law. Gee, real way out.’’ There is no real way to Study Group and our own national in- you mean we are getting a few reve- resolve the differences. It is a wing and telligence entities all come together nues today at the grace of the folks a prayer. It is a hope. Even Ambas- saying the American footprint is part who want to give us the spoils or some- sador Crocker, for whom I have great of the problem. The large presence of thing? What happens when things start respect; I presided over his hearing for American forces is attracting jihadists, to get rough? Is it still going to be his nomination to be there; I admire attracting terrorists, creating the im- there? Is there a law? Is there a re- his career—he is a Middle East spe- pression of occupation. That is what quirement? Does anybody have to live cialist, an Arabist, he has been there, General Casey said and General up to anything? Will it be enforced? speaks the language, understands it. Abizaid. That is what the Iraq Study Who will enforce it? But in the conversations I have had Group has said. Everybody has said All of those issues are outstanding with him privately as well as what he that. until they resolve that kind of dif- said publicly, it is clear to me he can- What have we done about it? We have ference, so it doesn’t satisfy me, and not say, with any certainty at all, what increased the presence. We have in- certainly doesn’t satisfy them, for is around the corner, and he specifi- creased the footprint. We have lent someone to come and say they are cally said none of us can predict what even more credibility to the concept, sharing some of the revenue or they is going to happen in the current con- as General Jones said, that we are are putting some money into these text. That is what we put ourselves

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY September 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11845 into, absent the kind of diplomacy nec- people. Two years ago, he said we will If our security gains are to be anything essary to try to change those dynam- have 125,000, 200,000-something next more than short-lived, the single most im- ics. year. How long does it take to train portant event that could immediately and I think what we are seeing are the people? We have been training people favorably affect Iraq’s direction and security is political reconciliation. moves of the President, who has de- for 41⁄2 years. We certainly have been cided to wait out his time in office and training them for at least 2 years in a So General Jones is saying: If you want to have an impact on security, shift responsibility for this disaster to highly focused manner—21⁄2 or 3 years. the next President. He has as much as How long does it take to take our re- you have to have political reconcili- said that, that we are going to have cruits down to Parris Island or out to ation. He is not saying that the secu- troops there for a long time, and the the Great Lakes, from total civilian rity is going to be given to you by the next President is going to have to re- status to graduation? Three or four military; he is saying it is the political solve these differences. months. Then they go to a specialty reconciliation—nothing will have more I believe we have a bigger responsi- school and then, within a few months, significance with the security. bility than that in the Senate. I believe they are ready to go and serve on the Sustained progress within the Iraq secu- that very deeply. When I was a young frontlines. They always do it with rity forces depends on such a political agree- ment. serviceman and in a war, I remember great distinction. looking to Washington and wanting These folks have been training and That is precisely what we are trying those folks who were in positions of re- training and training. The problem is, to achieve. sponsibility to make the judgments it is not a lack of training, it is a lack Supporters of the escalation asked that affected my life on a day-to-day of motivation. It is a lack of commit- for more time to translate military basis. ment and will. It manifests itself in the success into political progress. But if I remember being bitterly dis- following way. If you are a Shia, can General Petraeus is correct, that sec- appointed in the debates that went on you safely go into a Sunni neighbor- tarian violence began decreasing in as people kept finding these same kinds hood and police? Can a Shia go tell a January. I do not have that chart here, of excuses, the same arguments were Sunni what to do? Will the Sunni listen but I absolutely know this because we made. I remember President Nixon ac- and feel safe? Ask anybody in the coun- asked him direct questions about that. tually stood up and said: I am not try about that equation. That is part of And he spoke to the fact. He acknowl- going to be the first President to lose a the problem, a lack of historical under- edged that the better part of the vio- war. standing, a lack of cultural under- lence reduction did, in fact, take place Our military has not lost this. Our standing, a remarkable kind of arro- prior to the American forces becoming military has won everything they en- gance that came out of corners in the part of it. It is partly because of the gaged in on a personal basis. Nobody Pentagon, led by Secretary Rumsfeld dislocation that had taken place as a doubts the power or strength of the and Richard Perle and Doug Feith and consequence of the militia and also the American military. No one would these other folks, all of whom talked political decisions that were made indi- doubt the power or strength of the about parades and flowers and the easy vidually in Anbar and elsewhere which American military if they announced welcome of our troops and welcomed as preceded the vast majority of those that, because the Iraqis are not making liberators and every decision was forces arriving. their decisions, we are not going to wrong, not to mention the arrogance of Now, Prime Minister Maliki has been stay here and keep dying for you, folks. turning their backs on the plans that in office since May of 2006. But the fact I don’t think that is losing. I think the State Department and Secretary is, the Iraqi Government, as we have that is actually a note of reality. It is Powell drew up for how you deal with discussed, has simply been absent from the Iraqis who are losing. It is the Iraqi postwar Iraq. any kind of adequate responsibility to politicians, led by Mr. Maliki, if they We are paying for that now. I think meet what they themselves said they are led at all, who are unwilling to those who argue somehow these would do. make the decisions. They are the ones buzzwords of retreat and surrender—it Now, why a deadline? I guess it is losing this opportunity for democracy. is almost pathetic, to be honest with kind of like anybody doing their home- They are the ones losing the oppor- you. Because it is so divorced from the work—we operate under deadlines here. tunity for peace. They are the ones reality of what is being talked about, Does anybody here believe we get the turning their backs on the opportunity about how you strengthen America and budget done without a deadline that we for reconciliation—not us. It is not for strengthen our position and support usually have? We usually have drop- us to reconcile. No brave troop in Iraq the troops. The troops deserve a policy dead times. In fact, we even move the has the ability to create that reconcili- that is equal to the sacrifice they are clocks. We have a continuing resolu- ation. You are not going to create that being asked to make. tion that is short-lived, and then we reconciliation at the end of a gun bar- Let me go through a couple of prin- come back and we live under a certain rel. It doesn’t happen. It never has. cipal arguments and then I will yield sense of, you know, a responsibility I think it was the Roman historian the floor. First of all, those who want factor there and all kinds of deadlines. Tacitus who, with respect to Carthage, more of the same failed policy, this The fact is, deadlines have worked in said: ‘‘They made a desert and called it surrender talk, it seems to me—I think Iraq already. There was a deadline to peace.’’ I mostly covered that. I think I pretty have the transfer from the Provisional That is what you can do with guns much discussed the idea, but I want to Authority from Paul Bremer. In fact, and with military might. But those emphasize something. Leaving the Iraqis and a lot of other people said: Do who have always thought the power of President the discretion to fight al- not do this to us; we are not ready. But ideas and the pen is more powerful Qaida, to finish the training and stand- the Government, our Government, to than the sword right now believe we ing up of Iraqis, to protect American its credit, we insisted and said: No, this have a better ability here to be able to facilities and forces and to do so over is what is going to happen. And it hap- find a way through this. the course of a year—to set a target pened. Now, the decisions they made I think we ought to be refocusing on date for the achievement of that goal a afterward were awful. But the transfer what we are doing. It is not precipi- year from now is anything but precipi- took place; likewise, the elections; tous. It is not a withdrawal sufficient tous. likewise, the Constitution. Each of to please a certain number of people. It They cannot achieve these funda- them was accomplished with a dead- is the beginning of the change of the mental benchmarks of what they need- line. footprint. It is a clear statement that ed to do to show they are reconciling in In fact, the President himself has al- we are drawing down and you have to that year; they are not going to do it ready set a deadline, in some ways, be- assume a certain responsibility. while we are there. cause he is saying: We are going to There is a complete contradiction, Secondly, it seems to me you have to have X number of forces out by such incidentally, in the arguments made by remember what General Jones himself and such a time—30,000. That is a dead- the other side. I remember visiting said. I want to quote from his report. line. He has told us when—by next General Petraeus when he was training He said: spring. General Petraeus has set a

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S11846 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2007 deadline that he is going to come back That is craven, that so many lives were America at greatest risk. This is not a by next March and he is going to say lost, 25,000 or so, more than half, in policy which advances America’s larger something to us. So this idea that that period of time to pursue a policy strategic interests in the region or deadlines don’t work or it is a losing that people knew was ultimately what elsewhere in the world. That is a bad equation, I just do not agree with that. could have been achieved even earlier. foreign policy when that is what is I think, like any human reaction, when So when people talk about the dire happening. A policy that makes you a big country like the United States of consequences, we all understand Iran is weaker, not stronger, is not a policy I America gets serious in putting some a threat. Well, let’s go back to what I would want to take out to the country. deadlines there, people can begin to re- said earlier: Iran is more of a threat That is exactly what they are pre- spond and you change the dynamics today because we are less capable of senting us with. Americans are dying that people are dealing with. confronting them and because we have at greater levels now than in 2003, 2004, What is more, some people may not not engaged in that kind of robust di- 2005, and 2006, for a policy they have al- like to hear this, but clearly and obvi- plomacy that the French, the Germans, ready told us is going to end next sum- ously an administration would have and the British engaged in for almost 3 mer. And the Iraqi politicians know it the ability to come back in 4 months successive years without us at all, be- is going to end next summer. That is a and say: Look at all of the progress we cause we had a policy of not talking to deadline. So, evidently, it is okay for have just made because we set the anybody; just do as I say. The result is, them to plot and plan for the end of the deadline, and we are making so much you know, they throw out these con- surge, but they are not going to be progress, but we can’t get over the sequences, so we wind up staying there changed in their planning for the end hump by the end of this period. Will because we have been there. of American involvement. I do not get you not give us a little longer? There is I have heard people say: Well, you that. That is a complete contradiction. no one here, if that is a true measure of know, we obviously need to honor the Fourth. The President’s allies warn what is happening, who is not going to lives of those we have lost. Yes, we do. that Iraq could become a failed state. respond responsibly. I believe that is what we are trying to Well, guess what. According to Foreign So, again, this is a phony debate do. I think you honor the lives of those Policy Magazine, Iraq is becoming a about the impact of a deadline, what it who have been lost there and those who failed state under the current strategy. means. have given their lives by making cer- In fact, it ranks second in the entire We can get together in a room, sen- tain that we are not wasteful going for- world on the Failed State Index behind sible people, and come up with a way to ward, that we are reasonable, that we only the Sudan as the state most at do this. But it has been made into a are not stupid going forward, that we risk for failure. That will only change challenge to the President’s authority, do what is correct. But you do not lose when the Iraqi Government steps up, it has been made into a big political lives to honor the lives you have lost. not our troops. Our troops cannot run That does not honor them. And losing football where Republicans feel they the Government, and most of the Iraqis more lives and the fact that we have have to go out and defend the Presi- have said they do not want us there. lost lives is not an excuse for con- dent, and somehow everyone else Incidentally, the new polls coming out thinks everybody else is after him, tinuing the same policy. Now they argue it is not the same of Iraq show that 50-plus—58 percent of when what we are really after is a sen- policy; we have a new general, we have the Sunnis think it is okay to go kill sible policy in Iraq in the face of 41⁄2 a new strategy. But it is not a strat- and hurt Americans. Seventy percent years of having not been given it time egy; it is a tactic that has no relation- of the Iraqis think America should be after time, even under the withering ship to the real strategy that has to be gone. criticisms of some Senators from the Our friends warn of a humanitarian political and diplomatic and much other side, such as Senator HAGEL, catastrophe. But as the New York more creative and much more global in Senator MCCAIN, and others, who have this case. Times reported earlier this month, called the shots as they saw them over So we have lost sight of what is at many mixed neighborhoods in Baghdad a number of years. stake here. I believe we are paralyzed and surrounding provinces in Iraq have Third. Supporters of the escalation in a sense because of it. You cannot already been ethnically cleansed. Two point to the consequences of failure in leave because of this. Oh, gosh, Iran is million people are internally displaced, Iraq. Well, I can remember how people going to do this. In fact, the Senator 2 million people have left the country used the sort of cataclysmic, dire end from Alabama talked a little while ago as refugees. Baghdad, as I said earlier, result as a legitimization of carrying about how Iran will become involved in which had a population when we went on something that was going into ob- Iraq. Iran is involved in Iraq. Iran has there of 65 percent Sunni, now is a 75- livion. It was called Vietnam. We had thousands of agents in Iraq. It has peo- percent Shiia majority city. the Domino Theory, we had the Blood- ple training people in Iraq. The Shiia What we are supposedly staying in bath, we had all kinds of arguments in the south are aligned, particularly Iraq trying to prevent is happening thrown out there about what it would in the Basra area. But the British, nev- right under our very noses, and General be like if the United States ultimately ertheless, have redeployed to the air- Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker told withdrew. port, and they have left those factions us that in their testimony. Ambassador Ultimately, we withdrew. Ulti- to kind of duke it out against each Crocker specifically referenced the mately, Henry Kissinger and Richard other without any serious enough con- movement of personnel and the ethnic Nixon negotiated a withdrawal, and sequence that we are rushing in to fill cleansing and did not say that our they negotiated a withdrawal with the breach. If it is okay for them, why troops or the surge is capable of stop- something that was then called the is it not for us? If it is not okay for ping it. So we are witnessing right now ‘‘decent interval’’; 1973 we left, and in them, why did we let them do it, and a very high level of sectarian violence. 1975 the place fell because the Govern- why are we not responding? Over 1,000 civilians are dying a month. ment itself was so corrupt and so inept These contradictions just sort of leap Across Iraq, the level of violence is and so incapable they were not able to out at you. And the fact is that Iran higher than it was in 2004 and 2005. The withstand what came at them. They and al-Qaida are thrilled that we are Washington Post reported on Monday did not have legitimacy, but they were bogged down in Iraq. Every day that we that about 2 million Iraqis are dis- given the opportunity to have it. What are bogged down in Iraq, we are pre- placed in Iraq and 2.2 million to the ultimately happened is precisely what senting al-Qaida with targets. We are neighboring countries. Apparently, could have been avoided 4 or 5 years presenting al-Qaida with the image of 60,000 Iraqis are evacuating their later. Half the names that are on that American forces occupying a country, homes every month. And what I have Vietnam wall down the street were put and they can run around and enlist been told in the visits when I have been on that wall from a time period after more jihadists. They have been doing there, people have described to me the which our top leaders in the Defense it. You can just talk to anybody in the exodus of the middle class. You do not Department and elsewhere knew the intelligence community about it. have the middle class there now to try policy wasn’t going to work, and they This is a policy which makes Amer- to help do some of the reconciliation have since even written exactly that. ica weaker. This is a policy which puts and building that is necessary.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY September 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11847 I have also heard many people point The reality is, we all intend to defeat countries that are currently sitting on to the legacy of Vietnam. But I hear al-Qaida. Al-Qaida will be defeated. I the sidelines and standing apart from the wrong conclusions being drawn am absolutely confident of that. I don’t us because they disagree with our pol- about that legacy—somehow a pre- think a nihilistic, cynical, completely icy and the way we are implementing sumption that given the great power ideologically, and morally barren ef- it. conflict that we were caught in, people fort such as al-Qaida’s has a chance in I hope our colleagues will take ad- seem to forget that one of the reasons the long haul. What it can do is confuse vantage of this opportunity, and I hope we did not invade the north was not people and attract converts in the ab- we will cease to have a debate on buzz that we did not have the military abil- sence of a legitimate counter moral words and slogans but instead a debate ity or other things; it was because force, and that moral force can come on facts and do justice to the troops China and Russia and the Cold War was from moderate Islam, and needs to, and who, as I said, deserve a policy that is raging at the time, and those countries it can come from the rest of the world. equal to what they are doing on our be- were aligned with Vietnam, North I have heard this all through every half every single day. We salute them. Vietnam then, and many people saw a visit I have made in every part of the Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today we bigger, wider, more complicated, and region. I serve now as chairman of the saw the floor of the Senate hijacked for dangerous conflict as a consequence. Near East-South Asia Subcommittee. I purely partisan political purposes at a So it was not our withdrawal from make a point of trying to understand time when we need the U.S. Senate to Vietnam. People need to remember what is going on. The fact is, Abu instead come together for the purpose this. Ghraib and Guantanamo and the cur- of protecting our national security and You know, we did a period of Viet- rent torture practices that we know changing a policy in Iraq that is not namization, we did a period of transi- are being engaged in, and the world working. tion, we negotiated the process, we left knows, and the new 4,500 Web sites of What happened in the Senate today in 1973. It was not our withdrawal that various jihadist groups exploit those is partisan, political and demeaning of caused the instability in the region; it things. That is the war on ideas the this institution. The Republican mi- was the underlying cause of the vio- President appropriately talked about, nority is desperate to distract the Sen- lence that had gone on for 10 years pre- that supposedly Karen Hughes was ap- ate and our country from the real issue ceding it. It was the American bombing pointed to lead a great effort on. No- at hand, which is a failed escalation and an administration policy in Iraq in Cambodia that many people remem- body has seen her or knows what is that is every day costing American ber that created the instability of that happening with respect to that most blood and treasure. The same Senators country and China which created prob- significant effort. lems with the Khmer Rouge and the I don’t think this escalation or this who have gone along with the Presi- ethnic Chinese that created many of current policy is protecting our home- dent’s Iraq policy every step of the the original boat people, the original land. I believe where there was pre- way, who have expressed not a shred of exodus. It was a civil war, a civil war viously no threat from al-Qaida in a outrage about nonexistent weapons of mass destruction, predictions of a that our military could not end. Many place called Iraq, there is now a threat, ‘‘cakewalk,’’ ‘‘mission accomplished,’’ of the conditions that came about were though not the level of threat or the or ‘‘an insurgency, its last throes’’ will the result of being there and what hap- kind of threat that is often described. now say and do anything to avoid talk- pened in that dislocation. The real threat remains centered in Af- Our troops cannot end the Iraqi civil ing about what is really happening in ghanistan and Pakistan and many war. Only, again, a political accommo- Iraq. They would rather express out- other places, including Europe. It is dation can achieve it, and that can rage about a newspaper ad run by an growing in Europe. Unless we deal with only come through adequate diplomacy independent entity, than express out- these larger implications, that chal- and effort. We ought to be working rage about a policy pursued by their lenge is going to become more signifi- over time on that. party and their administration. And The final thing I will point out is, cant as a consequence of this policy. certainly they don’t want to address This is an opportunity for us to try supporters of the Bush escalation say the outrage of more Americans dying to do what I know is very difficult, be- we cannot abandon the central fight in for a policy we know is not working. the global war on terror. I have pointed cause I understand the pressures that The Senate did not need to spend out again and again, as we all do, it is are put on colleagues, many of whom hours today on this debate. Nine days OK to have a good debate about issues. have come to the floor and spoken elo- ago, the first time I was asked about But somehow the world’s greatest de- quently in opposition to the war and in the ad which the Senator from Texas liberative body ought to find a way to opposition to the strategy. But they loves to talk about, I said it was ‘‘over accept what is fact and accept what is somehow won’t translate those words the top’’ and ‘‘inappropriate, period.’’ I fiction and kind of put the fiction aside into a vote. They won’t go that extra said that, as a veteran, I thought it was and deal with the facts, instead of com- step of actually confronting the Presi- wrong to characterize any member of ing back speech after speech repeating dent and changing the policy. What the military in the way General the same fiction, which is what hap- General Petraeus has obviously suc- Petraeus was characterized in that ad- pens. The fact is, we have never sug- ceeded in doing—and we understand vertisement. I have nothing but respect gested pulling any punch or reducing it—is giving people a reason to say: for General Petraeus. I wasn’t alone in the effort to go after al-Qaida. We give Give us 6 more months. He is obviously that feeling. Senator REID spoke out. the President complete and total dis- going to get that 6 more months, be- Senator BIDEN spoke out. There was no cretion in this legislation to do what cause the President has the power to question about where Democrats stood. the President needs to do in order to veto and the power to move his policy And we ratified that opinion in a broad prosecute the war on terror against al- in these next days. But I hope my col- condemnation of that behavior—in- Qaida. So to keep reasserting al-Qaida leagues will think about how history is cluding the Petraeus ad—in the Boxer in a way that suggests that Democrats going to measure what we do here and amendment. somehow are forgetting about that is how their own responsibilities measure But I also asked that we all recognize not accurate. up to what this moment is about. I that the emotion behind that ad is an In fact, we have been the ones who think the facts speak loudly and clear- emotion shared by the American peo- consistently point out that al-Qaida is ly for the imperative to have a policy ple: frustration—frustration as we head reconstituted globally, that al-Qaida’s that moves in a better direction to pro- into the 5th year of being told one principal leaders are in Pakistan and tect our Nation. That is the bottom thing about Iraq and finding out an- Afghanistan, that it is from Pakistan line. That is what is at stake, our na- other. That is why we should be having and Afghanistan they have plotted and tional security and our ability to pro- a real debate and a real discussion conducted the attacks they have con- tect future generations and stand up about the policy in Iraq rather than ducted in recent months and plotted and lead the world in a more effective trying to score partisan points over the the attack against our airlines most way in order to eliminate al-Qaida and, politics of Iraq. It is as insulting as it recently, and that they communicate in fact, open up a whole set of new pos- is illuminating that in a week-long de- to the world network, not Iraq. sibilities with Islam and a host of bate in which each side can offer just

VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00073 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S11848 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2007 five amendments, the Republicans MORNING BUSINESS real difference in the lives of working would waste one of their chances to Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I ask families with low-income children change a broken policy by choosing in- unanimous consent that the Senate across this country. It is helping to en- stead to embrace a political stunt. now proceed to a period of morning sure these children grow up to be We are where we are. I vehemently business. healthy adults. Surely, we can get this oppose the kind of political abuse of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without done on a bipartisan basis before the the Senate embodied in the Cornyn objection, it is so ordered. program is scheduled to expire on Sep- amendment, and I am saddened if not tember 30. surprised to see that so many of the f I urge the President of the United Republicans who believe that what CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE States to reconsider his threat to veto this vital program, this highly success- happened to General Petraeus was Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, earlier wrong, could not bring themselves to ful program that has a proven track today, the President announced his in- record of reducing the number of chil- vote for the Boxer amendment which tention to veto the extension of the made clear that the assault on Senator dren who lack health insurance. If the Children’s Health Insurance Program President does proceed to veto the bill, Cleland’s patriotism in 2002 was wrong, bill. I believe such a veto would be a and that the lies broadcast about my I will vote to override his veto. Surely, terrible mistake. this bill has a track record that has own military record in 2004 were also One of the very first bills I cospon- wrong. The votes against the Boxer made a real difference to low-income sored when I first came to the Senate children in working families. We sim- amendment—an amendment which was legislation to create the State makes clear our disagreement with the ply cannot allow this program to ex- Children’s Health Insurance Program, pire. The extension and expansion we ad which ran September 10—speak vol- or SCHIP as it has become known. It umes about the partisan motivations are proposing will enable us to more provides health care coverage for chil- fully cover these children. behind the Cornyn amendment, and the dren in families where the parents do fact that, apparently, many of our col- not have sufficient income to purchase f leagues believe that attacking the in- health insurance and are not getting TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT tegrity of veterans and members of the health insurance in the workplace, and COLONEL GEORGE SHERMAN military is fair game as long as they yet they make a bit too much money are Democrats. I would remind them Mr. REID. Mr. President, on Wednes- to qualify for coverage under the day, September 5, 2007, the State of Ne- that when you sign up for military State’s Medicaid program. So these duty, no one asks whether you are a vada and our Nation lost a true hero: low-income children in working fami- Retired U.S. Army Air Corp LTC Democrat or Republican, liberal, or lies have been falling through the conservative. George Sherman., who served our Na- cracks. That is why this law has been tion during World War II as a member Over the last years, I have defended so important. of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. veterans who have been under assault I remember it well that Senator Like so many African-American sol- from any quarters, left or right. I HATCH, Senator KENNEDY, and Senator diers during that time, Colonel Sher- spoke out in 2000 when JOHN MCCAIN’s ROCKEFELLER all came up to me to en- man answered the call to fight for free- integrity and military record was ques- list my support. I was very eager to dom and justice abroad, even when it tioned by the Bush campaign in South sign on as one of the original cospon- was categorically denied at home. Carolina. I spoke out when Max sors of this law because I knew it could These men traveled and fought thou- Cleland’s patriotism was savaged by make such a positive difference. In- sands of miles from their families— people who had never worn the uni- deed, it has. when every day, their mothers, fathers, form. I defended Jack Murtha when vi- Since 1997, the SCHIP program has sisters and brothers faced injustice at cious partisans on the right called that contributed to a one-third decline in home. decorated marine a ‘‘coward.’’ I spoke the rate of uninsured low-income chil- While our Nation can never fully out when the Bush administration dren. Today, an estimated 6.6 million repay the debt to our veterans, in questioned the patriotism of career children, including more than 14,500 March of this year Congress officially military men and Generals throughout children living in Maine, receive health thanked Colonel Sherman and his fel- the war in Iraq, whether it was General care coverage through this program. low Tuskegee Airmen for their service Shinseki, or many in uniform who Still, there is more we could do. to our Nation. Colonel Sherman joined spoke out against Secretary Rumsfeld. While Maine ranks among the top nearly 300 other Tuskegee Airmen in I don’t reserve my defense of patriot- four States in reducing the number of the Capitol Rotunda as thousands ism for Democrats, I defend all who uninsured children, we still have more watched President Bush and leaders have worn the uniform, whether they than 20,000 children in our State who from the House and Senate award them agree with me or not. I wish I could say lack coverage. Nationally, about 9 mil- the Congressional Gold Medal. the same for those who brought for- lion children remain uninsured. That is Colonel Sherman and the Tuskagee ward the Cornyn amendment and voted why I was so pleased to hear the con- Airmen were in prestigious company in against the Boxer amendment. ferees appeared to be very near to an receiving the highest honor our Nation This was not a proud day in the Sen- agreement that is modeled on the legis- can bestow upon private citizens. Other ate, or a high mark in our politics; lation that passed the Senate in Au- honorees include individuals such rather, it was hours lost and time wast- gust with strong bipartisan support, in President Harry Truman, Jackie Rob- ed when the Senate should have deliv- fact, by a vote of 68 to 31. inson, Reverend Billy Graham, Rosa ered what all the men and women of Our Senate bill increases funding for Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the armed forces truly deserve: a policy the SCHIP program by $35 million over I was pleased to have the opportunity equal to their sacrifice. the next 5 years, a level that is suffi- to watch Colonel Sherman and his fel- Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I op- cient to maintain coverage for all 6.6 low Tuskegee Airmen proudly take posed the amendments offered by Sen- million children currently enrolled, their place among all American heroes. ators CORNYN and BOXER because they and it would also allow the program to Yet in addition to their accomplish- were a diversion from the real issue be- expand to cover an additional 3.3 mil- ments as Tuskegee Airmen, Colonel fore us; namely, the future of our mili- lion low-income children. In Maine, Sherman and many others continued to tary involvement in Iraq. I disagreed this legislation would allow us to cover serve their country and local commu- with the language used in all of the ads an additional 11,000 low-income chil- nities. addressed in these amendments, but we dren who are currently eligible for the Colonel Sherman had a long record of should not let those ads sidetrack the SCHIP program but not enrolled. service to Nevada. After 22 years of real work of the Senate. I hope the I urge the administration to take a military service, he made his home in Senate will not get in the habit of con- second look at the Senate bill, the bill Las Vegas. Colonel Sherman was a tire- demning political speech, even speech that is the basis for the conference less supporter of the Boy Scouts of that is offensive. agreement. This legislation has made a America, where he earned the highest

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