Senate MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2003
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2003 No. 157 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2003, at 12:30 p.m. Senate MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2003 The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was SCHEDULE Nominations remain a focus of the called to order by the President pro Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today the Senate’s attention. We will continue to tempore (Mr. STEVENS). Senate will begin consideration of the work toward the scheduling of those conference report to accompany the nominations on the executive calendar. PRAYER Iraq and Afghanistan supplemental Another continuing resolution will be The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- bill. The order that was entered into on necessary by the close of business this fered the following prayer: Thursday provided for the time until 5 week. Even with a short-term exten- Let us pray. p.m. today to be equally divided for de- sion of the continuing resolution, we Eternal God, we stand in awe of You. bate. That conference report will be will still push to complete the remain- Your love is constant and Your mercies agreed to at 5. However, no rollcall ing items at the earliest time this are new every morning. Thank You for vote will be necessary. year. listening when we call and for destroy- Also under a previous consent agree- f ing the record of our faults and fail- ment, the Senate will then debate the ures. Lord, forgive us when we shackle Interior appropriations conference re- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME ourselves with pride. Save our Nation port. There will be up to an hour of de- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. from sin, which brings reproach, de- bate on that conference report prior to DOLE). Under the previous order, the cline, and destruction. Cover our trans- the vote. Senators should, therefore, leadership time is reserved. gressions with Your righteousness expect a rollcall vote to occur some- which brings exaltation and salvation. time between 5:30 and 6 today. f Let not evil overcome us, but may we We were also able to reach an agree- EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL AP- overcome evil with good. ment for consideration of the fair cred- PROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DE- Bless our Senators today with a con- it reporting bill. The chairman and FENSE AND FOR THE RECON- stant awareness of Your presence. Let ranking member of the Banking Com- STRUCTION OF IRAQ AND AF- kindness guide their speech and integ- mittee have been working through the GHANISTAN, 2004—CONFERENCE rity shape their decisions. Keep their amendment list in an effort to facili- REPORT feet on the right path and be a shield tate its passage. I would anticipate be- ginning that bill either this evening or The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under for all who fight for freedom. In Your the previous order, the Senate will pro- wonderful name we pray. Amen. first thing tomorrow morning so we can finish the fair credit legislation ceed to the consideration of the con- f early this week. ference report to accompany H.R. 3289, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Last week I also mentioned the expi- which the clerk will report. The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the ration of the Internet tax moratorium. The assistant legislative clerk read Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: I had hoped to address an extension of as follows: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the that moratorium prior to that dead- The committee of conference on the dis- United States of America, and to the Repub- line. However, several Senators ex- agreeing votes of the two Houses on the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, pressed their reservation about an amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. agreement for that bill. At the close of 3289) making emergency supplemental appro- last week, we were able to reach a con- priations for defense and for the reconstruc- f tion of Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal sent agreement to proceed to the bill, year ending September 30, 2004, and for other RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY most likely on Thursday of this week. LEADER purposes, having met, have agreed that the We will also continue with the appro- House recede from its disagreement to the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The priations process as the conference re- amendment of the Senate and agree to the majority leader is recognized. ports become available. same with an amendment, and the Senate ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S13751 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:06 Jan 14, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\2003SENATE\S03NO3.REC S03NO3 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S13752 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 3, 2003 agree to the same, signed by all conferees on In addition, this conference report and together they will keep track of the part of both Houses. provides benefits to our reservists who the funding allocated for Iraq’s recon- (The conference report is printed in are ordered to active duty by author- struction. The IG will issue quarterly the House proceedings of the RECORD of izing coverage of their medical and reports on the CPA’s activities. This October 30, 2003.) dental screening. The conferees also position ensures that we will always Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I expanded pre-mobilization and post- have a clear record of who is respon- suggest the absence of a quorum. mobilization eligibility for Tricare and sible for the funds appropriated to CPA The PRESIDING OFFICER. The made Tricare available to reservists and how they are spent. This position clerk will call the roll. who are unemployed or who are not of- gives us a new tracking and record- The assistant legislative clerk pro- fered health care benefits by their ci- keeping system, a comprehensive re- ceeded to call the roll. vilian employer. view process, and transparency in the Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I Our forces are stationed in some of allocation of funds. Most importantly, ask unanimous consent that the order the most dangerous parts of the world. it ensures that funds will be used effi- for the quorum call be rescinded. They face formidable enemies and seri- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ciently to build a new and free Iraq. We ous threats. They face these obstacles objection, it is so ordered. have an obligation to our total force because they have made a commitment Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I and an obligation to the Iraqi and Af- am pleased to bring to the Senate this to our freedom; they have decided that, ghanistan people to finish what we conference report to provide supple- if necessary, they will give what Lin- started. mental funding for military and recon- coln called ‘‘the last full measure of de- This legislation meets those obliga- struction efforts in Iraq and Afghani- votion’’ to defend freedom. This Con- tions, and I urge the Senate to prompt- stan. gress must meet their level of commit- ly approve it. The Congress, specifically the Sen- ment by funding their mission. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who ate, asked the President not to request In addition to meeting our obliga- yields time? any funds for our efforts in Iraq and Af- tions, we also support additional funds The Senator from Illinois is recog- ghanistan in the fiscal year 2004 appro- to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s a nized. priations bill. The President honored simple and straight-forward premise— Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I our request, and that bill has already security brings stability and stability come to the Senate floor this morning been signed into law. The funding for fosters democracy. An Iraq and Af- with a real sadness in my heart. Yes- our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan is ghanistan well on the way to economic terday, we learned of the loss of a Chi- in the conference report now before us. well-being and self-governance offers nook helicopter in Iraq. During the Our men and women in uniform face the fastest way to get our military course of the day, I was contacted in life-threatening obstacles every day men and women home. To that end, Chicago, and then again in Springfield, and are counting on us to provide them this conference report provides $21.2 with rumors that it involved the Illi- with the resources they need to get the billion to carry out the activities of nois National Guard. The rumor was job done. This supplemental will pro- our Government in connection with the confirmed this morning. The pilot of vide the equipment, fuel, ammunition reconstruction and rehabilitation of the helicopter that was shot down in and pay our forces need and deserve as Iraq and Afghanistan. The majority of Iraq was a member of the Illinois Air they continue their tasks in Iraq, Af- these funds, $18.4 billion, is for Iraq for Guard and we believe he was assigned ghanistan, and in the other locations security, rehabilitation and recon- out of the Peoria Guard unit. He is one where they continue to stand in harm’s struction, including $100 million for de- of many who have been lost in this con- way fighting the global war on ter- mocracy building activities in Iraq to flict from the beginning.