Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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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, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2003 No. 154 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was appropriations measure. Under the cuit. That vote will occur on Thursday. called to order by the President pro order from last night, Senator DORGAN Again, we will be working in good faith tempore [Mr. STEVENS]. will be recognized to offer an amend- to finish these measures. I thank ev- ment relating to 9/11 in which there eryone for their attention and coopera- PRAYER will be 40 minutes of debate. The proce- tion in these matters. We do want to The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- dural vote with respect to the Dorgan finish in a timely fashion and be able fered the following prayer: amendment is therefore expected at ap- to leave for the recess period. There is Let us pray. proximately 10:45 this morning. a lot to accomplish. I think we are on Eternal and living God, our Master Following that vote, we will begin track to do just that. and Friend, in the noisy confusion of consideration of the Healthy Forests Mrs. BOXER. Will the leader yield for life, help us to keep our minds on You. bill. Senator COCHRAN had hoped, and a quick question about the schedule? Lord, we place ourselves in Your hands we tried on several occasions, to reach I thank you for your comments about as we begin this day. Your plans are an understanding that the bill will be the tragedy in California. I was won- better than what we can devise, so lead open for relevant amendments. We dering whether it would be possible, us with Your providence. were unable to reach a formal agree- when we take up the Healthy Forests We thank You for this great land and ment for that, but I do hope we will de- bill, to complete work on that without for our many freedoms. Empower our bate amendments that are related to interruption simply because it would Senators to be faithful in their duties, Healthy Forests and the Healthy For- send a signal of hope in terms of how working with a spirit of unity. May ests initiative. We all recognize the we are going to deal with the commu- they remember that all things work to- tragedy and the suffering and misery nities close to forests. It is a very im- gether for good for those who love You. that surrounds the wildfires currently portant piece of legislation. Give each of us, Lord, grace to feel raging in California. I do think it Would that be possible? Could I get the sorrows and trials of others and to would be unfortunate and irresponsible the Senator’s commitment on that? bear patiently with human frailties. in many ways for this to be delayed or Mr. FRIST. We will certainly con- Give us also confidence in the eternal not to stay on the issues related to the sider that and work very hard. victory of truth and goodness. underlying bill. We will have votes As my colleagues know, we are ad- Lord, protect our military. throughout today as we make progress justing the schedule and interrupting We pray this in Your glorious name. on that bill. There is a clear urgency to the appropriations bills quite appro- Amen. finish that bill this week. priately to address this issue, which re- We will be looking also to execute flects the joint priority in responding f the order with respect to the climate in large part to the immediacy of that PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE change bill. That agreement from July response to the fires that are under- The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the 31 allowed for 6 hours of debate. I will way. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: be working with principals on both As I mentioned, the main obligation I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the sides of this bill in an effort to begin on both sides of the aisle is to address United States of America, and to the Repub- that debate during today’s session. the issue of the climate change bill and lic for which it stands, one nation under God, There are a number of other issues the agreement from July 31. My inten- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. that we are currently working on, in- tion is to stay on Healthy Forests and f cluding the Internet tax, which has an work aggressively. But we have to ask expiration date surrounding the issue for cooperation on both sides of the RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY this Friday night. We continue to talk aisle. LEADER to the interested parties to bring that I would like to finish Healthy Forests The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The to some conclusion before Friday. We as soon as possible, absolutely finish it majority leader is recognized. have the issue of gun liability. We are this week. It will take focus to stay on f discussing on both sides of the aisle as that bill and on relevant amendments to when we might address that—not as we have been requesting. SCHEDULE this week but possibly the following Mrs. BOXER. If I could make—— Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today week. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Will there will be a period of morning busi- On nominations, a cloture motion the Senator address the Chair, please. ness until 10 a.m. Following morning had been filed on the nomination of Mrs. BOXER. Through the Chair, I business, the Senate will resume con- Charles Pickering to be a United would like to address another question sideration of the Foreign Operations States circuit judge for the Fifth Cir- to the leader. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S13423 . VerDate jul 14 2003 00:00 Oct 30, 2003 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29OC6.000 S29PT1 S13424 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 29, 2003 Thank you very much, Mr. President. As I think our colleagues can see, we uncalled for and that would whitewash I just wanted to say that as far as I are working together in trying to move the administration, and purporting to am concerned we will work with you to the schedule forward. I, too, am com- outline material in that report. ask Senators on our side if we could mitted to the appropriations process. That caught me by surprise, No. 1, have time agreements on amendments On foreign operations, I think we ought because I am on the Intelligence Com- on Healthy Forests. We need to give a to work over the next hour and see if mittee. As reported by Chairman ROB- message of hope to people that their we can resolve the differences on the ERTS, we have not completed a report. communities will have more help than outstanding amendments. Indeed, my We have not started a report. We have they had in the past. objective is to complete that bill as worked very diligently with our staff I thank you very much for your ex- soon as possible. to interview a hundred witnesses from pressions here in the hope we can work I will say, if we get to where we are the intelligence agencies. They have together and get through that bill and really locked up, because Healthy For- reviewed tens and perhaps thousands of move on to the global warming bill ests is important, the other issues are documents, and they are continuing to which, of course, is very important in important, we are going to have to do so. As Chairman ROBERTS said, its own right. have some flexibility. But again, I there will be information sought from f think we ought to start working right the Director of the CIA, Director now to resolve the outstanding amend- George Tenet. So whatever was leaked RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY ments on foreign operations and try to was not based on fact. LEADER finish it by midday today. The second thing that bothered me is The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Does that what was supposedly a work in the minority leader is recognized. the leader desire that we have 30 min- classified confines of the Intelligence Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will utes of morning business now? Committee had been somehow shared comment briefly on the schedule. I Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, let’s con- with the press. Now, that is a problem. think that the majority leader has set tinue with the 30 minutes of morning The President has come down very exactly the right tone. We have to rec- business. strongly in saying that he absolutely ognize the days for this session are abhors leakage of classified, sensitive f numbered. We have a lot of work to do. material, as he should. We all should. I agree with his prioritization in terms RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME He said he will not tolerate it in the of his urgency in bringing up the forest The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under administration, in the White House, or health bill, given our circumstances the previous order, the leadership time even in Congress. But it appears to me now in California, particularly. is reserved. that somehow in the Intelligence Com- Senator REID and I have had con- mittee it is leaking like a sieve, and versations with Members of our caucus f people are saying things that are not and have expressed our strong desire to MORNING BUSINESS true.