Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 110 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 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2007 No. 121 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was U.S. SENATE, We don’t have a lot to do this week, called to order by the Honorable ROB- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, but it could take a lot of time. We have ERT P. CASEY, Jr., a Senator from the Washington, DC, July 26, 2007. 2 days. It is Thursday. We need to fin- State of Pennsylvania. To the Senate: ish Homeland Security appropriations. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby I had a conversation last night with PRAYER appoint the Honorable ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Senator CORNYN. We were waiting to The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- a Senator from the State of Pennsylvania, to get his language yesterday when we fered the following prayer: perform the duties of the Chair. were trying to work something out for Let us pray. ROBERT C. BYRD, funding for the border. He had it writ- Lord God, You alone are the creator President pro tempore. ten out in longhand. Anyway, we don’t and sustainer of the universe, so we Mr. CASEY thereupon assumed the have it yet, but I am sure we will get pause to thank You for the gift of this chair as Acting President pro tempore. that soon. Maybe we can complete that day. May we show our gratitude by f with a unanimous consent. Senator wisely using the gift of time in doing VOINOVICH indicated he wished to speak RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY on it for a while but not long. So we our best to serve You and to help one LEADER another. want to accommodate him. Empower our Senators in their la- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- So we want to finish the bill we are bors. Let the light of Your countenance pore. The majority leader is recog- on, either today or tomorrow. The calm every troubled thought and guide nized. other thing we need to do is complete their feet in the way of peace. Grant f the conference report. I hope we don’t have to file cloture on the Homeland them the ability to grow in wisdom and SCHEDULE understanding so that they may know Security appropriations bill, which I the best road to take in solving the Mr. REID. Mr. President, this morn- have said many times I don’t want to problems of our world. Assure them of ing the Senate will be in a period of do. It is an open process, where people Your continued concern and love as morning business for an hour. Once can file amendments, and they have You create tunnels of hope through that is closed, we will go back to the done that. We hope we don’t have to mountains of despair. Be their helper Homeland Security appropriations bill. file cloture also on the conference re- and defender. Use them, Lord, for Your There are no votes scheduled, although port. What I wish to do—and I indi- glory. Bring them safely through life’s there are seven amendments pending. cated this on a number of occasions—is complexities into the refuge of Your Perhaps we can dispose of some of to be able to start SCHIP on Monday. amazing grace. those before lunch. We will certainly It appears that is pretty well set, what We pray in Your gracious Name. have some votes during the day. would happen when we get to that bill. Amen. Another issue which I have men- It is a bipartisan bill that would be tioned on many occasions is the 9/11 brought to the floor. There are a num- f Commission recommendations con- ber of Senators who have worked on a PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ference report. That report was to be substitute—Senator KYL, among oth- The Honorable ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., filed late last night. It is not available. ers. That substitute would certainly be led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: It should be momentarily. We will the main topic of the debate. I am con- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the make sure Senators have the oppor- fident there will be some other amend- United States of America and to the Repub- tunity to look at that. It is a large doc- ments offered, but that is the main lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ument. issue as to whether the substitute indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Let’s talk about this week. I know would pass. f there is a trip scheduled this weekend. So children’s health, we need to do I contacted Senator BOXER last night that next week. I hope we can start it APPOINTMENT OF ACTING and indicated to her I wasn’t quite cer- on Monday. Then the only other thing PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE tain it would be able to take place. She we need to do is to complete ethics and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The was understanding and said I would lobbying reform. As I have indicated, I clerk will please read a communication have to do what I have to do, although wish to start another appropriations to the Senate from the President pro she was disappointed. Maybe the trip bill, but that would not take a vote tempore (Mr. BYRD). can still go. It is a bipartisan trip to during this session, though we would The legislative clerk read the fol- Greenland, led by Senators BOXER and move to it before we leave. We would lowing letter: ISAKSON. only do WRDA, the conference report ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S10051 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:55 Aug 16, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 J:\CRONLINE\2007BA~3\2007NE~2\S26JY7.REC S26JY7 mmaher on PRODPC24 with CONG-REC-ONLINE S10052 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 26, 2007 on WRDA. It is my understanding the tastic baseball player, and he certainly They had come from all over. They conference is basically completed, but is. I will go into his record in a minute. knew that something very special was we would only move to that if Senators But he is also a fantastic human being, going to happen because of a very spe- BOXER and INHOFE indicated they want- a devoted father, a faithful husband, a cial man. That evening had as much ed us to do that. I understand they do. man of the community, giving his time dignity as the player himself. It has wide-ranging bipartisan support. and energy to philanthropic work. Cal’s accomplishments transcend But that wasn’t in my original package When we call him the ‘‘Iron Man,’’ he well beyond the baseball field. His and that will not hold us up. The only absolutely is. character and demeanor are reflected thing that will hold us up is the bill we Throughout his 21-year career, he has in the successes he experiences every are on now, SCHIP, 9/11 Commission been the epitome of ‘‘Iron Man,’’ both day on the field and off the field. He recommendations and the ethics and on and off the field. I watched Cal shows up and gives his maximum effort lobbying reform. So I hope we can com- going from being unknown to being the in every aspect. He puts his family plete those things in a timely fashion, best known baseball player from Balti- above all. He is a community philan- and I hope we don’t have to work this more since Babe Ruth. I was there that thropist and is committed to living weekend. If we do because of cloture last day at Memorial Stadium, when something called the ‘‘Ripken way.’’ votes, then we will schedule those ac- we closed the stadium down, and I was The Ripken way was something taught cording to whatever the standard pro- there on opening day at Camden Yards, to him by his father, that very well- cedure is. and Cal was there, and I will watch him known baseball manager, Cal Ripken, f as he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Sr. Now, this Ripken way is something For we Oriole fans, it was never ‘‘if’’ special. It isn’t complex. Did the RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY Cal would go into the Hall of Fame, it Ripkens hire a consultant or handlers LEADER was simply when. to tell them about it? How did they do The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Now, all baseball fans know about it? It came from their hearts, their ex- pore. The minority leader is recog- something called ‘‘the streak.’’ We re- perience, and their commitment to val- nized. member the victory lap he took around ues. Camden Yards on that very special The Ripken way is a value-driven f night. As we were heading into that leadership way. Its wisdom is to build COMPLETING PENDING ITEMS record-breaking, show-up-at-every- great players and bind generations to- game Cal Ripken event, there was a Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I gether. Here is what it is: No. 1, keep it would say to my friend the majority countdown that was going on all over. simple. No. 2, explain the why of what leader, I think there is a good chance At Camden Yards every day, they had you are doing to the people who are af- of completing the work he outlined be- the number when Cal would come out fected.