Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 111 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 111 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2009 No. 79 Senate The Senate met at 9 a.m. and was The assistant legislative clerk read weekends. So we look forward to hav- called to order by the Honorable the following letter: ing a productive work period during KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, a Senator from U.S. SENATE, the next week in our home States and the State of New York. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, look forward to having a productive Washington, DC, May 21, 2009. day today and sending this bill on to PRAYER To the Senate: the House and have the conference Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today’s completed. There are very few things of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby that need to be worked out in con- opening prayer will be offered by the appoint the Honorable KIRSTEN E. Reverend Bill Shuler from Capital Life GILLIBRAND, a Senator from the State of New ference, but that should be done in a Church in Arlington, VA. York, to perform the duties of the Chair. few days, and we will complete this The guest Chaplain offered the fol- ROBERT C. BYRD, when we get back. We have checked lowing prayer: President pro tempore. with the Pentagon, and they are satis- Let us pray. Mrs. GILLIBRAND thereupon as- fied that if we finish this when we get Heavenly Father, as we bow our sumed the chair as Acting President back, there will be adequate time to heads and pray, we acknowledge that pro tempore. fund everything our troops need. we are one nation under God. Grant f f these Members of the Senate wisdom. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY Let their leadership be marked by LEADER faith, courage, health, and compassion. LEADER God, we pray that You will refresh The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- these Senators. Help them envision a pore. The majority leader is recog- pore. The Republican leader is recog- world that is not yet but ought to be. nized. nized. Make their goals clear, their hearts f f brave, and their actions resolute. SCHEDULE GUANTANAMO Grant them integrity and purpose in their generation. Let their daily duties Mr. REID. Madam President, fol- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, translate into better lives for those lowing leader remarks, the Senate will a little later this morning, the Presi- they serve. God, reward their hard resume consideration of H.R. 2346, the dent will discuss his decision to close work. Bless their families and bless emergency supplemental appropria- Guantanamo by an arbitrary deadline their staffs. tions bill, with the time until 10 a.m. that is now only 8 months away. It is We pray these things in the Name of equally divided and controlled between clear to both Republicans and Demo- the One who binds up the broken- the two leaders or their designees. At crats in Congress that the administra- hearted and proclaims liberty to the 10 a.m., the Senate will proceed to vote tion does not currently have a plan for captives. In Jesus’ Name, amen. on the motion to invoke cloture on closing Guantanamo and that closing H.R. 2346. The filing deadline for sec- it without a plan is simply unaccept- f ond-degree amendments is 9:30 a.m. able. So I hope the President uses his PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE today. remarks this morning to present a con- The Honorable KIRSTEN E. We are confident cloture will be in- crete plan that demonstrates how clos- GILLIBRAND led the Pledge of Alle- voked on this most important piece of ing Guantanamo will keep Americans giance, as follows: legislation. I think we have had a very as safe as Guantanamo has. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the good debate on a number of issues. We We know the FBI has serious con- United States of America, and to the Repub- will finish this bill before we leave this cerns about any plans to release or lic for which it stands, one nation under God, week. We hope we can do it today. transfer other detainees into the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. There is no reason we should not be United States. Just yesterday, FBI Di- f able to do it today, but if not, we will rector Mueller said detainees who are have to let the 30 hours run out some- sent to U.S. soil, even if they are only APPOINTMENT OF ACTING time tomorrow evening. sent to secure detention facilities, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE We have had a tremendously produc- might still be able to conduct terrorist The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tive work period. We have all worked activities, much like gang leaders who clerk will please read a communication extremely hard, and as I have said be- have been able to run their gangs from to the Senate from the President pro fore, it is nice to be able to be home prison. Director Mueller also stated tempore (Mr. BYRD). during the week rather than just on that detainees released or transferred ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5767 . VerDate Nov 24 2008 06:05 Jul 12, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD09\RECFILES\S21MY9.REC S21MY9 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE S5768 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 21, 2009 into the United States could endanger on foreign oil. America uses more than hurting the economy or disrupting our the American people by radicalizing a fifth of the world’s supply of oil, lives or hindering security. others or providing financial support much of it from countries that do not So as the summer driving season con- for terrorism. Director Mueller’s testi- like us. If we start by using less, we tinues, Americans will be reminded, mony appears to undermine the claim will need a lot less from other coun- once again, that our Nation’s energy that sending detainees to the United tries. So conservation and increased ef- crisis has not gone away. But the ap- States is a safe alternative to Guanta- ficiency are certainly necessary. It is proach I have outlined addresses that namo. something on which everyone can crisis head-on. Republicans will con- Yesterday, the Senate spoke with agree. We need to use less. tinue to speak out about the produce- near unanimity, by a vote of 90 to 6, But conservation is only half the more, use-less model. We hope our against sending terrorist detainees to equation. Even as we use less energy, friends on the other side recognize it is U.S. soil—a vote that mirrored a vote 2 we need to produce more of our own. the only sensible approach to a crisis years ago on the same question. The America sits on an ocean—a literal that must be addressed. Senate also expressed its view yester- ocean—of untapped oil and natural gas Madam President, I suggest the ab- day that Congress expects its relevant and vast stores of coal and oil shale. sence of a quorum. committees to be briefed on the threat Our geography also makes us rich in The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- posed by the terrorists at Guantanamo. renewable energy sources such as wind, pore. The clerk will call the roll. So it is clear that Senate Democrats do solar, and geothermal. Taken together, The assistant legislative clerk pro- not believe circumstances have these resources are the perfect com- ceeded to call the roll. changed over the last 2 years in such a plement as we move toward the day Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, I ask way that would warrant releasing or when cars and factories can run on unanimous consent that the order for transferring terrorists into America. cleaner, more efficient fuels. But we the quorum call be rescinded. If the President believes cir- have to be realistic about how far off The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- cumstances have changed, then he has that day is. We have to admit there is pore. Without objection, it is so or- an opportunity to explain those a gap between the clean renewable fuel dered. changes this morning. The American we want and the reliable energy we f people are asking the administration need. So as we invest in technologies to guarantee that any terrorist it re- that will bring us cleaner, more effi- SIGNING AUTHORITY leases or transfers will not return to cient energy, the only way we can ex- Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, I ask the battlefield. This is particularly ur- pect to truly reduce our dependence on unanimous consent that the majority gent in light of a New York Times re- foreign sources of oil is to produce leader be permitted to sign any duly port this morning that says one in more American energy and use less. enrolled bills and joint resolutions dur- seven detainees already released has This may sound like a simple proposal. ing today’s session. returned to terrorism. The President The best solutions usually are. Unfor- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- has an opportunity to reassure the tunately, the idea of finding more en- pore. Without objection, it is so or- American people that future releases ergy at home and using less is need- dered. will not lead to the same result.