SENATE—Tuesday, September 19, 2006
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September 19, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 13 18429 SENATE—Tuesday, September 19, 2006 The Senate met at 9:45 a.m. and was vote on passage at 12 noon today, and joyed a close and cooperative partner- called to order by the Honorable JIM that will be the first vote of the day. ship that continues to expand. DEMINT, a Senator from the State of The Senate will then recess from 12:30 The free-trade agreement before us South Carolina. to 2:15 to allow the weekly policy meet- builds on the progress already made. It ings to occur. strengthens our relationship with a PRAYER When the Senate resumes business at key friend and ally in the region, and it The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- 2:15, we will proceed to executive ses- is a model for free trade in the entire fered the following prayer: sion for the consideration of the Alice Persian Gulf region. Let us pray. Fisher nomination. We have an order It is not our first bilateral agreement Eternal Spirit, a nation turns its for 51⁄2 hours of debate on the Fisher in the region. We struck similar deals heart and mind to You. Give hope to nomination prior to the vote on con- with Jordan in 2000, with Morocco in those who are underpaid and over- firmation. We expect some of that time 2004, and with Bahrain in 2005. Like worked. Sustain the lonely and empty, to be yielded back, and we will vote on these earlier deals, the Oman agree- particularly those who have lost loved that nomination this evening before ment will open and expand opportuni- ones in the defense of freedom. Fill the adjourning. ties for exports of many American vacuum created by such sadness with Last night, I filed a cloture motion products. America’s workers, manufac- Your presence, lest loneliness shackle on the motion to proceed to H.R. 6061, turers, consumers, farmers, ranchers, their faith. the Secure Fence Act of 2006. That clo- and service providers will all benefit. Today, bless our Senators. You know ture vote will occur on Wednesday As soon as the agreement takes ef- their needs. Supply them from Your ce- morning, and we hope we can invoke fect, Oman and the United States will lestial bounty. Show them duties left cloture and dispose of this bill quickly. provide each other immediate duty- undone. Strengthen them to resist f free access on virtually all products in our tariff schedules. This includes all temptation in all of its enticements OMAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT and to walk the narrow way of dis- consumer and industrial products. We cipline that leads to life. Enrich them Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I wish to will phase out tariffs on the remaining with Your powerful presence and keep take a few moments to comment on products within 10 years. Former Trade them faithful. the bill we will be voting on later this Representative Rob Portman called it We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. morning, the Oman Free Trade Agree- ‘‘a high-quality, comprehensive free ment. trade agreement that will contribute f On June 29, the Senate passed the to economic growth and trade.’’ APPOINTMENT OF ACTING Oman Free Trade Agreement by a vote Unfortunately, some have sought to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE of 60 to 34. Today, we will bring the undermine the agreement. They have Oman Free Trade Agreement to the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The propagated myths that don’t stand up floor again for final passage of the clerk will please read a communication to scrutiny. For example, despite House bill. to the Senate from the President pro claims to the contrary, Oman does not We have a long history with Oman. implement any aspect of the Arab boy- tempore (Mr. STEVENS.) Our relationship has extended for near- The legislative clerk read the fol- cott of Israel. Oman publicly affirms ly 200 years. It dates back to 1833, when lowing letter: and has reaffirmed its position in a let- a treaty of friendship and navigation ter from its Commerce Minister in Sep- U.S. SENATE, was signed with Muscat. Oman was the tember 2005. Moreover, Oman neither PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, D.C., September 19, 2006. first Arab country to send an ambas- tolerates nor allows the use of slave To the Senate: sador to the United States. labor. Oman has made substantial com- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, Over the years, Oman has offered us mitments to the United States on labor of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby valuable support. When we needed a reform, and it has promised to enact appoint the Honorable JIM DEMINT, a Sen- local airbase for an attempt to rescue key reforms by October 31, 2006. ator from the State of South Carolina, to U.S. Embassy hostages in Iran during Rejecting the trade agreement would perform the duties of the Chair. the Carter administration, Oman vol- send a strong negative signal to our TED STEVENS, unteered. When we needed a safe friends in the Middle East. Oman is a President pro tempore. ground for our troops during Operation forward-looking Arab country on a Mr. DEMINT thereupon assumed the Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and range of social and economic issues. We Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Operation Iraqi Freedom, Oman volun- must demonstrate our support to f teered. Oman, just as Oman has supported us. Today, Oman cooperates closely with As the 9/11 Commission advised, ex- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY us and other allies on counterterrorism panding trade with the Middle East LEADER and has publicly supported the demo- will ‘‘encourage development, more The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- cratic transition in Iraq. Although not open societies, and opportunities for pore. The majority leader is recog- a formal member of the coalition, people to improve the lives of their nized. Oman has been a committed, dependent families.’’ Passing the agreement be- f ally in the Global War on Terror. fore us will promote economic reform In Oman, we have found a solid part- and development in the Persian Gulf, SCHEDULE ner on terrorist finance issues. Oman and it will advance our goal of a freer Mr. FRIST. Today, following the partners with its neighbors on trans- and more open Middle East. Quite sim- opening remarks of the two leaders, we border terror threats, and Oman’s Gov- ply, it will move our allies forward, and will have a 30-minute period of morn- ernment and religious leaders consist- it will move America forward. ing business. Following that time, we ently and courageously denounce acts I urge my colleagues to demonstrate will return to the United States-Oman of terror and religious intolerance. their commitment to these goals by Free Trade Agreement for closing re- It is clear that through nearly 200 voting to pass the Oman Free Trade marks. The agreement provides for a years of formal relations, we have en- Agreement later this morning. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:26 May 10, 2017 Jkt 049102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BR19SE06.REC BR19SE06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with BOUND RECORD 18430 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 13 September 19, 2006 I yield the floor. they could make more money on the was a time when a Democratic Senate f center, ripping off the taxpayers. It would challenge a Democratic Presi- turns out that the supplies they were dent, when a man named Harry Tru- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME given for our troops, Halliburton ended man would stand up and say: We are The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- up consuming for their own employees, going to look at profiteering and waste pore. Under the previous order, the having Super Bowl parties, using the in waging the war against the Nazis leadership time is reserved. food and drink that had been prepared and those who are their allies, even if for our troops. we have a Democratic President, even f One of the witnesses yesterday said if it might embarrass him. MORNING BUSINESS there was a certain arrogance of the Sadly, those days are gone. This Con- Halliburton contractors when it came gress stands mute. This Congress re- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- to our troops. They were annoyed when fuses to ask the hard questions of this pore. Under the previous order, there the soldiers asked for certain things. It administration. This Congress refuses will now be a period for the transaction was all about profit. It was all about to acknowledge the obvious. We have of morning business for up to 30 min- them. lost 2,686 American soldiers in Iraq, utes, with the first half of the time Why in the world hasn’t a single and over 20,000 have returned home se- under the control of the Democratic committee in the Senate called Halli- riously injured. We have spent over leader or his designee, and the second burton in to answer for these things? $325 billion. The scandalous conduct of half of the time under the control of Because Halliburton has friends in high contractors over there, deserving of in- the majority leader or his designee. places. People don’t ask these rude and vestigation, has been made a matter of The Senator from Illinois is recog- embarrassing questions of this power- public record because of Senator DOR- nized.