September 5, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 17 23497 SENATE—Wednesday, September 5, 2007 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was SCHEDULE come back at 2:15. In the history of the called to order by the Honorable BEN- Mr. REID. Mr. President, this morn- Senate, this is an important day. JAMIN L. CARDIN, a Senator from the ing, the Senate will be in a period for Someone who has stood for bipartisan- State of Maryland. morning business until 11:30 a.m., with ship his entire career as a Member of Republicans controlling the first half the House of Representatives and as a PRAYER of the time, the majority controlling Senator is coming back. TIM JOHNSON The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the final portion. I ask that be a full 90 has been extremely ill. He was about as fered the following prayer: minutes because both Republicans and sick as a person can get. He is back. Let us pray. Democrats have indicated a desire to His brain is 100 percent. The right side Eternal spirit, the fountain of all speak. So whatever time Senator of his body is not back. His speaking, goodness, thank You that You have us MCCONNELL and I take we will not as he said last week when he an- in the place You want us to be right count against that time. nounced his coming back in South Da- now. Teach our lawmakers to take se- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- kota—he hoped all Senators would fol- riously their role in solving the prob- pore. Without objection, it is so or- low his example because his mind lems of our times, that they may fulfill dered. works faster than his mouth. The doc- Your plans for their lives. Continue to Mr. REID. Mr. President, at approxi- tor said his speech will return totally. mold and inspire our Senators, and mately 11:30 a.m., the Senate will re- Right now, it is not, but it is still very bless others through their labors. Use sume consideration of the Military good. So I hope Senators will come to Your sovereign wisdom to bring about Construction and Veterans appropria- the floor at 2:15 p.m. to hear his speech good results from their decisions and tions measure. This, of course, is an ex- upon his return. Senator MCCONNELL from consequences beyond their con- tremely critical proposal for current and I are going to submit a resolution trol. members of the Armed Forces and welcoming him back. So I encourage Lord, give our leaders the courage to those who have previously served, our Members to be here at that time. tell us what we need to hear, not what veterans. We will have some rollcall votes later we want to hear. Make them willing to We got word yesterday from the co- today, maybe even into this evening. take political risks, to do the unpopu- manager of this bill, Senator KAY BAI- Senator REED and Senator HUTCHISON lar thing when it leads to justice and LEY HUTCHISON, that the President said are the ones managing the Military truth. Draw us together as one people he would sign the bill in its present Construction and Veterans bill. who do Your will so that America may state, which is a good message. There- f be a light to nations. fore, I think we should proceed post- We pray in Your great Name. Amen. haste to complete this legislation as MEASURES PLACED ON THE f quickly as we can today. We have busi- CALENDAR—H.R. 2419 AND H.R. 3221 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ness, as I already indicated, we have to Mr. REID. I have a matter of busi- finish this week. We will do our best to The Honorable BENJAMIN L. CARDIN ness, Mr. President. led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: complete this legislation. I hope we There are two bills at the desk due don’t have to file cloture on it. I hope I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the for a second reading. United States of America, and to the Repub- we can complete the bill. There was no The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, indication yesterday there would be a pore. The clerk will report the bills by indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. lot of amendments. I don’t know if title for a second time. f there will be any. The assistant legislative clerk read When we finish the bill, then we go to as follows: APPOINTMENT OF ACTING the Foreign Operations appropriations PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE bill. That bill is $700 million less than A bill (H.R. 2419) to provide for the con- tinuation of agricultural programs through The PRESIDING OFFICER. The what the President requested. There fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes. clerk will please read a communication certainly should be something we can A bill (H.R. 3221) moving the United States to the Senate from the President pro work out in that regard. toward greater energy independence and se- tempore (Mr. BYRD). Then we have to complete education curity, developing innovative new tech- The assistant legislative clerk read reconciliation. There is a statutory 10 nologies, reducing carbon emissions, cre- the following letter: hours on that legislation. ating green jobs, protecting consumers, in- creasing clean renewable energy production, U.S. SENATE, We can complete all that business and modernizing our energy infrastructure, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, very quickly this week or, if necessary, Washington, DC, September 5, 2007. we will work on Friday and Saturday, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for the produc- To the Senate: hopefully not on Sunday. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, tion of renewable energy and energy con- Monday morning, there will be votes. servation. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby As I have indicated to the Republican appoint the Honorable BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Mr. REID. Mr. President, I object to leader, we will have no votes after a Senator from the State of Maryland, to any further proceedings with respect to about 5:30 or 6 p.m. on Monday. On perform the duties of the Chair. these two bills en bloc. Tuesday, we will have a full day. We ROBERT C. BYRD, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- President pro tempore. might have to work into the night be- pore. Objection having been heard, the cause we hope to be on Transportation Mr. CARDIN thereupon assumed the bills will be placed on the calendar. chair as Acting President pro tempore. appropriations. We will have our last f vote about 12:30 or 1 p.m. on Wednesday f in relation to the Jewish holiday. We RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY may work past that time, but there RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER will be no votes after midday. LEADER The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- I hope Members will cooperate. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- pore. The majority leader is recog- Today, we have our weekly recess for pore. The Republican leader is recog- nized. party conferences. We are going to nized. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 08:28 Jul 09, 2010 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR07\S05SE7.000 S05SE7 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD 23498 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 17 September 5, 2007 RETURN OF SENATOR TIM tragic event, but his grit, his deter- the speech the President of the United JOHNSON mination, and I think the prayers of States made the day before we all Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, let the entire Senate have paid off. I am voted to authorize the engagement in me briefly second the observations of delighted he is returning to this body, Iraq and enforcement of U.N. Resolu- the majority leader about the return of with us, at 2:15 p.m. today. tion 1441. The President established three pre- our friend, TIM JOHNSON, from South f cise goals for our involvement in Iraq. Dakota. We look forward to welcoming IRAQ him back after the policy luncheons No. 1 was to depose Saddam Hussein Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I spent today. It is a remarkable example of and find, if they existed, the weapons the month of August on our break trav- grit and determination to fight his way of mass destruction that every nation eling the State of Georgia and did it for back. All of us on this side of the aisle in the world thought Saddam Hussein a specific reason. I knew that Sep- are certainly happy he is back and look had and U.N. Resolution 1441 delin- tember 15 would be the report period forward to welcoming him back to the eated; second, to allow the Iraqi people for Ambassador Crocker and for Gen- Senate family officially, after the pol- to hold free elections and establish a eral Petraeus. I knew it was very im- icy lunches. government of their choosing; and the portant for me as a Senator to go to The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- third goal was to adequately train the the people of Georgia and find out what pore. The majority leader. Iraqi military so it could successfully was on their minds. Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I may say defend and protect that fledgling new As I introduced myself in every also—I said this personally to the dis- Government.