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 SENATE—Monday, February 5, 2007 The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was appoint the Honorable MARK L. PRYOR, a place in America people are talking called to order by the Honorable MARK Senator from the State of Arkansas, to per- about Iraq—every place, that is, except L. PRYOR, a Senator from the State of form the duties of the Chair. in the Senate. I say that because in Arkansas. ROBERT C. BYRD, press conferences held, in statements President pro tempore. made by the Republican leader, they PRAYER Mr. PRYOR thereupon assumed the have stated there will be no ability to chair as Acting President pro tempore. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- proceed to the debate on this most im- fered the following prayer: f portant issue. Let us pray. According to my counterpart, the Re- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY publican leader, the Republican Sen- Great and everlasting God, who was LEADER and is and is to come, inspire all who ators are going to say no and, he says, work on Capitol Hill. Help us to see The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- without exception. What does this Your image in each other and to draw pore. The majority leader is recog- mean? That we are not going to be able strength from an awareness of Your nized. to move to proceed to this debate? sovereignty. Empower us to serve with f What is more important than what we are trying to do here today; that is, a spirit of humility and gratitude, re- SCHEDULE membering that to whom much is move forward on a debate on Iraq? As I given, much is expected. Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Senate said, they are doing it every other Strengthen our Senators. Give them will be in a period of morning business place in America. Why shouldn’t we be able to do it here in the Senate? We the wisdom to know Your will and the until 4 p.m. today. During morning learned on Friday—it was continued courage to obey Your precepts. May business, Senator BYRD is to be recog- over the weekend—that the minority is they comprehend Your vision for our nized for up to 60 minutes. At 4 p.m. we going to do everything in its power to Nation and world, becoming instru- will resume debate on the motion to block an Iraq vote. Are they so worried ments for Your glory. Lord, fill them proceed to S. 470, the sense-of-Congress that a bipartisan majority of Senators with Your power so that no weapon language relating to Iraq. Last Thurs- might voice their opposition to this es- formed against them will prosper. Help day I moved to proceed to that bill and calation; so worried that these Sen- them to view the shortcomings of oth- filed a cloture motion. That vote is ators are going to prevent any Iraq de- ers with patience and to be grateful for slated to occur today at 5:30. bate? ORDER OF PROCEDURE the exemplary virtues they witness Remember, this is a very delicate each day. I now ask unanimous consent that time in the history of our country. Not We pray in Your glorious Name. the time from 4 to 5:20 be equally di- only do we have the Iraq debate to Amen. vided and controlled between the two worry about, but we also, because of f leaders or their designees, and the final the mess, frankly, that was left by the 10 minutes prior to 5:30 p.m. be equally PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE prior majorities in the House and Sen- divided between the two leaders, with ate, have no ability to fund this Gov- The Honorable MARK L. PRYOR led the majority leader controlling the last ernment after February 15. We have to the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: 5 minutes. do that. This has to be completed by a I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- week from this Friday. United States of America, and to the Repub- pore. Without objection, it is so or- I received letters from Republican lic for which it stands, one nation under God, dered. Senators. They are going to filibuster indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. f the continuing resolution, which f means I have to move forward on this IRAQ RESOLUTION FILIBUSTER APPOINTMENT OF ACTING to keep the Government from shutting PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Mr. REID. Mr. President, all across down. Our inability to go forward on America this past weekend, and even The PRESIDING OFFICER. The the Iraq debate means we may not have this morning in schools, cafe´s, pool clerk will read a communication to the the Iraq debate. Remember, we have halls, I am sure, churches, synagogues, Senate from the President pro tempore lost, already, several days. We should military bases, and all offices, people (Mr. BYRD). be debating this right here today rath- are talking about this war in Iraq. The assistant legislative clerk read er than having to vote at 4:30 on wheth- They are talking about President the following letter: er we can proceed on it. Bush’s plan to escalate the war in What is the excuse—and I say ex- U.S. SENATE, Iraq—or ‘‘augment,’’ as the amendment cuse—that they are not going to let the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, DC, February 5, 2007. of the Senator from Virginia talks American people hear the Senate de- To the Senate: about. But if you look in the dic- bate the escalation of the war in Iraq? Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3 tionary, ‘‘augment’’ and ‘‘escalate’’ This claim—and I might say, it is a fee- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby have the same definition. So every ble claim—that they haven’t been ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a member of the Senate on the floor. 3025 VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:44 Mar 25, 2010 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR07\S05FE7.000 S05FE7 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD 3026 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 3 February 5, 2007 guaranteed a vote on amendments is who were killed were not all combat plished; we have won in Iraq. Politics not credible. It is simply not true. troops. They were truckdrivers, they gave us the Vice President who said They have rejected, through their lead- were working in commissaries, they the insurgency was in its last throes, er—they, the Republicans—three com- were doing all kinds of things to sup- and the President saying: There are in- promises that would have permitted port the combat troops. surgents? Bring them on. Politics gave the Senate to vote on the President’s So we are saying it is not 21,500, it is us a Vice President who promised plan. I have done this privately. I have 48,000, and it is going to cost, this little America we would be greeted as lib- done it publicly. surge, an additional $27 billion. If the erators. So we have had enough of this I offered to schedule an up-or-down President wants to escalate the con- politics for 4 years into this war—4 vote on McCain—that is a resolution flict and send, according to CBO, 48,000 years. supporting the President’s plan—and more troops, given these costs alone— What we need is a strategy that will on the Warner-Levin resolution in op- that is $27 billion in addition—it is im- succeed in Iraq, a strategy that is not position. That is votes up or down on portant the Senators have an oppor- an escalation. Last week, America’s in- these two amendments. This offer was tunity to vote up or down on esca- telligence communities provided their rejected. lation. latest estimates of conditions on the We then offered the Republican lead- But it is even more important be- ground in Iraq. The picture they paint- ership up-or-down votes on those two cause there is widespread opposition in ed was bleak and was backed by events resolutions I just talked about and Congress and the country to the Presi- this past week in Iraq. Every day, with they had another one. The Republican dent’s plan. Those we trust the most do rare exception, this is what we see out leader had another one. I read it. It is not believe escalation is the right way of Iraq: More than 200 people killed— the Gregg amendment. So we said let’s forward. America’s generals don’t sup- more than 200 people. Hundreds and go ahead and vote on that. I was turned port this. What does General Casey hundreds injured. It was a 2,000-pound down there also. say? When he was in Iraq he said, I bomb in a marketplace. The Iraqi Inte- I don’t know what more we can do. I don’t think this is going to work. Gen- rior Ministry, which has been very con- even went one step further and said we eral Abizaid said the same thing. Many servative, said last week that at least will hold supermajority votes, 60 votes, others have told us the same thing. 1,000 were killed in Iraq.