E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 109 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 151 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2005 No. 62 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was MORNING BUSINESS come to the Senate to discuss my re- called to order by the President pro The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under cess trip last week to the Middle East. tempore (Mr. STEVENS). the previous order, there will be a pe- As I mentioned yesterday, it was a fas- riod for the transaction of morning cinating experience that allowed me a PRAYER business for up to 60 minutes, with the firsthand glimpse of the complicated The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- first half of the time under the control challenges facing the region. At each of fered the following prayer: of the majority leader or his designee my stops I had the opportunity to meet Let us pray. and the last half under the control of with top officials, community leaders, Almighty God, our refuge and the Democratic leader or his designee. and I made a point of visiting with op- strength, a very present help in the f position candidates. With each con- time of trouble, we thank You that versation I became more convinced RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY You have set the star of hope in our that despite the deep differences that LEADER life’s sky, that in the darkness we can divide them, each party wants peace, see Your brightness, that in times of The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The wants prosperity, and each side knows shadow we can enjoy Your leading and majority leader is recognized. that dialog is the way forward. guiding. f Tuesday I spoke of my meetings in Lord, yesterday we were again re- SCHEDULE Israel. Yesterday I reported on my visit minded that life is fragile. As alarms to the West Bank. Today I will briefly Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morn- sounded and brave people prepared for comment on my time in Cairo, Egypt. ing we will have a 1-hour period for the We arrived on May 5 to a jampacked the worst, we could sense the uncer- transaction of morning business. Fol- tainty of our existence. Remind us city of over 20 million people. We first lowing that time, we will begin an hour met with President Hosni Mubarak, a daily that human flesh is as fleeting as of debate prior to the vote on invoking fading flowers and withering grass. lively and engaged and obviously well- cloture on the substitute amendment informed man. We had an open and Teach us to number our days, to labor to the highway bill. Senators can ex- not simply for time but for eternity. frank discussion about many of the pect the cloture vote to begin some- issues facing the country, as well as Protect our Senators in their going time between 11:30 and 11:45 this morn- out and coming in, in their rising up the region at large. ing. I expect cloture will be invoked In particular, President Mubarak ex- and lying down. Give them the wisdom and we will then be on a glidepath to to believe that nothing can separate pressed his strong belief in American finishing the bill. Once cloture is in- leadership in the issues surrounding them from Your love. In a special way, voked, if invoked, I will be consulting the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. bless our Capitol Police who daily with Chairman INHOFE and the Demo- We both agreed America is uniquely labor with courage, competence, and cratic leader to determine how much positioned to help both the Israelis and commitment. work is left before we are able to com- the Palestinians bridge their dif- We pray this in Your powerful Name. plete the bill. Amen. I anticipate votes on amendments ferences. We also agreed Egypt is crit- throughout the day today and into the ical to advancing this peace. As the re- f evening, if necessary, to bring the bill gional Arab power broker and the first to a close. Although a large number of Arab country to make peace with PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE amendments were filed to the highway Israel, this will be particularly true in The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the bill yesterday, I believe Members will the period following Israel’s disengage- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: show restraint and not offer many of ment from Gaza. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the those that were submitted to the desk. There is great concern among Israelis United States of America, and to the Repub- We are closing in on our second week that once they withdraw, Gaza will be lic for which it stands, one nation under God, of consideration of the highway bill used as a platform to launch attacks indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. and I look forward to completing the into Israel. President Mubarak stressed bill and getting this measure to con- to me his commitment to keep this f ference as quickly as possible. from happening. He stressed it is in Egypt’s own interest to prevent Gaza f RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME from descending into chaos and law- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under VISIT TO CAIRO, EGYPT lessness. That is why his country is the previous order, the leadership time Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the past 2 prepared to field a border security is reserved. days I have taken the opportunity to force of 750 guards to stop weapons ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5007 . VerDate Aug 04 2004 04:37 May 13, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12MY6.000 S12PT1 S5008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 12, 2005 smuggling into Gaza and to prevent tors and nurses and other health pro- Throughout my campaign, and each other criminal acts. fessionals. I was also taken to the pedi- time I have been home this year, folks We also discussed the upcoming atric intensive care unit where dedi- in South Carolina have told me how fu- Egyptian Presidential elections. Presi- cated health professionals worked to rious they are that the President’s dent Mubarak has asked his legislature keep premature babies and at-risk nominees are being denied a vote. for a change in the Constitution to newborns healthy. Their determination Democrats have chosen to throw 200 allow multiple candidates to run for was inspiring, especially surrounded as years of tradition out the window by the Presidency. This is an important they were by less-than-ideal conditions refusing to give judicial nominees a step toward full democracy. I applaud in downtown Cairo. vote, and Americans are simply tired of his efforts. I am disappointed, however, All in all, I came away from my stop the partisan obstruction. by reports that the Constitutional in Egypt convinced that this historic Before I was elected, I said the Sen- amendment just approved by Egypt’s country has the potential to set a posi- ate had become a ‘‘graveyard of good upper house requires Presidential can- tive example for the rest of the Middle ideas’’ due to partisan liberal obstruc- didates to meet certain conditions to East, and it is doing so. Egypt has been tion. Unfortunately, it has now become win a place on the ballot. It is widely a trusted partner in the Middle East a ‘‘graveyard of good nominees,’’ such believed these regulations will prevent peace process and an important ally in as Janice Rogers Brown. any serious contenders from running the war on terrorism. California Supreme Court Justice for President. In short, unless this The United States must continue to Brown was nominated to the DC Cir- amendment is modified, its final ap- promote democracy and freedom cuit by President Bush in 2003. The proval will practically guarantee the around the world. first African American to serve on the ruling party will select its own token As Egypt embraces these reforms, I California high court, Justice Brown competitors and continue its domina- am confident our two countries can received public support from 76 percent tion of the Presidency. form a stronger and more dependable of California voters and is widely re- Meaningful reform means free and relationship. I am confident that to- spected as a leading intellect on the fair elections. Opposition candidates gether we can achieve peace, security, bench. She has been unanimously voted must be able to declare their candidacy and prosperity for the people of the as ‘‘well qualified’’ by the American freely. They must be allowed to broad- Middle East. Bar Association, which has been de- cast their message through the media. Mr. President, I yield the floor. scribed by those who oppose her nomi- And they must be permitted to acquire The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The nation as the ‘‘gold standard’’ of judi- the resources necessary to run a gen- Senator from South Carolina. cial ratings. uine campaign. f The daughter of sharecroppers, Jus- Jailing opposition candidates, such tice Brown was born in Greenville, AL, JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS as Ayman Nour, whom I had the oppor- in 1949. During her childhood, she at- tunity to meet with in his apartment, Mr. DEMINT. Mr. President, in Janu- tended segregated schools and came of and who recently declared from prison ary of this year, I stood in this very age in the midst of Jim Crow policies his intention to seek the Presidency, Chamber, placed one hand on the Bible, in the South.