Congressional Record—Senate S11782
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S11782 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2007 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- should try to dispose of the Iraq issue (4) In 2004, a Senator from Massachusetts TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 as soon as possible so we could move on who is a Vietnam veteran and the recipient of a Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under to the rest of the bill and pass it so we can get to conference and get it signed. and three Purple Hearts, was personally at- the previous order, the Senate will re- tacked and accused of dishonoring his coun- sume consideration of H.R. 1585, which There are vital parts of this bill on try; the clerk will report. which the chairman and members of (5) This attack was aptly described by a The legislative clerk read as follows: the Armed Services Committee have Senator and Vietnam veteran as ‘‘dishonest worked literally months, and I hope we and dishonorable.’’ A bill (H.R. 1585) to authorize appropria- (6) On September 10, 2007, an advertisement tions for fiscal year 2008 for military activi- could get to that aspect of the legisla- tion as well. in the New York Times was an unwarranted ties of the Department of Defense, for mili- personal attack on General Petraeus, who is tary construction, and for defense activities Mr. LEVIN. If the Senator will yield honorably leading our Armed Forces in Iraq of the Department of Energy, to prescribe for a moment, on that point I agree to- and carrying out the mission assigned to him military personnel strengths for such fiscal tally with what he just said about the by the President of the United States; and year, and for other purposes. importance of this bill. We are circu- (7) Such personal attacks on those with Pending: lating a request to our Members on distinguished military service to our nation Nelson (NE) (for Levin) amendment No. this side that no amendments be in have become all too frequent. 2011, in the nature of a substitute. order to this bill—that no amendments (b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Warner (for Graham/Kyl) amendment No. Senate— be filed after a certain point this after- (1) to reaffirm its strong support for all of 2064 (to amendment No. 2011), to strike sec- noon, which I believe we have tried to the men and women of the United States tion 1023, relating to the granting of civil identify as 3 o’clock. I don’t know, I Armed Forces; and rights to terror suspects. (2) to strongly condemn all attacks on the Cornyn amendment No. 2934 (to amend- didn’t have a chance to talk with my honor, integrity, and patriotism of any indi- ment No. 2011), to express the sense of the friend from Arizona about that, but vidual who is serving or has served honor- Senate that General David H. Petraeus, hopefully on your side something simi- ably in the United States Armed Forces, by Commanding General, Multi-National Force- lar could be hot-lined so we could bring any person or organization. Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate this to an end. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- and strongly condemn personal attacks on We have literally 250 amendments al- ator from California is recognized. the honor and the integrity of General ready. We have disposed of a lot. We Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I thank Petraeus and all the members of the United disposed of 50. We can dispose of more States Armed forces. the clerk for reading those words. I today at some point, but we can’t have hope Members of the Senate heard Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask more amendments coming in than we them well because in this amendment, unanimous consent that after Senator are able to work out. what we are doing is saying that there BOXER offers an amendment related to I hope on both sides we can get a is essentially a terrible trend in Amer- the subject matter of the pending Cor- unanimous consent agreement that no ica today: to launch attacks on honor- nyn amendment, the Boxer and Cornyn amendments will be in order to this able people who serve in the military. amendments be debated concurrently bill in the first degree if they are filed By the way, it isn’t just folks who were for 20 minutes, with the time equally later than a fixed time this afternoon. mentioned or alluded to. I have an arti- divided and controlled between Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there cle I would like to have printed in the ators BOXER and CORNYN or their des- objection to the initial unanimous con- RECORD from the San Diego Union ignees; that no amendments be in order sent request, as modified, by the senior Tribune, April 16, 2004, and another to either amendment; that upon the Senator from Michigan? from the Seattle Times of May 13, 2007. use or yielding back of time the Senate Without objection, it is so ordered. proceed to vote in relation to the Boxer I ask unanimous consent to have two Who yields time? The Senator from articles printed in the RECORD. amendment; that upon disposition of California is recognized. that amendment there be 2 minutes of There being no objection, the mate- AMENDMENT NO. 2947 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2011 debate prior to a vote in relation to the rial was ordered to be printed in the Cornyn amendment; that each amend- (Purpose: To affirm strong support for all RECORD, as follows: the men and women of the United States ment be subject to a 60-vote threshold, [From the San Diego Union Tribune, Apr. 16, Armed Forces and to strongly condemn at- 2004] and if the amendment does not achieve tacks on the honor, integrity, and patriot- RETIRED GENERAL ASSAILS U.S. POLICY ON 60 votes, the amendment then be with- ism of any individual who is serving or has IRAQ drawn, with the above occurring with- served honorably in the United States (By Rick Rogers) out intervening action or debate. Armed Forces, by any person or organiza- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- tion) Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni won- Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I call up dered aloud yesterday how Defense Secretary jority leader is recognized. Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard Mr. REID. I wonder if my friend amendment No. 2947 and ask for its im- by the chaos in Iraq that has killed nearly would modify that to have the second mediate consideration. 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to his vote for 10 minutes rather than 15 min- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would utes? objection, the clerk will report. be staying there instead of returning home Mr. LEVIN. I so modify the request. The legislative clerk read as follows: as planned. ‘‘I’m surprised that he is surprised because The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there The Senator from California [Mrs. BOXER], there was a lot of us who were telling him objection? The Senator from Arizona. for herself, Mr. LEVIN, and Mr. DURBIN, pro- that it was going to be thus,’’ said Zinni, a poses an amendment numbered 2947: Mr. MCCAIN. Reserving the right to Marine for 39 years and the former com- At the end of subtitle E of title X, add the object, and I will not object, I think mander of the U.S. Central Command. ‘‘Any- following: the distinguished chairman and I have one could know the problems they were had a conversation that, following SEC. l SENSE OF SENATE going to see. How could they not?’’ that, for the benefit of our colleagues, (a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the fol- At a Pentagon news briefing yesterday, we would move to the Feingold amend- lowing findings: Rumsfeld said he could not have estimated (1) The men and women of the United ment and with it we will seek a time how many troops would be killed in the past States Armed Forces and our veterans de- week. agreement. Then with the cooperation serve to be supported, honored, and defended Zinni made his comments during an inter- of our colleagues, we will at least try when their patriotism is attacked; view with The San Diego Union-Tribune be- as much as possible to dispose of Iraq (2) In 2002, a Senator from Georgia who is fore giving a speech last night at the Univer- amendments today, if we could. a Vietnam veteran, triple amputee, and the sity of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for I remind my colleagues we still have recipient of a Silver Star and Bronze Star, Peace & Justice as part of its distinguished the basis of this bill, which has Wound- had his courage and patriotism attacked in lecturer series. ed Warriors, pay raises, housing, train- an advertisement in which he was visually For years Zinni said he cautioned U.S. offi- linked to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hus- cials that an Iraq without Saddam Hussein ing, and equipping of the men and sein; would likely be more dangerous to U.S. in- women of the Armed Forces. We do (3) This attack was aptly described by a terests than one with him because of the eth- have a number of pending amendments Senator and Vietnam veteran as ‘‘reprehen- nic and religious clashes that would be un- on the bill. I think, in fairness, we sible’’; leashed. VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:19 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S20SE7.REC S20SE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY September 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11783 ‘‘I think that some heads should roll over Many senior officers say privately that But we didn’t come down and pass a Iraq,’’ Zinni said.