25382 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE November 8, 2005 I yield the floor. I commend and respect anyone who took us and we would preempt it so it The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- would raise a question or a doubt and could not stand and it could not exist. ator from Georgia. seek an answer. But we must not forget On behalf of our men and women in Mr. ISAKSON. First of all, I want to that the truths that we know are com- harm’s way, the children they protect, associate myself entirely with the re- pelling, that we are fighting the right the dreams and aspirations of Ameri- marks of the Senator from Nevada. I war in the right place at the right time cans for a bright future, as bright as wanted to rise for the same purpose—to for the right reason. our past, I commend our men and talk for a minute about our men and For those who say we never found a women in harm’s way. I stay the course women in Iraq, the successes that have weapon of mass destruction, I would as a Member of this Senate to support taken place there, and how proud I am submit to you that Saddam Hussein them in the war on terrorism, and I ask of it. himself was a weapon of mass destruc- all of us to be careful when we raise But I can’t help but, at the outset of tion. In 1990, when he went into Kuwait questions that must be raised to never my remarks, for a second, respond to and we went in and liberated, it was raise them in such a way that would the remarks of the Senator from Illi- Saddam Hussein who rained missiles compromise this effort or compromise nois a few minutes ago. I had a flash- upon Israel that wasn’t even in the the commitment and dedication of back as I listened to that speech—a fight. It is Saddam Hussein who gassed these brave men and women. flashback to my generation’s war in his own Kurds. It is Saddam Hussein I yield the floor. I suggest the ab- the 1960s in Vietnam, a flashback that who systematically ordered the deaths sence of a quorum. reminded me of what happened when of tens of thousands of Iraqi people and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The American politicians began to slowly buried them in mass graves. clerk will call the roll. but surely question America’s inten- It is no coincidence that al-Qaida op- The assistant legislative clerk pro- tions in a war while our people were de- erates today as the head of the insur- ceeded to call the roll. ployed, which slowly resulted in the gency that fights our troops in Iraq be- Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask end of withdrawal of a military that cause this is their war—their war unanimous consent that the order for never quite had the support anymore against what America stands for, and the quorum call be rescinded. that it deserved while in harm’s way. what the future of the world can be if The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I would like for a moment to talk we are successful. We have some tough objection, it is so ordered. about what we do know. We have had days ahead, but we must stay the Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, what is lots of questions raised about what we course. the pending order? don’t know, what we should have done, In one year, we have caused the Iraqi The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- what somebody may or may not have people to have an interim resolution, ate is in a period of morning business. done. Let us talk for a second about to draft a constitution, ratified, and to All time held by the majority has ex- what we do know. seek a permanent election to elect per- pired. The time remaining on the mi- Senator ENSIGN has done a great job manent representatives, something nority side is approximately 9 minutes. talking about what we knew leading up that would have been unthinkable just Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask to going into Iraq. I would like to re- 2 or 3 years ago. unanimous consent I be allowed to mind us of a few other things. But we did it because of the resolve present a second-degree amendment to We know that war was declared on of these men—the American soldiers the Harkin amendment number 2438 for America in the 1990s by Osama bin and the Iraqi soldiers fighting shoulder the purpose of debate only. Laden, and we were attacked seven to shoulder with them today in the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. EN- times without responding. It was fi- final stages in Iraq. SIGN). Is there objection? nally with the attack on the World Yes, we have battles to fight. Yes, The Senator from Virginia. Trade Center and the Pentagon that there will be more terrorist attacks. Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this is this President changed America’s pol- And, yes, there will be tragic losses a little bit of a complex situation. We icy to one of preemption, committed that all of us grieve. But we cannot, as are anxious to get started on the bill. himself to going after terrorism wher- a nation, lose our resolve, or have poli- We want to honor the 9 minutes on the ever it existed, and doing everything ticians quibble on the edges while our other side of the aisle. I am wondering we could to liberate the world from the men and women are standing in harm’s if the Senator from Oklahoma could tyranny of terrorism. way. proceed as in morning business until We must remember that today we are I commend our troops and our sol- such time as there is recognition not in a war like past wars. We are in diers. I commend our country. I com- sought on the other side to utilize the the ultimate war between good and mend our citizens to look to the future remaining 9 minutes. evil. The terrorists don’t want to beat and appreciate that everything we The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- us, they want us to lose our resolve so enjoy and have today is because of ator from Oklahoma. they can rule the world through in- those who have sacrificed in the field Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I would timidation. Terrorists don’t want what of battle, those who have led in this be happy to accommodate that. How- America has. They do not want Amer- Congress and in this Nation’s Govern- ever, our time has expired so it would ica to have what it has: the first ment in the past to defeat dictators take unanimous consent. I ask unani- amendment, freedom of speech, the and tyranny wherever it existed. mous consent to speak as in morning right to worship as we see fit, the right We are in the ultimate battle be- business. to bear arms—all the things that stand tween good and evil. Compromise and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without in the way of the tyranny they would quitting is unacceptable. Seeing it objection, it is so ordered. like to employ around the world, and through to its course is essential for The Senator from Oklahoma is recog- have employed in a couple of places our men and women in harm’s way and nized as in morning business. very successfully, in Afghanistan that for the children of the United States of Mr. INHOFE. Thank you, Mr. Presi- we liberated and now in the nation of America and the children of the world dent. Iraq. because, you see, unlike history under f There are those who would have you Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the children of believe, by their speeches, that we are Iraq now understand that there is a fu- ARMED FORCES RADIO fighting the Iraqi people. We are fight- ture, that there is the potential for a Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, we have ing terrorism in Iraq. This war is about bright future, and success and good heard some discussions, some debate by Iraq, the United States of America, our times with no fear. They do so because the Senator from Iowa, Mr. HARKIN, on soldiers, the future of our generation, this brave Nation, when attacked by his amendment No. 2438. I oppose this and our way of life as we have known the tyranny and the evil of terrorism, amendment, and I have prepared and it. decided it would follow it wherever it have filed a second-degree amendment

VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:23 Mar 02, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\2005BOUNDRECORD\BOOK19\NO-SSN\BR08NO05.DAT BR08NO05 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE November 8, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 25383 that I will offer after all time by Sen- sustained for many years. At the time, not bad enough in trying to dictate ator HARKIN has expired. Limbaugh’s audience had grown so what our troops should listen to I guess I would ask the question as to large that failure to include his show against their will. The Harkin amend- why should the Senate mandate what would have violated AFRTS’s policy of ment would establish an ombudsman of programming our troops can listen to providing a slice of domestic talk the American Forces Network who or deny their opportunity to choose. radio. would be appointed by the Secretary of Currently, under this system, our There is no truth to the minority’s Defense. troops communicate with their local assertion that liberal talk radio has The amendment is based on the radio stations by offering feedback been kept off of AFRTS for political premise that the programming deci- that shapes the local programming. purposes. That is a pure fabrication. sions of the American Forces Radio Simply put, if the troops do not like The truth is, as this chart shows, the and Television Service have improperly what they are hearing, they call the minimal market demand that exists excluded liberal political radio pro- radio station and ask that the pro- for liberal talk shows did not meet the gramming and would give the ombuds- graming be changed. It seems to be fair listenership requirement for programs man the duty of identifying cir- to me. It is called the market. If there to be played on AFRTS. cumstances under which the AFN ‘‘has is no market for it, why should we be The AFRTS standard is a ‘‘national not adhered to the standards and prac- doing it? syndication and one million listeners tices of the Network in its program- Now, as Senator HARKIN himself has per week.’’ It has to be a nationally ming, including circumstances in stated, fair and balanced programming syndicated program, and it has to have which the programming of the Network options are offered to all 33 radio sta- a million listeners per week. That goes lacked integrity, fairness, or balance.’’ tions worldwide. It is the individual for all programming, as this chart I am quoting now from his legislation. radio stations that establish the pro- clearly shows. The ombudsman would be required to gramming based on its audience’s pref- Now, two liberal talk shows have submit an annual report. erences. The stations decide what pro- achieved 1 million listeners in 2005. If Now, what this ombudsman provision gramming is in the greatest demand. we look at this carefully, we will see does is it allows Members of Congress Worldwide, the second-largest audi- that in 2004 there were no liberal talk the opportunity to obstruct an already ence request is to play all 3 hours of shows on AFRTS because none of them fair and functioning process by getting Rush Limbaugh. Only 1 hour is cur- had an audience of 1 million listeners. in between the troops and what they rently made available through the There is a change between 2004 and 2005 choose to listen to. Listed as one of the AFRTS. However, some stations choose and that is Ed Schultz and Al Franken ombudsman’s duties in this amend- not to carry his program at all, even both were able to get a million lis- ment is to initiate and conduct, upon for the 1 hour of availability. That is teners. Therefore, we changed the pro- the request of Congress, reviews of the their choice to make based on the gramming. We are responding to the programming of the network, AFRTS. troop feedback. demand out there. If there are a mil- The creation of an ombudsman is an- You might say at this point, if the lion people who want to listen to them, other example of wasteful Government troop feedback is that they want all 3 we will give our troops a chance to do redundancy. But, moreover, the cre- hours, and some stations do not play the same thing. ation of this post would empower Mem- any, and the most that any stations As it turns out, right now, the bers of the Senate to choose what en- play is 1 hour, then if any change AFRTS stations will have access to the tertainment our troops listen to. This should be made in terms of complying two top conservative and the two top is an attempt by the minority to im- with the market, it should be that. liberal shows. The conservative ones pose unpopular message-driven content Now, Senator HARKIN and his charts are Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. on AFRTS to a captive audience. The would have you believe the only pro- And the liberal ones are Al Franken requirement for a report, et cetera, is gram on the radio is Rush Limbaugh. and Ed Schultz. to intimidate the 33 stations that are But what about the 24 hours of Na- Still, Senator HARKIN is not satisfied. trying to serve our service men and tional Public Radio or DOD’s commit- Senator HARKIN claims conservatives women into serving special interests in ment to begin airing liberal talk shows are propagandizing AFRTS’s program- Congress. by Al Franken and Ed Schultz? Fur- ming. Well, I only ask, which sounds We do not need a political officer to thermore, Rush Limbaugh currently more like propaganda, programming make sure our troops get the daily dose represents only 3 percent of the weekly which is freely chosen by listening of a certain media personality. Today, scheduled programming. That is 3 per- troops or programming mandated by these decisions are based on the input cent. I don’t know why they are so wor- the Government? Furthermore, if there from the servicemember and their rat- ried about 3 percent. are significant numbers of letters from ings by the American people. Our Now, the liberal talk radio—this is troops decrying the current AFRTS troops deserve the right to choose what important as to having a benchmark of programs, I know my office has not re- they listen to on the radio. What they 1 million listeners. It is important to ceived one. do not deserve is their Senators taking know there is a reason why they choose In my travels visiting troops, I have away the right. Who are we to do this? programming. One is, they do not not heard of one. In fact, I know I have How arrogant it is we are putting our- choose any at all unless it has 1 million been, by count, to Iraq, into those selves in a position where we claim to listeners. areas where we have our troops sta- know more than the troops as to what Let’s put that chart up. It is kind of tioned, more times than any other is in their best interests. I do not be- hard to read, but I will explain it in a member of the Senate Armed Services lieve that should be the case. minute. Prior to this fall, no liberal Committee. When I am over there, I Finally, preserving the programming talk shows had over 1 million listeners. have yet to have one person come up to integrity of AFRTS must be para- Rush Limbaugh has approximately 15 me or have one letter in our office say- mount. There is another reason totally million listeners weekly. AFRTS’s pol- ing they are dissatisfied with the pro- unrelated to what we talked about so icy is to ‘‘provide a cross-section of gramming and that they demand more far. AFRTS is a vital link between popular programming.’’ To this point, liberal programs. military command and troops and their there have been no significant audience All I see here are Senators trying to families throughout the world. What demands to rationalize adding progres- subsidize liberal talk radio because we are saying is, if we have com- sive programming or liberal program- they do not have anyone to compete manders in the field who are trying to ming. with popular conservative radio talk communicate messages to our troops— For the record, Limbaugh was added shows. they currently can do this. And they to the programming menu after troop Now, the amendment also calls for an can do this under the Harkin amend- listener demand had been heavy and ombudsman, as if the amendment is ment. However, there would be much

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They type—reading on—and quality of radio becomes a political football and is no were complaining about the fact that and television programming, including longer based on what the troops want all the talk shows are conservative and news, information, sports, and enter- but what Congress wants, then they don’t have successful liberal talk tainment, that would be available in listenership would certainly dwindle. shows. And they said—these were their the continental United States. Maintaining popular programming en- words in the elevator—there ought to To me, if you impose a certain mar- sures that AFRTS remains a reliable be a legislative fix to this. I said: What ket criteria, even though they may not communications link to our troops in you guys don’t understand is, this is hit a certain number of listeners, you the field. We cannot afford to play poli- market driven, and there is no market are not getting the full spectrum that tics with such an important asset. for your liberal trite. And for that rea- this amendment calls for. In other Now, I have a second-degree amend- son, it is much more of the conserv- words, I would prefer to have just this ment, and I will be offering this at the ative talk shows. It is called the mar- amendment that you have here be the expiration of the time of the Senator ket, and that is what makes America decision by the Senate and then leave from Iowa. The second-degree amend- work. it up to the 33 stations to ensure that ment to the Harkin amendment de- I yield the floor at this time. is done. Maybe we shouldn’t condone a scribes how programs are selected for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- marketing policy that just cuts off a the American Forces Network, includ- ator from Virginia. whole lot of programs at the bottom ing reliance on ratings and popularity, Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish because they don’t have enough lis- as demonstrated by the numbers of lis- to be supportive of this amendment of teners. teners, and notes that reliance is my colleague from Oklahoma. But at Mr. INHOFE. I respond to the distin- placed on 33 local programming man- the same time, I do believe the amend- guished chairman of the committee agers at military communities around ment by Senator HARKIN is deserving of that I am prepared to have it market the globe. consideration. I say to my colleague, driven. It would express the sense of the Sen- my concern, is—and I wish to have the Mr. WARNER. You would prefer ate that: record reflect this—is it your under- what. (1) the men and women of the American standing, having carefully examined Mr. INHOFE. To have it purely mar- Forces Radio and Television Service and the how this is done by the Armed Forces ket driven so that these kids who are Armed Forces Network should be com- Network, that in no way are they di- out there, our troops risking their mended for providing a vital service to the rectly or indirectly trying to impose lives, would be able to determine what military community worldwide; and any censorship? they wanted to listen to rather than (2) the programming mission, themes, and Mr. INHOFE. No. having something imposed upon them. practices of the Department of Defense with respect to its television and radio program- Mr. WARNER. That we simply can- Ideally that is what I would prefer in a ming have fairly and responsively fulfilled not have. second-degree amendment. But in try- their mission of providing ‘‘a touch of home’’ Mr. INHOFE. No, we cannot have— ing to accommodate a system that has to members of the Armed Services and their well, actually, the Harkin amendment worked pretty well, that criteria is ac- families around the world and have contrib- would impose a censorship to a degree; ceptable to me. Let’s don’t talk about uted immeasurably to high morale and qual- that is, it would change the criteria liberal and conservative. Let’s talk ity of life in the Armed Forces. that, No. 1, it has to be a syndicated about just programming. Forget about Finally, the language in my second- network, and, No. 2, it has to have 1 what is liberal and what is conserv- degree amendment provides that the million listeners. ative. If a concept is popular enough Secretary of Defense may—may; it We have shown clearly that they that it has 1 million listeners, then does not say he has to, that he must have lived up to that. When the two that should qualify for consideration have an ombudsman but he may ap- liberal talk shows, Ed Schultz and Al for our troops to listen to. That is my point an ombudsman at AFRTS to Franken, reached a million, they start- point. serve as—this is the way we have it in ed including them. They are including Mr. WARNER. Well, I don’t see any- the second-degree amendment—‘‘an them just as they are the conservative thing in the language you use here be- intermediary between the staff of the talk shows. If you impose upon them cause you are very explicit. By pro- American Forces Network and the De- that you are going to have somebody viding the same type and quality of partment of Defense, military com- out there watching and making sure radio and television programming, in- manders, and listeners to the program- that Congress tells them what is best cluding news, information, sports, and ming of the American Forces Net- for them, yes, that does impose a re- entertainment, that would be available work.’’ You will find that this con- striction on what our troops in the in the continental United States—that forms to the description used to define field are able to hear. is what we should follow. the ombudsman at Stars and Stripes, Mr. WARNER. I say to the distin- Mr. INHOFE. I agree. our military print media. It is very guished Senator, let me read section 2 Mr. WARNER. I don’t know that we similar to Stars and Stripes. of his proposed amendment: The Amer- condone a marketing tool by which a I find, when I am making my trips ican Forces Radio and Television certain category—and it so happens over there, they will tell me they have American Forces Network provide a that category perhaps has the prepon- two ways of communicating with the ‘‘touch of home’’ to members of the derance of things which people would outside world other than their commu- armed forces, civilian employees of the consider liberal. I am not sure we can nications with their family; one is Department of Defense and their fami- escape totally the use of that word. It through Stars and Stripes, and one is lies stationed in bases, embassies, and is better that we let the 33 stations through the radio programming on consulates in more than 179 countries, themselves decide what it is. these 33 stations. as well as the Navy, Coast Guard, and If a program hasn’t hit a million, Now, I would want to, at the appro- Military Sealift Command ships at sea. well, there may be some audience with- priate time, go ahead and offer this So it reaches an entire family, and it in the family of people you discuss amendment. It is my understanding is a very important function. This Sen- here, all of the various listeners and the Senator from Iowa will be return- ator wants to make sure that audience, families and embassies and consulates, ing momentarily. But for a minute, I irrespective of whether they are con- maybe they would like to hear some- might say to the distinguished chair- servatives or liberals, whatever the thing even though it hasn’t hit the 1 man, let me give an observation. case may be—I am not sure that is the million mark.

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This dem- the sole technical distinction, which is months. onstrates clearly that it doesn’t be- an important one, between your second This year has been an exceptionally cause once they have reached that cri- degree and the underlying first degree. lucrative one for the oil industry and teria, they are able to be heard. Therefore, it is up to the Secretary, an exceptionally impoverishing one for Mr. WARNER. It is that operative but once an ombudsman is selected, as- American families and seniors. Profits phrase of ‘‘reach that criteria.’’ It suming the Secretary opts to do so, in going to big oil are money coming out seems that reaching that criteria has no way is that individual chartered or of wallets of working families and sen- the effect of excluding a lot of pro- directed to do his work or her work dif- iors and wealth draining out of our gramming, albeit they don’t have quite ferent than what the Senator from communities. the audience that others do, but never- Iowa desires? Fully funding LIHEAP is a vital im- theless, there may be some individuals Mr. INHOFE. That is correct. The perative. I believe the big oil compa- within this family that is set forth in only difference is, it is optional. nies should help shoulder the cost. Ris- the amendment that would like to hear Mr. WARNER. I think that is impor- ing energy prices could financially it. tant. So could that ombudsman be wipe out working-class families and Mr. INHOFE. I think that is right. I among the existing people in the De- seniors this winter. Americans are ex- believe that is the case. The 33 stations partment of Defense, have it as an ad- periencing extraordinarily high runups have program directors. Their goal is ditional duty, or should that person be in energy prices that jeopardize the to maximize their audience. If they brought in from the outside and have ability of many families to keep their hear that something is in demand that the sole responsibility of ombudsman homes warm during this coming winter might not be consistent with what is in work? season. Energy costs to the average demand throughout the United States, Mr. INHOFE. It is my understanding family using heating oil are estimated I can assure you, under the current sys- that under the underlying amendment to hit $1,500 this winter, an increase of tem, they will have that program. by the Senator from Iowa, it is very almost $325 over last winter’s heating Mr. WARNER. That assurance to me prescribed as to how this person is season. For families using natural gas, is important. So what you are saying is going to be chosen. In my amendment, prices could hit $1,000, an increase of it would not be any indirect censorship it leaves it up to the discretion of the $300. of any particular philosophical cat- Secretary of Defense. It could be some- For a family using propane, prices egory of programming under your pro- one who is already existing within that are projected to hit $1,300, an increase posal? Department or another department. of $230. For families living in poverty, Mr. INHOFE. That is exactly right. Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I think energy bills are now over 20 percent of Mr. WARNER. So your proposal does that is an important flexibility. I am their income, compared to 5 percent for not bind them to this market criteria. certain that within the Department, other households. People who are liv- Mr. INHOFE. That is correct. there is an individual or an individual ing in poverty, many of whom are Mr. WARNER. I find that helpful. I with objectivity and a background that working, are paying 20 percent of their think you have dispelled any thought could perform this work. income for heating bills. That is com- that this amendment would impose any Mr. INHOFE. That is correct. pared to 5 percent for the rest of Amer- censorship. Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator. I ica’s families. Mr. INHOFE. Yes. yield the floor. Let me tell you what this amend- Mr. WARNER. And the variety of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mi- ment means. If we are successful, it news services—again, there are obvi- nority has 9 minutes remaining in would add $2.9 billion to the LIHEAP ously certain news services that have a morning business. program to bring total funding to $5.1 proclivity to go to a more conservative The Senator from Rhode Island. billion this winter. With $5.1 billion, side and some to the liberal side, but Mr. REED. Mr. President, I would the National Energy Assistance Direc- again, are news services given an equal like to be recognized as in morning tors Association estimates that opportunity to be heard? business. LIHEAP could serve 12 million families Mr. INHOFE. Yes, they are. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- this year. This is double the number of Mr. WARNER. For example, I happen ate is in morning business, and the mi- families served last year but still only to like NPR, and I like to hear FOX nority has 81⁄2 minutes remaining. one-third of those eligible. Even with News. I like to have the juxtaposition f this increased funding, we would not of the different viewpoints. reach all the families who qualify, but Mr. INHOFE. In my statement, I OIL COMPANY WINDFALL PROFIT we would reach those families who are commented that it is a very TAX OFFSET most in need, particularly in this very disordinate amount that has been his- Mr. REED. Mr. President, recently difficult winter heating season. torically given to NPR in terms of lis- Senator COLLINS and I introduced an States could also increase the level tening audience because they have that amendment to the proposed budget rec- of benefits to help these rising costs, in on for 24 hours. So certainly that is al- onciliation bill to fund a $2.9 billion in- addition to enrolling more personnel in ready there, and that is more than the crease in the Low-Income Home En- the program. market would justify if we were going ergy Assistance Program by placing a This amendment means that seniors by the justification that the market temporary 1-year windfall profit tax on will not have to choose between buying dictates. big oil companies. I filed this amend- lifesaving medication and paying their Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if I ment to the budget reconciliation bill natural gas bills. Working families will might ask the Senator one last ques- to begin the dialog, and I intend to call not have to decide between putting tion. He makes reference to the om- for a vote on my amendment when the food on the table or putting heating oil budsman. How does your coverage of Senate debates the tax reconciliation in their tanks. And what is the cost of the subject of an ombudsman differ bill in the next few days. this amendment to big oil? It is about from the amendment offered by the Last week, oil companies reported 10 percent of their profits from one Senator from Iowa? record profits for the third quarter on quarter of 1 year, or in the case of Mr. INHOFE. It merely makes it op- surging oil prices. Chevron posted prof- ExxonMobil my amendment would rep- tional. If the Secretary of Defense its of $3.6 billion. BP’s profits rose to resent just one-third of their profits for

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