February 27, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 4 4643 SENATE—Tuesday, February 27, 2007 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was SCHEDULE Fetchet, the founding director and called to order by the Honorable JON Mr. REID. Mr. President, today the president of VOICES of September TESTER, a Senator from the State of Senate will be in a period of morning 11th, who is the mother of Brad, who Montana. business until 12:30 p.m. During the pe- was 24, who was killed in the incident; riod of morning business, Senators will and Carie Lemack, the cofounder and PRAYER be permitted to speak for up to 10 min- president of Families of September 11, The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- utes each. The first 30 minutes will be who is the daughter of Judy Larocque, fered the following prayer: controlled by the Republicans and the who was 50 years old, who died in that Let us pray. second 30 minutes will be controlled by terrorist attack. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- Almighty God, to whom we must ac- the majority. count for all our powers and privileges, At 12:30, the Senate will recess until sent that the letter be printed in the RECORD. guide the Members of this body so that the hour of 2:15. Upon reconvening at There being no objection, the mate- they will be faithful stewards of Your 2:15, the Senate will resume debate on rial was ordered to be printed in the will. Give them understanding and in- the motion to proceed to S. 184. The RECORD, as follows: tegrity that human rights may be safe- cloture vote will occur at 2:30, with the guarded and justice served. Teach them time until then equally divided and FEBRUARY 26, 2007. Hon. HARRY REID, to rely on Your strength and to serve controlled between the two leaders and You with honor. May each Senator in Senate Majority Leader U.S. Senate, their designees. Washington, DC. her or his daily work know the joy of As I indicated yesterday prior to the DEAR SENATOR REID: It has been exactly 14 partnership with You. Senate adjourning, the Republican years since the first attack on the World Lord, we pray today also for the men leader and I have had discussions about Trade Center; over 5 years since the terrorist and women of our Armed Forces. De- the 9/11 Commission recommendations attacks of 9/11; and over 2 years since the 9/ fend them with Your heavenly grace legislation, and while the time has 11 Commission released a blueprint for and give them courage to face perils strengthening America’s security. The pace been set for the cloture vote on the mo- of Congressional response to these wake-up with trust in You. Give them a sense of tion to proceed to S. 184, we will con- calls has been glacial. Your abiding presence wherever they tinue our discussions to ascertain The House of Representatives has vali- may be. Strengthen and sustain their whether we can vitiate that cloture dated its commitment to improving national loved ones. vote. If we are able to do that, we security by passing H.R.1. When S. 4 goes to We pray in Your sovereign Name. would switch to S. 4, which is the conference, its provisions must match or sur- Amen. Homeland Security-reported matter re- pass the strength and comprehensiveness of H.R.l. Failure to act ratchets up the danger f ported by Chairman LIEBERMAN and for America. The longer critical security PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Ranking Member COLLINS. issues remain unresolved, the more time and I would say, as I said last night, options the terrorists have. The Honorable JON TESTER led the whichever vehicle comes to the floor— S. 4 should be a clean bill, limited to im- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: I would hope we could speed things up plementing the remaining 9/11 Commission I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the by 30 hours by doing S. 4—we need to recommendations. This legislation is far too United States of America, and to the Repub- get to this legislation. I had indicated important to be politicized by the introduc- tion of non-germane, controversial amend- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, prior to the recess, and indicate today, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ments and debate, particularly those relat- it is open to amendment. I, in fact, ing to Iraq. Attention to both issues is criti- f even have the first Democratic Senator cally important. As such, each deserves sepa- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING who wants to offer an amendment. I rate deliberation. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE am sure the minority has a lot of We urge you to act now to protect America amendments they want to offer. by passing stand-alone, comprehensive secu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The rity legislation under S. 4 based on the 9/11 9/11 COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS clerk will please read a communication Commission blueprint without complications to the Senate from the President pro Mr. President, I want to bring to the regarding Iraq. The legacy of those whose tempore (Mr. BYRD). attention of the body letters Senator lives have been taken by terrorists on Amer- The assistant legislative clerk read MCCONNELL and I received. They are ican soil is in your hands. Prove to the fami- the following letter: dated yesterday. The letter to me lies of those killed in 1993 and 2001, and to all Americans, that this is a new day in Wash- U.S. SENATE, states: ington, and that safety and security will fi- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, It has been exactly 14 years since the first attack on the World Trade Center; over 5 nally take precedence over special interest Washington, DC, February 27, 2007. groups and politics. To the Senate: years since the terrorist attacks of 9/11; and over 2 years since the 9/11 Commission re- Respectfully, Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, CAROL ASHLEY, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby leased a blueprint for strengthening Amer- ica’s security. The pace of Congressional re- Mother of Janice, 25, appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- VOICES of Sep- ator from the State of Montana, to perform sponse to these wake-up calls has been gla- cial. tember 11th. the duties of the Chair. BEVERLY ECKERT, ROBERT C. BYRD, Now, I am not going to read the other Widow of Sean Roo- President pro tempore. three paragraphs of this letter other ney, 50, Families of Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the than to say this letter is signed by dif- September 11. chair as Acting President pro tempore. ferent groups—widows and orphans— MARY FETCHET, Mother of Brad, 24, f Carol Ashley, representing a group called VOICES of September 11th, who Founding Director RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY is the mother of Janice, who was killed and President, LEADER VOICES of Sep- in that 9/11 occurrence; Beverly Eckert, tember 11th. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- representing a group called Families of CARIE LEMACK, pore. The majority leader is recog- September 11, and who is the widow of Daughter of Judy nized. Sean Rooney, who was 50; Mary Larocque, 50, Co- ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 12:09 Jun 16, 2017 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK 4\LOC FILES\BR27FE07.DAT BR27FE07 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with BOUND RECORD 4644 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 4 February 27, 2007 founder and Presi- the first time in 10 years. We got the votes, days we would have votes. I am dent, Families of country’s financial house in order by going to do my very best not to have September 11. completing that. We have done some surprises in the schedule. One of the Mr. REID. I say to my friend, the dis- good work. As I said last night, it has surprises we will not have is 2 weeks tinguished Republican leader and peo- been done on a bipartisan basis. We for the Easter break. We are going to ple on his side of the aisle, if people are have worked together. So I hope we can have to work through that. Up until concerned about going to S. 4 because continue to do that. August, I am hopeful and confident we of not being allowed to offer amend- f can get our work done. But the August ments, I have stated publicly—and I recess is a long one, and everyone understand because there were no RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY should understand that is not auto- amendments on the continuing resolu- LEADER matic. We have to get our work done or tion—and I will state again, I appre- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- we may have to shorten that also. ciate very much the cooperation of the pore. The Republican leader is recog- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Republicans. Even though there were nized. pore. The Republican leader. no amendments, this was an issue this Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Congress, this Senate had to complete. f appreciate the clarity the majority None of the Members of the body here 9/11 BILL AND IRAQ leader brought to the issue of the are responsible for what took place Easter work period. I think that is Mr.