12526 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 9 June 26, 2006 SENATE—Monday, June 26, 2006 The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was SCHEDULE reports—one from General Casey, the called to order by the Honorable RICH- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, one on the chart, and the other from ARD BURR, a Senator from the State of today, we will be in morning business Prime Minister Maliki—provided a North Carolina. with time equally divided until 4 p.m. glimmer of hope for those of us who At 4, we will begin consideration of the have been demanding a new direction PRAYER resolution to prevent flag desecration. in the war in Iraq, a change of course. This afternoon, I want to note the The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Chairman SPECTER will be here this fered the following prayer: afternoon for a period of debate only on similarity between General Casey’s ap- Let us pray: that resolution. parent plan to withdraw U.S. forces O God, who unites us with Your love, As previously announced, there won’t and the plan put forth by Senate order our steps. May no passing irrita- be any votes during today’s session. Democrats on this floor last week with tion rob us of our appreciation for oth- But Senators are encouraged to come the Defense authorization bill. Our ers. Keep us patient regarding human to the floor and speak if they would plan, designed by Senators LEVIN and failings; permit us to see Your image in like. REED, is very much like this program our world. The next rollcall vote will occur to- shown on the chart. That is by our Use our Senators to accomplish Your morrow, and we will notify Senators commanding general in Iraq. It said purposes. Give them wisdom to avoid when the vote is scheduled. much the same thing as our military majoring in minors or minoring in ma- leaders are saying all over the country, f jors. As they offer You their best, give specifically through General Casey, them Your abundant blessings. Give us MORNING BUSINESS specifically, that it is time for the all generous hearts and use us to bless Iraqis to take responsibility for their The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- own security and government so that Your world. pore. Under the previous order, there We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. the phased redeployment of U.S. forces will now be a period for the transaction from Iraq can begin by year’s end. f of morning business until 4 p.m., with As we all know, I think the Repub- the time equally divided between the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE lican majority rejected the Levin-Reed two leaders or their designees. proposal on a straight party-line vote. The Honorable RICHARD BURR led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: f One courageous Republican voted with us. The rest were all no votes. Even RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the though it represents our best chance at United States of America, and to the Repub- LEADER lic for which it stands, one nation under God, making sure our troops succeed in Iraq, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- and Iraq as a country succeeds, and, pore. The minority leader is recog- secondly, even though it is consistent f nized. with the plan of our top military com- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is my un- mander in Iraq, on a straight party- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE derstanding that leader time is re- line on the floor last week the Repub- served; is that right? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The licans voted against the Levin-Reed The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- proposal, even though it was very clerk will please read a communication pore. The Senator is correct. to the Senate from the President pro much like General Casey’s proposal. By rejecting this amendment—the tempore (Mr. STEVENS). f Democratic amendment—the Repub- The bill clerk read the following let- IRAQ RECONCILIATION PLAN ter. licans made clear that they were con- Mr. REID. Mr. President, here is the tent to stay the course and to stay for- U.S. SENATE, lead sentence from an article in this ever in Iraq. I wonder how the majority PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, DC, June 26, 2006. day’s New York Times. This headline feels today now that General Casey’s To the Senate: also appeared in other newspapers plan is in the open, now that it is clear Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, around the country. It ran under the that the congressional Republicans of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby headline of ‘‘U.S. General in Iraq Out- stand alone in opposition to troop rede- appoint the Honorable RICHARD BURR, a Sen- lines Troop Cuts.’’ ployment, apart from the American ator from the State of North Carolina, to Mr. President, I think this first para- people, even though their stand is con- perform the duties of the Chair. graph says most of it: trary, I repeat, to the American people, TED STEVENS, even though the Republican stand is President pro tempore. The top American commander in Iraq has drafted a plan that projects sharp reductions contrary to the military commanders, Mr. BURR thereupon assumed the in the United States military presence there those who are in the battlefield in Iraq, chair as Acting President pro tempore. by the end of 2007, with the first cuts coming and even though the Republican major- f this September, American officials say. ity vote last week was contrary to the This, of course, we have learned came Iraqi Government. RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME from General Casey. This announce- Did they disagree with General The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ment from our military was one piece Casey? Do they disagree that we need pore. Under the previous order, the of good news for those of us who be- to begin ending the open-ended com- leadership time is reserved. lieve we need a new course in Iraq. But mitment in Iraq? Do they, the Repub- f it was not the only good news we re- lican Senators, believe a plan for re- ceived this weekend regarding Iraq. ducing our troop levels, as they said RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING Another encouraging sign came from last week with the Levin-Reed pro- MAJORITY LEADER Baghdad itself where the Prime Min- posal—do they believe that what Gen- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ister believes it is also the time to eral Casey suggests is defeatist and pore. The acting majority leader is rec- start thinking about the withdrawal of that he is unpatriotic? Do they have a ognized. United States troops. Together, these plan now of their own—the Republican ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:15 Mar 27, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BR26JN06.DAT BR26JN06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 26, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 9 12527 majority—or do they still want to stay tisan politics—amnesty for terrorists Senator Donald Oliver who are visiting the course? who have killed our troops. us today. These are questions the American I have come to the floor many times f people are going to demand that the in recent weeks to discuss Iraq grant- Republican majority answer. ing amnesty to terrorists. Rumors are RECESS SUBJECT TO THE CALL OF The open-ended commitment the ma- no longer valid. These are not rumors. THE CHAIR jority advocates is simply not sustain- The Prime Minister himself has sub- Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask able, as seen through the eyes of Gen- mitted an amnesty plan. So it has unanimous consent that there be a mo- eral Casey, as seen through the eyes of turned into fact. But I still have very ment of recess so we may be able to in- the Iraqi Prime Minister. We must serious concerns. troduce the Senators and the Speaker transform the United States mission in According to the news reports out of to our distinguished leaders. Iraq and begin the responsible rede- Baghdad over the weekend, the Prime There being no objection, the Senate, ployment of U.S. forces this year. That Minister will pardon those who en- at 2:15 p.m., recessed until 2:21 p.m. and is what the Levin-Reed amendment gaged in legitimate acts of resistance. reassembled when called to order by said last week that the Republicans de- Against who, Mr. President? What does the Acting President pro tempore (Mr. feated. that mean? Does it mean that these are BURR). The war is now costing the American legitimate acts of resistance when we Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I sug- people about $2.5 billion each week. have soldiers trying to free someone gest the absence of a quorum. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Our military has been stretched thin, who is being detained by a kidnapper? pore. The clerk will call the roll. with every available combat unit in What are legitimate acts of resistance? The assistant legislative clerk pro- the Army and Marine Corps serving Against a Nation that liberated that ceeded to call the roll. multiple tours in Iraq, and our equip- nation from a brutal dictator? Is it a Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask ment needing $50 billion or $60 billion sniper who shoots at a soldier who is unanimous consent that the order for to be in the shape it was when we went trying to restore power and electricity the quorum call be rescinded.