E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007 No. 33 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was U.S. SENATE, I would say, as I said last night, called to order by the Honorable JON PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, whichever vehicle comes to the floor— TESTER, a Senator from the State of Washington, DC, February 27, 2007. I would hope we could speed things up Montana. To the Senate: by 30 hours by doing S. 4—we need to Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, get to this legislation. I had indicated of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby PRAYER appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- prior to the recess, and indicate today, The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- ator from the State of Montana, to perform it is open to amendment. I, in fact, fered the following prayer: the duties of the Chair. even have the first Democratic Senator Let us pray. ROBERT C. BYRD, who wants to offer an amendment. I Almighty God, to whom we must ac- President pro tempore. am sure the minority has a lot of count for all our powers and privileges, Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the amendments they want to offer. chair as Acting President pro tempore. guide the Members of this body so that 9/11 COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS f they will be faithful stewards of Your Mr. President, I want to bring to the will. Give them understanding and in- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY attention of the body letters Senator tegrity that human rights may be safe- LEADER MCCONNELL and I received. They are guarded and justice served. Teach them The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- dated yesterday. The letter to me to rely on Your strength and to serve pore. The majority leader is recog- states: You with honor. May each Senator in nized. her or his daily work know the joy of It has been exactly 14 years since the first partnership with You. f attack on the World Trade Center; over 5 Lord, we pray today also for the men years since the terrorist attacks of 9/11; and SCHEDULE over 2 years since the 9/11 Commission re- and women of our Armed Forces. De- Mr. REID. Mr. President, today the leased a blueprint for strengthening Amer- fend them with Your heavenly grace Senate will be in a period of morning ica’s security. The pace of Congressional re- and give them courage to face perils business until 12:30 p.m. During the pe- sponse to these wake-up calls has been gla- with trust in You. Give them a sense of riod of morning business, Senators will cial. Your abiding presence wherever they be permitted to speak for up to 10 min- Now, I am not going to read the other may be. Strengthen and sustain their utes each. The first 30 minutes will be three paragraphs of this letter other loved ones. controlled by the Republicans and the than to say this letter is signed by dif- We pray in Your sovereign Name. second 30 minutes will be controlled by ferent groups—widows and orphans— Amen. the majority. Carol Ashley, representing a group At 12:30, the Senate will recess until called VOICES of September 11th, who f the hour of 2:15. Upon reconvening at is the mother of Janice, who was killed 2:15, the Senate will resume debate on in that 9/11 occurrence; Beverly Eckert, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE the motion to proceed to S. 184. The representing a group called Families of cloture vote will occur at 2:30, with the The Honorable JON TESTER led the September 11, and who is the widow of time until then equally divided and Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Sean Rooney, who was 50; Mary controlled between the two leaders and I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Fetchet, the founding director and their designees. president of VOICES of September United States of America, and to the Repub- As I indicated yesterday prior to the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, 11th, who is the mother of Brad, who Senate adjourning, the Republican indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. was 24, who was killed in the incident; leader and I have had discussions about and Carie Lemack, the cofounder and the 9/11 Commission recommendations f president of Families of September 11, legislation, and while the time has been set for the cloture vote on the mo- who is the daughter of Judy Larocque, APPOINTMENT OF ACTING tion to proceed to S. 184, we will con- who was 50 years old, who died in that PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE tinue our discussions to ascertain terrorist attack. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The whether we can vitiate that cloture Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- clerk will please read a communication vote. If we are able to do that, we sent that the letter be printed in the to the Senate from the President pro would switch to S. 4, which is the RECORD. tempore (Mr. BYRD). Homeland Security-reported matter re- There being no objection, the mate- The assistant legislative clerk read ported by Chairman LIEBERMAN and rial was ordered to be printed in the the following letter: Ranking Member COLLINS. RECORD, as follows: ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2237 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:27 Mar 13, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2007SENATE\S27FE7.REC S27FE7 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S2238 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2007 FEBRUARY 26, 2007. with the Iraq war. I stated at the time amendments that Members on this side Hon. HARRY REID, we were doing that the 9/11 legislation of the aisle want to offer to the 9/11 Senate Majority Leader U.S. Senate, Wash- will be subject to amendments. bill. ington, DC. Senator MCCONNELL and I are work- The majority leader has indicated DEAR SENATOR REID: It has been exactly 14 years since the first attack on the World ing our way through this issue to de- there will be no desire on his part, and Trade Center; over 5 years since the terrorist termine when the next debate will take reiterated it here this morning, to pre- attacks of 9/11; and over 2 years since the 9/ place regarding Iraq. I hope it can be vent any of those amendments from 11 Commission released a blueprint for done on an agreement between the two being acted upon. So we expect a free- strengthening America’s security. The pace of us. We are working on that. But I do wheeling, Senate-style debate on the of Congressional response to these wake-up say, don’t anyone suggest the 9/11 legis- 9/11 bill in which a number of impor- calls has been glacial. lation will not be open to amendment; tant amendments related to the meas- The House of Representatives has vali- ure are offered. I think we will be able dated its commitment to improving national it will be. We are going to work our security by passing H.R.1. When S. 4 goes to way through that. There will not be to work out a way to go forward in the conference, its provisions must match or sur- cloture filed on this legislation until— next few hours that will accommodate pass the strength and comprehensiveness of hopefully, it won’t have to be done. I our mutual desire to have the right bill H.R.l. Failure to act ratchets up the danger think this is a piece of legislation for before the Senate regarding 9/11, and, for America. The longer critical security which it would not be necessary. There hopefully, sometime shortly thereafter issues remain unresolved, the more time and some kind of agreement to structure options the terrorists have. certainly will not be anything in the next 10 days. We will take a look at it. the debate on Iraq in a way that will be S. 4 should be a clean bill, limited to im- mutually acceptable to both sides of plementing the remaining 9/11 Commission I will work in conjunction with the the aisle. recommendations. This legislation is far too distinguished Republican leader to find important to be politicized by the introduc- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- out if cloture ever has to be filed on pore. The majority leader. tion of non-germane, controversial amend- the 9/11 bill. But I would hope we could ments and debate, particularly those relat- gain this extra 30 hours and move to it f ing to Iraq. Attention to both issues is criti- cally important. As such, each deserves sepa- right away. We could get the opening EASTER RECESS rate deliberation. statements out of the way and some Mr. REID. Mr. President, finally, let We urge you to act now to protect America amendments offered today. me say this. I have had a number of by passing stand-alone, comprehensive secu- I had a leadership meeting at 9 people come to me during the last sev- rity legislation under S. 4 based on the 9/11 o’clock this morning. I told the Sen- eral days. In fact, I got a call in Ne- Commission blueprint without complications ators there they better be ready for vada.