October 23, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 20 27893 SENATE—Tuesday, October 23, 2007 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the spear’’ in every one of this Nation’s called to order by the Honorable JON chair as Acting President pro tempore. wars, and they will never be stopped by TESTER, a Senator from the State of f a terrorist’s suicide attack. This No- Montana. vember, the country will celebrate the RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today’s Corps’ 232nd birthday, and thank them LEADER opening prayer will be offered by Cap- for defending our freedoms. tain Margaret Kibben, United States The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- By taking the fight to the terrorists Navy. pore. The Republican leader is recog- wherever they hide, the Marines have nized. put terrorists on the defensive, making PRAYER f it less likely they will hit us again here The guest chaplain offered the fol- at home. By their courage on the bat- lowing prayer: MARKING THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. MARINE BARRACKS tlefield and constant risk of danger, to- Let us pray. day’s Marines honor every 1 of their Gracious Creator, whose presence BOMBING IN BEIRUT, LEBANON forebears who died defending our coun- permeates like sunlight, whose mercy Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, try. is revealed through Your ceaseless normally the majority leader would America still remembers her brave compassion, and whose authority has proceed first. Since he is not on the men and women lost in the Marine bar- called the world into being, we call on floor at the moment, I wish to make a racks bombing of 1983. We honor them You to bring forth this day in accord- few remarks on leader time here as we and their families for their sacrifice. ance with Your grace plan. get started. We continue to fight terror today with As the men and women who serve in I rise today in honor of the 241 U.S. a steady hand, even if it is at times the Senate gather together in this marines, sailors, and soldiers who were paired with a heavy heart. And we are Chamber to exercise the processes of killed in a despicable suicide bombing proud of the brave men and women who power and politics, remind them that it attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in fight for their country against the is Your transcendence that presides Beirut, Lebanon. That attack occurred would-be terrorists of today and tomor- over today’s deliberations, Your mer- 24 years ago today on October 23, 1983. ciful will that guides the political de- President Ronald Reagan had dis- row. bate, and Your ultimate authority that patched U.S. forces in 1982 to maintain Mr. President, I yield the floor. is the source and foundation of their the peace in Lebanon. On the morning f objectives. of October 23, one Lebanese terrorist RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME So reminded, ordain these elected of- drove a truck packed with explosives The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ficials this day to wield this Nation’s through three guard posts and a legislative power guided by Your pres- pore. Under the previous order, the barbed-wire fence, straight into the leadership time is reserved. ence; to engage in partisan discourse in lobby of the U.S. Marine Corps’ head- response to Your mercy; and to align quarters. The bomb exploded with the f their objectives in accordance with force of 18,000 pounds of dynamite. It DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, Your authority, so that all that is said transformed the four-story cinder HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, and done here may reflect Your pres- block building into rubble. AND EDUCATION APPROPRIA- ence, Your mercy, and Your power. It was so powerful, the U.S. District TIONS ACT, 2008 We stand in Your grace and pray in Court for the District of Columbia Your holy Name. Amen. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- later described it as ‘‘the largest non- pore. Under the previous order, the f nuclear explosion that had ever been Senate will resume consideration of PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE detonated on the face of the Earth.’’ H.R. 3043, which the clerk will report. Some of the men and women lost The assistant legislative clerk read The Honorable JON TESTER led the that day were murdered in their sleep. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: as follows: Others who saw the truck come crash- A bill (H.R. 3043) making appropriations I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ing in may have seen the face of the United States of America and to the Repub- for the Departments of Labor, Health and lic for which it stands, one nation under God, enemy as their last sight on Earth. Ei- Human Services, and Education and related indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ther way, 241 Americans wearing their agencies for the fiscal year ending Sep- tember 30, 2008, and for other purposes. f country’s uniform were killed in a bru- tal attack that shocked America and Pending: APPOINTMENT OF ACTING the world. Harkin/Specter amendment No. 3325, in the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Five Kentuckians were among the 241 nature of a substitute. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The who died in that attack. They were: Vitter amendment No. 3328 (to amendment clerk will please read a communication PFC Sidney James Decker, U.S. Marine No. 3325), to provide a limitation on funds to the Senate from the President pro Corps, of Clarkson, KY; LCpl Virgil D. with respect to preventing the importation Hamilton, U.S. Marine Corps, of by individuals of prescription drugs from tempore (Mr. BYRD). Canada. The assistant clerk read the fol- McDowell, KY; Hospital Corpsman 3rd Dorgan amendment No. 3345 (to amend- lowing letter: Class Robert S. Holland, U.S. Navy, of ment No. 3325), to require that the Secretary U.S. SENATE, Gilbertsville, KY; SGT Thomas C. of Labor report to Congress regarding jobs PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Keown, U.S. Marine Corps, of Louis- lost and created as a result of the North Washington, DC, October 23, 2007. ville, KY; and SGT Daniel S. Kluck, American Free Trade Agreement. To the Senate: U.S. Army, of Owensboro, KY. Ensign amendment No. 3342 (to amendment Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, Terrorists and their favorite tactic— No. 3325), to prohibit the use of funds to ad- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby the suicide attack—are still with us minister Social Security benefit payments appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- under a totalization agreement with Mexico. ator from the State of Montana, to perform today. Thankfully for America, so are Ensign amendment No. 3352 (to amendment the duties of the Chair. the U.S. Marines. No. 3325), to prohibit the use of funds to proc- ROBERT C. BYRD, Founded in 1775, the U.S. Marine ess claims based on illegal work for purposes President pro tempore. Corps has been ‘‘at the tip of the of receiving Social Security benefits. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 13:30 Aug 05, 2010 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR07\S23OC7.000 S23OC7 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD 27894 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 20 October 23, 2007 Lautenberg/Snowe amendment No. 3350 (to AMENDMENT NO. 3437 We didn’t pull the wool over anyone’s amendment No. 3325), to prohibit the use of (Purpose: To prohibit the use of funds to eyes; we provided clear information funds to provide abstinence education that modify certain HIV/AIDS funding formulas) about the implications about those includes information that is medically inac- At the appropriate place in title II, insert funding formulas. Now, with one sim- curate. the following: ple pen stroke, the House majority Roberts amendment No. 3365 (to amend- SEC. ll. Notwithstanding any other pro- ment No. 3325), to fund the small business vision of law, no funds shall be made avail- would like to undo all of those care- childcare grant program. able under this Act to modify the HIV/AIDS fully crafted, bipartisan, bicameral Coburn amendment No. 3358 (to amend- funding formulas under title XXVI of the compromises and insert a new hold- ment No. 3325), to require Congress to pro- Public Health Service Act. harmless provision with little thought vide health care for all children in the U.S. Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, at the to how this change will affect others. I before funding special interest pork projects. present time, the last numbers that I am pleased to note that the Senate did Chambliss modified amendment No. 3391 saw, Congress’s approval rating was 12 not include this egregious provision, (to amendment No. 3325), to provide for a percent. There is a reason for that. We and I hope today the Senate will go on declaration of a public health emergency have been nibbling around the edges on record for opposing doing so. with respect to Sumter County, GA. a lot of things, and we have been doing Cardin amendment No. 3400 (to amendment What is even more ridiculous is that No. 3325), to provide support to Iraqis and Af- earmarks. I have an amendment that this provision primarily benefits San ghans who arrive in the United States under deals with one of the most egregious Francisco, a city that continues to re- the Special Immigrant Visa program. earmarks I have seen.