[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 121 (Monday, September 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S9005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, the second subject I address is a resolution 
the White House has sent Congress for consideration of Presidential 
authority to deal with the problem of Iraq. There have been questions 
raised this weekend about the language of the resolution and the need, 
in some people's minds, to define it and provide greater definition.
  My own view is the President and his administration did a very good 
job at crafting a resolution which will give the President the 
authority he needs to do the things we understand have to be done. I am 
a little worried about trying to be too cute in drafting language that 
will constrain the President in a variety of ways, not because we do 
not want to know what the President has in mind, but because we do not 
want to come back to the Congress every time the President needs some 
additional component of authority in fighting this war on terror.
  The immediate need is to grant the authority to follow up on the 
resolutions that were violated by Saddam Hussein, and that if the 
United Nations is not going to take action, and it is not, then for the 
United States to be able to do that. We will pass that resolution by a 
fairly wide margin both in the House of Representatives and in the 
Senate. I am hoping Members of this body will not view it necessary to 
draft the language in such a way that it puts the interests of the 
United States behind the authority of the United Nations.
  The U.S. Government and those who represent the people of America 
will act on behalf of the security interests of the American people. 
That ought to be our first objective, not to try to resurrect the good 
reputation of the United Nations, not to put the U.S. position in a 
subservient role to the Security Council of the United Nations, and not 
to subject our decisionmaking or the President's authority to act to 
approval first of a body in the United Nations.
  I therefore urge my colleagues not to succumb to the temptation of 
inserting language which would submit first to the United Nations and 
then the U.S. Congress.
  It was my understanding--perhaps I should have asked unanimous 
consent before I began to speak--that I would be allotted 20 minutes, 
10 minutes beyond the usual time.
  Mr. REID. We have a limited amount of time. We have Democrats that 
need to speak.
  I am sorry, but I have to object.
  Mr. KYL. Might I then have 30 seconds to explain that I had been told 
that I would have 20 minutes, and I have calibrated my remarks to 
reflect that? I regret I will not be able to finish these remarks.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I apologize to the Senator. We on this side 
have speakers who wish to speak. If the entire allotted time is not 
used--I think it will be; we have our time allotted--perhaps the 
Senator wants to wait around to see if Democrats show up when they are 
supposed to.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair observes that the 
minority controls 8 minute 16 seconds.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I ask that the Senator from New Mexico be allocated the 
8 minutes.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator may proceed.

                          ____________________