[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4488-S4490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
S. CON. RES. 30 AND S. 351, THE ARMED FORCES TAX FAIRNESS ACT
Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in
support of S. Con. Res. 30 and S. 351, The Armed Forces Tax Fairness
Act.
I am pleased to see so many Americans and communities coming
together, in support of our troops. Here in our nation's capitol, we
think about our troops everyday. We know how hard they all are fighting
for our freedoms and for the freedoms of the Iraqi people. We thank
them for what they are doing and want them to know our thoughts and
prayers are with them and their families.
My colleagues in Congress and I have the opportunity to lighten the
burden service members often encounter while deployed, or upon their
return home, with The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003. This act
would allow the American men and women serving our country at home and
abroad a small, well-deserved thank you in the form of tax benefits and
relief.
This reward for those who defend our freedom would help to ensure
that the men and women who put themselves in harms way when America
calls have peace of mind when it comes to things many take for granted,
like filing tax returns or collecting travel reimbursement. The
provisions of this act will save military families nearly $500 million
in taxes over the next ten years. They deserve nothing less.
Thousands of activated military, National Guard, Reservists, and
their families in my home state of Montana will directly benefit from
this act, and the benefit to members of our armed services on a
national scale is immeasurable. It is important that we continue to
support our soldiers in any way we can, recognizing the sacrifice they
make for the security of our great Nation.
We have the best fighting force in the world. I remain certain that
our troops will succeed in their efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein and
free the Iraqi people. I am confident in our military and know that
this effort will be accomplished as soon as possible so that all our
troops can safely return home to their families.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today the Senate is expressing its
gratitude to the nations of the world that support the U.S.
determination to remove Saddam Hussein from power and eliminate his
regime's weapons of mass destruction. I wholeheartedly endorse this
resolution and the message it sends to the world about so many nations'
view of Saddam Hussein's regime and about the resolve and bravery of
the men and women who have stepped in harm's way to remove the threat
he poses to international peace and basic human decency.
According to press reports, thousands of additional United States
troops have entered Iraq over the last day or so. At the same time,
tens of thousands of their comrades continue their relentless and
courageous march to Baghdad, making all Americans proud as they battle
extreme conditions and irregular--even illegal--tactics by the enemy.
Each day, our admiration of these troops and their performance grows.
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Unfortunately, as well as our troops have performed, much more
fighting apparently lies ahead. Earlier this week, Secretary Rumsfeld
declared that we are closer to the beginning than the end of this
conflict. And press accounts indicate many in the military believe the
conditions in which they will be fighting could get even more
difficult.
Administration reports suggest that the closer our troops get to
Baghdad, the greater the risk that Iraq will resort to chemical or
biological weapons. Apparently, concern is growing within the
administration that desperation could cause Saddam's sympathizers to
resort to the use of poison gas to defend their despicable leader and
his repressive regime.
I recently received a demonstration of what our troops must do to
survive and continue to carry out their mission in an environment
contaminated with toxic agents. While these briefers expressed
confidence our soldiers in Iraq have both the necessary equipment and
training to deal with a chemical attack, I pray the 250,000 American
troops in the gulf--and the British, Australian, and Polish ground
troops fighting alongside them--will not have to make use of that
training. But the very fact that our troops are equipped and trained to
deal with this possibility demonstrates that the risk of a chemical
attack is very real.
All the soldiers in the coalition as well as their governments
deserve our heartfelt appreciation for their willingness for to join us
in this important cause. We owe them each an enormous debt of
gratitude.
Senators Lugar and Biden were right to want to thank those countries
who through their words or deeds have expressed support for our effort
in Iraq. As I have said on a number of occasions, international support
of our effort in Iraq is critical to share the costs and risks of both
the fighting as well as the postwar reconstruction.
According to information provided by the administration, three other
countries--Great Britain, Australia and Poland--have contributed ground
forces to fight alongside the U.S. troops in the region. While we are
grateful for the willingness of any country to stand with us, we are
particularly grateful to these three countries that have deployed their
young people to stand and fight with our troops.
While it may be too late for other countries to provide ground forces
to assist us in the fighting, it is not too late for many others to
back their words up with tangible help for what comes after the
fighting ends. Administration officials indicate they are pressing to
develop additional support as this conflict unfolds. That is the right
thing to do, and I strongly encourage and support those efforts.
We will want the concrete assistance of our friends and allies as the
military effort continues and as we prepare for rebuilding a post-
Saddam Iraq. To that end, this resolution calls on these and other
countries as well as key international organizations to support the
reconstruction and administration of a post-Saddam Iraq.
In closing, Mr. President, allow me to express my debt of gratitude
to the families of the troops carrying out this effort in the Persian
Gulf. Yesterday afternoon, on this floor, Senator Tim Johnson, whose
son Brooks is currently serving in Iraq with the Third Brigade of the
101st Airborne, talked about the intense emotions the families of our
troops and our allies are going through. They never know whether the
next bit of breaking news will include something about their sons or
daughters, mothers or fathers. We owe profound gratitude to them as
well.
I yield the floor.
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I am prepared to yield back the remainder
of our time on the resolution.
Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The question is on adoption of the concurrent resolution.
The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk called the roll.
Mr. REID. I announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry),
the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman), and the Senator from
Georgia (Mr. Miller) are necessarily absent.
I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``Aye''.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ensign). Are there any other Senators in
the Chamber desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 109 Leg.]
YEAS--97
Akaka
Alexander
Allard
Allen
Baucus
Bayh
Bennett
Biden
Bingaman
Bond
Boxer
Breaux
Brownback
Bunning
Burns
Byrd
Campbell
Cantwell
Carper
Chafee
Chambliss
Clinton
Cochran
Coleman
Collins
Conrad
Cornyn
Corzine
Craig
Crapo
Daschle
Dayton
DeWine
Dodd
Dole
Domenici
Dorgan
Durbin
Edwards
Ensign
Enzi
Feingold
Feinstein
Fitzgerald
Frist
Graham (FL)
Graham (SC)
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
Harkin
Hatch
Hollings
Hutchison
Inhofe
Inouye
Jeffords
Johnson
Kennedy
Kohl
Kyl
Landrieu
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Lincoln
Lott
Lugar
McCain
McConnell
Mikulski
Murkowski
Murray
Nelson (FL)
Nelson (NE)
Nickles
Pryor
Reed
Reid
Roberts
Rockefeller
Santorum
Sarbanes
Schumer
Sessions
Shelby
Smith
Snowe
Specter
Stabenow
Stevens
Sununu
Talent
Thomas
Voinovich
Warner
Wyden
NOT VOTING--3
Kerry
Lieberman
Miller
The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 30) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Con. Res. 30
Whereas on September 12, 2002, the President of the United
States, appearing at the United Nations, called on that
institution and its member states to meet their
responsibility to disarm Iraq;
Whereas on November 8, 2002, the United National Security
Council approved Security Council Resolution 1441 under
chapter VII of the United Nations Charter by a vote of 15-0,
giving Iraq a final opportunity to comply with its
disarmament obligations;
Whereas on January 30, 2003, the Prime Ministers of
Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and the United
Kingdom, and the Presidents of the Czech Republic and the
Spanish Government, issued a declaration regarding Security
Council Resolution 1441, wherein they stated that ``[t]he
transatlantic relationship must not become a casualty of the
current Iraqi regime's persistent attempts to threaten world
security . . . The Iraqi regime and its weapons of mass
destruction represent a clear threat to world security. This
danger has been explicitly recognized by the United Nations.
All of us are bound by Security Council Resolution 1441,
which was adopted unanimously.'';
Whereas the January 30, 2003, declaration continued to
state that ``Resolution 1441 is Saddam Hussein's last chance
to disarm using peaceful means. The opportunity to avoid
greater confrontation rests with him . . . Our governments
have a common responsibility to face this threat . . . [T]he
Security Council must maintain its credibility by ensuring
full compliance with its resolutions. We cannot allow a
dictator to systematically violate those resolutions. If they
are not complied with, the Security Council will lose its
credibility and world peace will suffer as a result.'';
Whereas on February 5, 2003, the Foreign Ministers of
Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia issued a
declaration regarding Security Council Resolution 1441,
stating that ``the United States [has] presented compelling
evidence to the United Nations Security Council detailing
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs, its active
efforts to deceive United Nations inspectors, and its links
to international terrorism . . . The transatlantic community,
of which we are a part, must stand together to face the
threat posed by the nexus of terrorism and dictators with
weapons of mass destruction.'';
Whereas the February 5, 2003, declaration continued to
state that ``it has now become clear that Iraq is in material
breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions,
including United Nations Resolution 1441 . . . The clear and
present danger posed by Saddam Hussein's regime requires a
united response from the community of democracies. We call
upon the United Nations Security Council to take the
necessary and appropriate action in response to Iraq's
continuing threat to international peace and security.'';
Whereas many of the supporters of the January 30, 2003, and
February 5, 2003, declarations have provided important
support to the United States in addition to their political
declarations; and
Whereas in addition to the supporters of the January 30,
2003, and February 5, 2003,
[[Page S4490]]
declarations, important diplomatic and strategic support to
the United States-led Coalition to Disarm Iraq have been
provided by such nations as Afghanistan, Angola, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Honduras, Iceland,
Japan, Kuwait, Macedonia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia,
Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, the
Philippines, Rwanda, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, South
Korea, Tonga, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine and Uzbekistan: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That Congress--
(1) commends and expresses the gratitude of the United
States to the nations participating in and contributing to
the Coalition to Disarm Iraq, including--
(A) the supporters of the January 30, 2003, declaration
issued by the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Hungary, Italy,
Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, and the Presidents
of the Czech Republic and the Spanish Government;
(B) the supporters of the February 5, 2003, declaration
issued by the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania,
Slovakia, and Slovenia; and
(C) other allies of the United States who are participating
in or contributing to the Coalition;
(2) expresses sincere gratitude to Australia, Denmark,
Poland, and the United Kingdom, whose military forces have
joined United States Armed Forces to disarm and liberate
Iraq;
(3) expresses sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of
Australia, John Howard, and the President of the Spanish
Government, Jose Maria Aznar, for their courageous support
and strong commitment to the Coalition to Disarm Iraq;
(4) expresses sincere gratitude to other allied nations,
including nations in the Persian Gulf region, for their
military support, logistical support, and other assistance in
the current campaign against the regime of Saddam Hussein in
Iraq;
(5) welcomes and encourages the active involvement and
participation of these countries, other nations, and key
international organizations in the reconstruction and
administration of Iraq after the current conflict in Iraq;
and
(6) commends and expresses the gratitude of the United
States to the military personnel and civilians of the member
states of the Coalition to Disarm Iraq who are serving in
operations against the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and
to the family members of such personnel and civilians who
have borne the burden of sacrifice and separation from their
loved ones during the current conflict in Iraq.
Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mr. McCONNELL. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
subsequent vote be 10 minutes and, at the end of the vote, Senator
Schumer be recognized.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________