[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.

[[Page S4489]]

  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.

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