[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 49 (Thursday, April 8, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4053-S4058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 334--DESIGNATING MAY 2004 AS NATIONAL ELECTRICAL 
                              SAFETY MONTH

  Mr. FITZGERALD (for himself and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 334

       Whereas hundreds of individuals die and thousands are 
     injured each year in electrical accidents;
       Whereas there are on average 870 civilian deaths annually 
     related to home fires caused by electrical distribution, 
     appliances and equipment, and heating and air conditioning 
     systems;
       Whereas more than 2 people are electrocuted in the home, 
     and 4 more in the workplace, each week;
       Whereas property damage due to home fires caused by 
     electrical distribution, appliances and equipment, and 
     heating and air conditioning systems amounts to nearly 
     $1,600,000,000 annually;
       Whereas following basic electrical safety precautions can 
     help prevent injury or death to thousands of individuals each 
     year;
       Whereas citizens are encouraged to check their home and 
     workplace for possible electrical hazards to help protect 
     lives and property;
       Whereas citizens are encouraged to test their smoke 
     detectors and ground fault circuit interrupters monthly and 
     after every major electrical storm; and
       Whereas the efforts of the Electrical Safety Foundation 
     International (ESFI) and the United States Consumer Product 
     Safety Commission (CPSC) promote and educate the public about 
     the importance of respecting electricity and practicing 
     electrical safety in the home, school, and workplace: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates May 2004 as ``National Electrical Safety 
     Month''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the

[[Page S4054]]

     United States to observe the month with appropriate programs 
     and activities.
                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 335--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT MAJOR 
LEAGUE BASEBALL CLUBS AND THEIR PLAYERS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO 
   ADOPT A DRUG-TESTING POLICY THAT EFFECTIVELY DETERS MAJOR LEAGUE 
      BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM USING ANABOLIC STEROIDS AND ANY OTHER 
 PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING SUBSTANCES THAT CREATE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 
 FOR, AND POSE A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK TO, SUCH PLAYERS AND THE CHILDREN 
                     AND TEENAGERS WHO EMULATE THEM

  Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Breaux, Mr. 
Allen, and Mr. Dorgan) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 335

       Whereas, the sport of baseball is widely considered 
     America's pastime and an institution inextricably interwoven 
     into the fabric of our culture;
       Whereas, anabolic steroids are substances that are 
     chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone and 
     promote muscle growth;
       Whereas, anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled 
     substances under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 
     et seq.);
       Whereas, certain products are sold legally in the United 
     States that promote muscle growth in a manner similar to 
     anabolic steroids;
       Whereas, medical experts warn that the health consequences 
     associated with the human use of anabolic steroids or other 
     similar performance-enhancing substances can be dire;
       Whereas, medical experts warn that anabolic steroids and 
     other similar performance-enhancing substances can have 
     particularly serious adverse health effects on children and 
     teenagers;
       Whereas, these adverse health effects include stunted 
     growth, scarring acne, hair loss, dramatic mood swings, 
     hormonal imbalances, liver and kidney damage, a higher risk 
     of heart disease and stroke later in life, as well as an 
     increased propensity to demonstrate aggressive behavior, 
     commit suicide, and commit crimes;
       Whereas, the dangerous and anti-competitive effects of 
     anabolic steroids when used by Major League Baseball players 
     were acknowledged but not adequately addressed by the 30 
     Major League Baseball clubs and the Major League Baseball 
     Players Association in their September 30, 2002, Collective 
     Bargaining Agreement;
       Whereas, the September 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement 
     does not allow for the imposition of a suspension or fine for 
     a first-time violation of the League steroids policy;
       Whereas, the September 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement 
     does not allow Major League Baseball players to be subjected 
     to more than one unannounced drug test per season;
       Whereas, the September 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement 
     does not prohibit the use of certain performance-enhancing 
     substances that, although legal, promote muscle growth and 
     pose a serious health risk to users;
       Whereas, notwithstanding the 2002 Collective Bargaining 
     Agreement, the prevalence of the use by Major League Baseball 
     players of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing 
     substances that promote muscle growth and pose a serious 
     health risk, at the very least, appears to be significant; 
     and
       Whereas, the use of anabolic steroids and other 
     performance-enhancing substances that promote muscle growth 
     and pose a serious health risk to children and teenagers 
     continues to rise: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the use of performance-enhancing substances such as 
     anabolic steroids poses a health risk, especially to children 
     and teenagers;
       (2) the use of athletic performance-enhancing substances 
     such as anabolic steroids to gain a competitive advantage is 
     tantamount to cheating;
       (3) there is sufficient evidence that children and 
     teenagers tend to emulate professional athletes;
       (4) the effectiveness of the 2002 Collective Bargaining 
     Agreement to deter Major League Baseball players from using 
     performance-enhancing substances such as anabolic steroids 
     has been called into question;
       (5) Major League Baseball and its players should exercise 
     their collective bargaining authority to negotiate and adopt 
     a more stringent drug-testing policy that is sufficient to 
     effectively deter Major League Baseball players from using 
     anabolic steroids or other similar performance-enhancing 
     substances to gain a competitive advantage; and
       (6) taking such a step would help--
       (A) to preserve the integrity of the game of professional 
     baseball;
       (B) to protect the health of Major League Baseball players; 
     and
       (C) to discourage the use of performance-enhancing 
     substances such as anabolic steroids by children and 
     teenagers who seek to emulate professional athletes.
                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 336--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT PUBLIC 
SERVANTS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND CONTINUED SERVICE 
TO THE NATION DURING PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK, MAY 3 THROUGH 9, 
                                  2004

  Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Collins, Mr. Lieberman, 
Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Levin) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs:

                              S. Res. 336

       Whereas Public Service Recognition Week provides an 
     opportunity to honor and celebrate the commitment of men and 
     women who meet the needs of the Nation through work at all 
     levels of government;
       Whereas over 18,000,000 individuals work in government 
     service in every city, county, and State across America and 
     in hundreds of cities abroad;
       Whereas Federal, State, and local officials perform 
     essential services the Nation relies upon every day;
       Whereas the United States of America is a great and 
     prosperous nation, and public service employees contribute 
     significantly to that greatness and prosperity;
       Whereas the Nation benefits daily from the knowledge and 
     skills of these highly trained individuals;
       Whereas public servants--
       (1) help the Nation recover from natural disasters and 
     terrorist attacks;
       (2) provide vital strategic support functions to our 
     military and serve in the National Guard and Reserves;
       (3) fight crime and fire;
       (4) deliver the United States mail;
       (5) deliver social security and medicare benefits;
       (6) fight disease and promote better health;
       (7) protect the environment and the Nation's parks;
       (8) defend and secure critical infrastructure;
       (9) teach and work in our schools and libraries;
       (10) improve and secure our transportation systems;
       (11) keep the Nation's economy stable; and
       (12) defend our freedom and advance United States interests 
     around the world;
       Whereas public servants at every level of government are 
     hard-working men and women, committed to doing their jobs 
     regardless of the circumstances;
       Whereas members of the uniformed services and civilian 
     employees at all levels of government make significant 
     contributions to the general welfare of the United States, 
     and are on the front lines in the fight against terrorism and 
     in maintaining homeland security;
       Whereas public servants work in a professional manner to 
     build relationships with other countries and cultures in 
     order to better represent America's interests and promote 
     American ideals;
       Whereas Federal, State, and local government employees have 
     risen to the occasion and demonstrated professionalism, 
     dedication, and courage while fighting the war against 
     terrorism;
       Whereas public servants alert Congress and the public to 
     government waste, fraud, abuse, and dangers to public health;
       Whereas the men and women serving in the Armed Forces of 
     the United States, as well as those skilled trade and craft 
     Federal employees who provide support to their efforts, 
     contribute greatly to the security of the Nation and the 
     world;
       Whereas government workers have much to offer, as 
     demonstrated by their expertise, and serve as examples by 
     passing on institutional knowledge to train the next 
     generation of public servants;
       Whereas May 3 through 9, 2004, has been designated Public 
     Service Recognition Week to honor America's Federal, State, 
     and local government employees;
       Whereas the theme for Public Service Recognition Week 2004 
     is Celebrating Government Workers Nationwide to highlight the 
     important work civil servants perform throughout the Nation; 
     and
       Whereas Public Service Recognition Week is celebrating its 
     20th anniversary through job fairs, student activities, and 
     agency exhibits: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends public servants for their outstanding 
     contributions to this great Nation;
       (2) salutes their unyielding dedication and spirit for 
     public service;
       (3) honors those government employees who have given their 
     lives in service to their country;
       (4) calls upon a new generation of workers to consider a 
     career in public service as an honorable profession; and
       (5) encourages efforts to promote public service careers at 
     all levels of government.

[[Page S4055]]

                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 337--EXPRESSING THE APPRECIATION OF THE SENATE FOR 
                   THE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

  Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Graham of Florida, Mr. 
Miller, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Graham of South Carolina, Mr. 
Akaka, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Bond, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Bunning, and 
Mr. Stevens) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 337

       Whereas for 58 years Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a 
     veterans service organization chartered by Congress, has 
     served the needs of its members, veterans of the Armed Forces 
     who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America, with 34 chapters and 
     6 subchapters, has a stated mission to be a leading advocate 
     for quality health care for its members through the health 
     care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
     Department network of Spinal Cord Injury Centers, and other 
     private and public health care providers;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America, with 57 service 
     offices and a network of service officers, has helped its 
     members and hundreds of thousands of other veterans receive 
     the benefits and health care they have earned through service 
     in the Armed Forces;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America is a leader in 
     medical and prosthetic research, funding two research 
     foundations that investigate a broad spectrum of neurological 
     science to seek a cure for spinal cord injury as well as 
     breakthroughs in rehabilitation to improve the quality of 
     life of all Americans with spinal cord injury or dysfunction;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America is a leading advocate 
     within the veterans community in the Nation's capital, making 
     certain the needs of its members are recognized by Congress 
     and the Executive Branch of the Federal Government;
       Whereas the Advocacy Program of Paralyzed Veterans of 
     America joins the disability community in seeking to ensure 
     civil rights and access to transportation, housing, and the 
     physical environment for individuals with disabilities in 
     order to maximize the independence of all Americans with 
     disabilities;
       Whereas through its architecture programs, Paralyzed 
     Veterans of America is a leading force in barrier-free 
     design, serving as consultant in the public and private 
     sector to ensure a barrier-free physical environment for all 
     Americans with disabilities;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America has one of the 
     Nation's largest wheelchair sports programs, fostering a wide 
     range of sporting, indoor, and outdoor recreational events to 
     encourage physical activity and comradeship so vital to the 
     ongoing rehabilitation of its members;
       Whereas Paralyzed Veterans of America is designating the 
     week of April 11 through 17, 2004, as Paralyzed Veterans of 
     America Awareness Week in order to support a wide variety of 
     programs designated to highlight the services it provides 
     nationwide and promote recognition of the sacrifice its 
     members have made on behalf of a grateful Nation: Now 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) salutes Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) during 
     Paralyzed Veterans of America Awareness Week, the week of 
     April 11 through 17, 2004; and
       (2) encourages all Americans to acknowledge and express 
     their appreciation for the past and on-going contributions of 
     Paralyzed Veterans of America to disabled veterans and to all 
     other Americans with disabilities.
                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 338--CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT TO DESIGNATE APRIL 16, 
      2004, AS NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Allen, Mr. 
Bayh, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Cochran, Mr. 
Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Domenici, 
Mr. Durbin, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Mikulsi, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
Schumer, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Craig, and Mr. Johnson) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 338

       Whereas National Youth Service Day is an annual public 
     awareness and education campaign that highlights the amazing 
     contributions that young people make to their communities 
     throughout the year;
       Whereas the goals of National Youth Service Day are to 
     mobilize youths as leaders to identify and address the needs 
     of their communities through service and service-learning, to 
     support youth on a lifelong path of service and civic 
     engagement, and to educate the public, the media, and 
     policymakers about the year-round contributions of young 
     people as community leaders;
       Whereas young people in the United States are volunteering 
     more than has any generation in American history;
       Whereas the ongoing contributions young people make to 
     their communities throughout the year should be recognized 
     and encouraged;
       Whereas young people should be viewed as the hope not only 
     of tomorrow, but of today, and should be valued for the 
     inherent idealism, energy, creativity, and commitment that 
     they employ in addressing the needs of their communities;
       Whereas there is a fundamental and absolute correlation 
     between youth service and lifelong adult volunteering and 
     philanthropy;
       Whereas a sustained investment by the Federal Government 
     and commitment by corporate partners fuels the positive, 
     long-term cultural change that will make service and service-
     learning the common expectation and common experience of all 
     youth;
       Whereas, through volunteer service and related learning 
     opportunities, young people build character and learn 
     valuable skills, including time management, teamwork, needs-
     assessment, and leadership, that are sought by employers;
       Whereas service-learning, an innovative teaching method 
     combining service to the community with a classroom 
     curriculum, is a proven strategy to increase academic 
     achievement;
       Whereas private foundations and corporations support youth 
     service and service-learning because they believe that strong 
     communities begin with strong schools and a community 
     investment in the lives and futures of youth;
       Whereas National Youth Service Day is a program of Youth 
     Service America, and is being observed in 2004 for the 16th 
     consecutive year;
       Whereas Youth Service America continues to expand National 
     Youth Service Day, now engaging millions of young people 
     nationwide with 50 Lead Agencies in nearly every State to 
     organize activities across the United States;
       Whereas Youth Service America has expanded National Youth 
     Service Day to involve over 90 national partners;
       Whereas National Youth Service Day has inspired Global 
     Youth Service Day, which occurs concurrently in 127 countries 
     and is now in its fifth year; and
       Whereas young people will benefit greatly from expanded 
     opportunities to engage in meaningful volunteer service: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. RECOGNITION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF YOUTH COMMUNITY 
                   SERVICE.

       The Senate recognizes and commends the significant 
     contributions of American youth and encourages the 
     cultivation of a common civic bond among young people 
     dedicated to serving their neighbors, their communities, and 
     the Nation.

     SEC. 2. NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY.

       (a) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the President should designate April 16, 2004, as 
     ``National Youth Service Day''.
       (b) Proclamation.--The Senate requests that the President 
     issue a proclamation--
       (1) designating April 16, 2004, as ``National Youth Service 
     Day''; and
       (2) calling on the people of the United States to--
       (A) observe the day by encouraging and engaging youth to 
     participate in civic and community service projects;
       (B) recognize the volunteer efforts of our Nation's young 
     people throughout the year; and
       (C) support these efforts as an investment in the future of 
     our Nation.
                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 339--URGING THE PRESIDENT TO IMMEDIATELY INSTRUCT THE 
 SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO RESPECTIVELY BEGIN 
   INITIATING CONSULTATIONS WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS 
     SECURITY COUNCIL CONCERNING A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL 
   RESOLUTION FOR IRAQ, AND WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NORTH 
  ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) CONCERNING A MANDATE FOR A NATO 
  COMMITMENT FOR SECURITY IN IRAQ, WITH THE GOAL OF SECURING BOTH NOT 
                        LATER THAN MAY 15, 2004

  Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. Corzine, and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 339

       Whereas there are currently as many as 150,000 military 
     personnel stationed in Iraq, including more than 100,000 from 
     the United States and approximately 24,000 from coalition 
     member nations;
       Whereas United States military personnel in Iraq continue 
     to perform their duties with the highest degree of 
     professionalism, patriotism, and heroism;
       Whereas more than 600 United States military service 
     members have lost their lives and more than 2,988 have been 
     wounded in action in Iraq since the beginning of military 
     action in March 2003;

[[Page S4056]]

       Whereas since March 2003, the United States has allocated 
     at least $110,000,000,000 for military action, relief, 
     reconstruction, and security operations in Iraq;
       Whereas on June 30, 2004, the United States is scheduled to 
     turn over control of Iraq to a Transitional Iraqi Government;
       Whereas the creation of a stable, secure, and democratic 
     Iraq will strengthen regional, international, and United 
     States national security;
       Whereas following recent violent unrest in Baghdad and 
     Fallujah, the United States Central Command Chief, General 
     John Abizaid, asked United States military staff to examine 
     options for sending more troops to Iraq;
       Whereas a significant North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (NATO) security presence in Iraq would greatly reduce the 
     threat to United States service members currently stationed 
     in that country;
       Whereas a United Nations and a NATO presence in Iraq would 
     lessen the financial burden on the United States;
       Whereas NATO has played an integral role in efforts to 
     restore and maintain order in Bosnia, Kosovo, and 
     Afghanistan;
       Whereas a comprehensive NATO mandate for peacekeeping 
     operations and a comprehensive United Nations mandate for 
     nation-building in Iraq would greatly increase the legitimacy 
     of the presence of the United States and other members of the 
     international community in that country, as well as the 
     chances of success in establishing a democratic and stable 
     nation for the Iraqi people; and
       Whereas such a United Nations mandate will not be 
     achievable without the adoption of a United Nations Security 
     Council Resolution establishing such mandate: Now, therefore 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) applauds the dedication, professionalism, and 
     patriotism of United States military service members serving 
     in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world, and remains 
     committed to providing them with all the resources that they 
     need to return home safely when their missions are complete;
       (2) reaffirms its commitment to the creation of a stable, 
     secure, and democratic Iraq;
       (3) recognizes the important role that a United Nations 
     mandate to assist the new Iraqi Government and a North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mandate for peacekeeping 
     in Iraq could play in achieving these goals;
       (4) urges the President to immediately instruct the 
     Secretary of State to begin initiating consultations with 
     other members of the United Nations Security Council 
     concerning the United Nations mandate for Iraq, with the goal 
     of securing a United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     authorizing such mandate not later than May 15, 2004; and
       (5) urges the President to immediately instruct the 
     Secretary of Defense to initiate consultations with the 
     Secretary General of NATO and other NATO members with the 
     goal of securing a decision by NATO not later than May 15, 
     2004, to deploy forces in Iraq beginning June 30, 2004, in 
     order to assist Iraqi military and security forces and to 
     establish and maintain a security umbrella to facilitate the 
     work of the United Nations and the interim Iraqi government 
     in building democratic institutions and preparing for 
     nationwide elections in 2005.

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I know that all of my colleagues have been 
reading the recent reports of increasing violence in Iraq. What once 
seemed to be a small insurgency could possibly be developing into a 
larger revolt. And this rapidly growing and violent opposition to the 
United States presence in that country is placing American service 
members at great risk. It is also threatening our goal of securing a 
stable and democratic Iraq. Taken together, I believe that this 
situation makes it all the more clear what many of us have been urging 
all along--that we need to internationalize our efforts in Iraq now. 
Today, I am submitting a Sense of the Senate resolution urging the 
President to do just that.
  As my colleagues know, there are well over 100,000 United States 
servicemen and -women currently stationed in Iraq. And while our troops 
are going through rotations that are scheduled to leave this number 
somewhere around 100,000, I would point out that the recent upsurge in 
violence in that country has prompted U.S. Central Command Chief 
General John Abizaid to ask his military staff to examine options for 
sending more U.S. troops to Iraq.
  Despite claims by some in the Bush administration that this is not a 
necessity, it is certain that with this increasing instability, the 
demands on our troops will continue to grow. That could very well mean 
that at some point we will need to send more troops to Iraq.
  This is all coming at a time when arguably, the dangers to our troops 
have never been greater. Twelve Marines were killed in a single day of 
hostile action last weekend. Four American contractors were brutally 
slain and mutilated last week. And the situation appears to be getting 
worse.
  Let me be clear. This is not a statement on the abilities of the 
United States military. Our troops--and I know there is complete 
consensus about this--have and continue to perform with the utmost 
professionalism, patriotism, and heroism. Nobody can dispute that. And 
this Senator, for one, remains committed to ensuring that they have 
every tool at their disposal, every resource that they need, to come 
home safely and as expeditiously as possible. My resolution, first and 
foremost, reaffirms these facts.
  But with more than 600 U.S. service members killed and more than 
2,988 wounded since March 2003, the time has come for us to be honest 
about our needs in Iraq. We need an international security presence in 
that country. NATO would be the ideal body to provide such an 
international presence. It has played an important role in efforts to 
restore and maintain order in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. And 
plain and simple, the presence of international troops would reduce the 
risk to U.S. military personnel. My resolution would urge the President 
to instruct the Secretary of Defense to begin consultations with NATO 
with this goal in mind.

  My resolution would also urge the President to instruct the Secretary 
of State to begin consultations with the United Nations Security 
Council concerning a UN Security Council Resolution for Iraq. While 
NATO can help handle the security concerns in Iraq, we need a UN 
presence in that country with respect to efforts to build stable and 
democratic institutions.
  After all, let's be honest, we have a serious lack of international 
credibility for being in Iraq right now. This lack of credibility is 
impeding our abilities to secure our political goals in that country. 
It is preventing the international community from rallying behind us in 
our attempt to build a stable and democratic Iraq--a goal that we all 
share. And it is preventing us from gaining the legitimacy we need 
among average Iraqis which is so vital to the success of our efforts.
  Some might even argue that with the June 30th deadline approximately 
12 weeks away, we are moving backwards in terms of our readiness to 
hand over control to an interim Transitional Iraqi Government.
  This fear was illustrated perfectly by an official from the Coalition 
Provisional Authority (CPA) in an article in today's New York Times. 
Let me quote from that article, which occurs in the context of allied 
and Iraqi security forces' loss of control in the southern Iraqi cities 
of Najaf and Kufa: ``An official in the occupation authority said 
Wednesday that . . . months of efforts to win over the population with 
civil projects and promises of jobs have failed with segments of the 
population.''
  That same official was quoted in the article as saying that ``Six 
months of work is completely gone . . . there is nothing to show for 
it.'' According to the same article, ``government buildings, police 
stations, civil defense garrisons, and other police installations built 
up by Americans had been overrun and stripped bare'' in those cities. I 
ask unanimous consent that this article be printed in the Record.
  This all highlights an important fact--that without getting the 
legitimacy we need to function in Iraq, we will be lacking the most 
basic foundations for ensuring the success of our efforts--efforts for 
which we have already allocated more than $110 billion American 
taxpayer dollars.
  The answer for all of this is simple, and I believe that it has been 
from the beginning. We must engage NATO and the UN with the goal of 
their playing significant roles in Iraq. And we must do it now. NATO 
can help immensely with sharing the security burden. And a UN mandate 
will grant us the legitimacy we need to function in Iraq. It will also 
grant our long time allies, with whom we have been at odds over this 
war, the domestic legitimacy they need to play a part in building 
Iraq's future.
  We now have a choice. We can continue to argue whether these steps 
should have been taken before the war. Or, we can join together in 
urging these steps be taken now. Our men and

[[Page S4057]]

women in uniform deserve it. The American taxpayer deserves it. The 
Iraqi people deserve it. And our national security and the security of 
the world deserve it.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the New York Times, Apr. 8, 2004]

      U.S. Vows To Retake 2 Southern Cities in Hands of Militants

                         (By Christine Hauser)

       Baghdad, Iraq, Apr. 8.--The Sunni and Shiite uprisings 
     against the American-led occupation forces in Iraq continued 
     today throughout the country as the high command of the 
     American military acknowledged that militant fighters had at 
     least partial control of two southern cities.
       Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, the American commander in 
     Iraq, said at a news conference here that Shiite rebels had 
     full control of Kut and partial control in Najaf, but he 
     vowed that American forces would retake the cities.
       ``We are conducting offensives across the battle space to 
     eliminate'' the rebels, he said.
       American troops are confronting resistance by Sunni 
     militants in a volatile region west of Baghdad and by Shiite 
     insurgents in Baghdad and southern Iraq. The two fronts do 
     not appear to be formally linked but seem to be finding and 
     exploiting common ground in their shared opposition to the 
     foreign occupation.
       General Sanchez said today that there may be links between 
     the Shiite and Sunni insurgents at low levels of the 
     resistance movements but offered no further analysis.
       In Baghdad, thousands of Sunni and Shiite protesters held a 
     rally outside the Um al-Qura mosque in solidarity with Sunni 
     countrymen in Falluja, Karbala and other conflict zones, 
     Reuters reported. Similar rallies took place in Mosul and 
     Baquba, north of the capital.
       Militant Shiites were seen delivering food aid to a Sunni 
     mosque in Baghdad as part of a relief effort for the 
     residents of Sunni-dominated Falluja.
       ``We will carry our swords and strike the Americans on 
     their heads,'' a Sunni cleric yelled, Reuters reported.
       The most likely explanation for the coincident eruptions of 
     violence, many Iraqis believe, is that Sunnis and Shiites are 
     each watching the other's assaults, first in Falluja last 
     week and then in other places over the weekend--the Sadr City 
     neighborhood of Baghdad, Kufa, Najaf and at least three other 
     southern cities--sensing that the American forces were 
     overstretched.
       The eruption of violence across the country has also had a 
     wide impact on American allies there, with forces from other 
     nations coming under direct attack, forcing some countries to 
     rethink their commitments to Iraq.
       Among the latest challenges to foreign resolve was a 
     mysterious militant group claiming responsibility for the 
     kidnapping of three Japanese citizens. Al Jazeera television 
     showed images today of the three wearing blindfolds and 
     civilian clothes, a group of men armed with assault rifles 
     surrounding them. The group, which called itself Saraya 
     al-Mujahideen, said it would kill the hostages unless 
     Japan withdrew its forces within three days.
       Japan has about 530 ground troops in Iraq, part of a total 
     planned deployment of 1,100 soldiers for a mission to purify 
     water and carry out other reconstruction tasks.
       Reuters, quoting the South Korean foreign ministry, 
     reported that seven South Korean members of a church group 
     had also been kidnapped by an armed group in Iraq. About 460 
     South Korean medical personnel and military engineers have 
     been in Iraq for nearly a year but are scheduled to return to 
     South Korea after Seoul's planned deployment of up to 3,600 
     troops to the Kurdish region of northern Iraq later this 
     year.
       And an official from the Foreign Office confirmed today 
     that a 37-year-old Briton had been kidnapped, Reuters 
     reported.
       In fighting today, American-led coalition forces in Baghdad 
     destroyed a building used as a base of operations for the 
     militant followers of rebel Shiite cleric, Moktada al-Sadr, 
     CNN reported, quoting an American military official. American 
     troops suffered no casualties and insurgent casualties were 
     ``minimal,'' the official said.
       In Falluja in the Sunni heartland west of Baghdad, where 
     some of the most intense battles have occurred this week, 
     fighting raged between American troops and Sunni rebels loyal 
     to the fallen regime of Saddam Hussein. The director of the 
     main hospital there told Reuters that as many as 300 Iraqis 
     had been killed and at least 400 wounded since Sunday.
       Hospital officials said on Wednesday that several dozen 
     people were killed after Americans fired rockets at a mosque 
     compound in Falluja. American officials said their troops 
     were retaliating against militia members who were firing from 
     the mosque. The mosque itself remained largely intact.
       Mosque loudspeakers broadcast instructions to townspeople 
     to take their dead to a sports stadium for burial, Reuters 
     reported. Fighting has made the town's cemeteries 
     inaccessible.
       Pentagon officials in Washington signaled on Wednesday that 
     they would probably delay bringing home some 25,000 troops as 
     scheduled and probably move reinforcements to the south.
       ``We're facing a test of will, and we will meet that 
     test,'' Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said, adding 
     that the plan to postpone the troop return was part of a plan 
     ``to systematically address the situations we are facing.''
       The intensification of the combat is sapping efforts to lay 
     the foundations for a largely ceremonial transfer of 
     political sovereignty to the Iraqis on June 30.
       An official in the occupation authority said Wednesday that 
     allied and Iraqi security forces had lost control of the key 
     southern cities of Najaf and Kufa to the Shiite militia, 
     conceding that months of effort to win over the population 
     with civil projects and promises of jobs have failed with 
     segments of the population.
       ``Six months of work is completely gone,'' the official 
     said. ``There is nothing to show for it.''
       He cited reports that government buildings, police 
     stations, civil defense garrisons and other installations 
     built up by the Americans had been overrun and then stripped 
     bare, of files, furnishings and even toilet fixtures.
       For the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein a year 
     ago, the Americans found themselves fighting intensely 
     against two main segments of the population, using warplanes, 
     attack helicopters and armored units against the groups the 
     United States had said it came to liberate when it invaded in 
     March last year.
       In a further indication of widening opposition to the 
     allies' presence, Bulgaria has asked the United States to 
     send troops to reinforce its 450-member battalion in Karbala.
       In Falluja, the Marines said they had waged a six-hour 
     battle around the Abdel-Aziz al-Samarri mosque before calling 
     in a Cobra helicopter, which fired a missile. An F-16 dropped 
     a laser-guided bomb, Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne said.
       Elsewhere in Falluja, American forces seized a second place 
     of prayer, the Muadidi mosque, according to The Associated 
     Press. A marine climbed the minaret and fired on guerrilla 
     gunmen, witnesses told the agency. Insurgents fired back, 
     hitting the minaret with rocket-propelled grenades and 
     causing it to partly collapse, the A.P. added.
       Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the chief military spokesman in 
     Iraq, said the Marines did not attack the mosque until it 
     became clear that enemy fighters were inside and using it to 
     cover their attacks.
       He told CNN that under the Geneva Convention, the mosque 
     was protected but that once attacks originated from it, its 
     protected status was moot.
       Much of the Iraqi anger among the Shiites has been fanned 
     by what many here see as a heavy-handed crackdown by American 
     occupation forces on Mr. Sadr, with the closing of his 
     mouthpiece newspaper last week and the announcement of an 
     arrest warrant in connection with a cleric's murder last 
     year.
       ``What is going on now is a huge popular uprising,'' Qais 
     al-Khazali, a spokesman for Mr. Sadr, said in Najaf on 
     Tuesday.
       ``This is a reaction from the Iraqi people, not just from 
     the Shiites,'' he said. ``It is for the Sunni people, too. 
     This intifada unites us.'' Intifada, Arabic for shaking off, 
     is the word used by Palestinians for their struggle against 
     Israel.
       American officials have to balance their security aims 
     without appearing to interfere with a Shiite pilgrimage 
     holiday called Arbaeen, which starts Friday, when millions of 
     Shiites pray at shrines in Najaf and Karbala.
       ``We are weighing our options, thinking very carefully 
     about the way to restore order to Najaf,'' General Kimmitt 
     said. ``But at the same time, doing it in such a manner that 
     does not alienate the pilgrims who are celebrating one of the 
     most important observances of the Muslim calendar.''
                                 ______
                                 

   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 99--CONDEMNING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 
   REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN FOR ITS PARTICIPATION AND COMPLICITY IN THE 
ATTACKS AGAINST INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN THE IMPOVERISHED DARFUR REGION OF 
                             WESTERN SUDAN

  Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. Feingold) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 99

       Whereas, since early 2003, a conflict between forces of the 
     Government of the Republic of the Sudan, including militia 
     forces backed by the Government, and rebel forces in the 
     impoverished Darfur region of western Sudan has resulted in 
     attacks by ground and air forces of the Government of Sudan 
     against innocent civilians and undefended villages in the 
     region;
        Whereas the militia forces backed by the Government of 
     Sudan have also engaged in the use of rape as a weapon of 
     war, the abduction of children, the destruction of food and 
     water sources, and the deliberate and systematic manipulation 
     and denial of humanitarian assistance for the people of the 
     Darfur region;
        Whereas United Nations officials and nongovernmental 
     organizations have indicated

[[Page S4058]]

     that the humanitarian situation in the Darfur region is 
     extremely urgent, particularly in light of restrictions by 
     the Government of Sudan on the delivery of humanitarian 
     assistance for the people of the region;
       Whereas, on December 18, 2003, United Nations 
     Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland 
     declared that the Darfur region was probably ``the world's 
     worst humanitarian catastrophe'';
       Whereas, on February 17, 2004, Amnesty International 
     reported that it ``continues to receive details of horrifying 
     attacks against civilians in villages by government 
     warplanes, soldiers, and pro-government militia'';
       Whereas, on February 18, 2004, United Nations Special Envoy 
     for Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan Tom Eric Vraalsen declared, 
     following a trip to the Darfur region, that ``aid workers are 
     unable to reach the vast majority [of the displaced]'';
        Whereas Doctors Without Borders, the Nobel Peace Prize-
     winning medical humanitarian relief organization and one of 
     the few aid groups on the ground in the Darfur region, 
     reported that the region is the scene of ``catastrophic 
     mortality rates''; and
        Whereas nearly 3,000,000 people affected by the conflict 
     in the Darfur region have remained beyond the reach of aid 
     agencies trying to provide essential humanitarian assistance, 
     and United Nations aid agencies estimate that they have been 
     able to reach only 15 percent of people in need and that more 
     than 700,000 people have been displaced within Sudan in the 
     past year: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) strongly condemns the Government of the Republic of the 
     Sudan for its attacks against innocent civilians in the 
     impoverished Darfur region of western Sudan and for its 
     failure to take effective actions to stop militia attacks on 
     civilians in the region, and demands that the Government of 
     Sudan immediately take actions to cease these attacks;
       (2) calls on the international community to strongly 
     condemn the Government of Sudan for its participation and 
     complicity in these attacks and demand that such attacks 
     cease;
       (3) urges the Government of Sudan to allow the delivery of 
     humanitarian assistance to people in the Darfur region; and
       (4) urges the President to direct the United States 
     Representative to the United Nations to seek an official 
     investigation by the United Nations to determine if crimes 
     against humanity have been committed by the Government of 
     Sudan in the Darfur region.

                          ____________________