[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 78 (Friday, June 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, our valiant troops are now serving in their 
fourth year in Iraq. Day after day, they have demonstrated courage, 
skill, and bravery. They do not ask for much. But all of us owe them a 
lot.
  At the top of the list of things we owe them is an honest debate 
about what is going on in Iraq.
  Yesterday, Democrats offered an amendment to express the sense of the 
Senate that Iraq not grant amnesty to terrorists who kill our troops as 
part of their reconciliation plan. The amendment came in response to 
reports that the Iraqi Prime Minister was in favor of such a proposal.
  But instead of joining us in a debate about this amendment, the 
majority, the Republicans, decided to play a political game and quickly 
claimed the Iraqi Prime Minister had been ``misquoted'' and offered 
some procedural gimmicks to stop a vote from taking place on this 
amendment.
  But, just this morning, there is more news that the Prime Minister 
has talked about and does favor amnesty to those Iraqis who kill 
American troops. It is all over the country in the news. For example, 
it is on page 22 of the Washington Post. The aide who first leaked the 
story has now resigned, but he stands by what he said. Today, he is 
quoted as saying:

       The prime minister himself has said that he is ready to 
     give amnesty to the so-called resistance, provided they have 
     not been involved in killing Iraqis.

  What that says is just what we said yesterday: Amnesty will be 
granted to those who kill Americans, but not to those who hurt Iraqis.
  I think this sounds like it deserves the Senate's attention. Doesn't 
it seem like we should weigh in on this, and tell the Iraqis there will 
be no ``get out of jail free'' cards for those who kill our troops?
  We should have had that debate yesterday. But instead of having the 
debate, the Republicans cut and run from the debate. In effect, they 
are filibustering their own Defense authorization bill, not allowing 
the matter to move forward--stopped in midday. It does not make sense. 
Until we know exactly where the Iraqis stand, President Bush must come 
forward and tell the Iraqis to stand down.
  Terrorists who kill our troops should not be set free. Our soldiers 
have given too much in the name of Iraqi freedom.
  Mr. President, there is something else we owe our troops: an 
acknowledgment of their tremendous sacrifice.
  Yesterday, as we know, we had a moment of silence in this Chamber 
because we lost our 2,500th troop in Iraq.
  Mr. President, 2,500 of our finest have been killed in Iraq. The 
reason we had a moment of silence is because it was a solemn milestone, 
which we should acknowledge.
  But over at the White House, I guess they have a different feeling. 
They apparently view this sad occasion differently. With all the news 
around the country today, there is a quote from Tony Snow, the 
President's Press Secretary, who said, in response to the news: ``It's 
a number.'' ``It's a number.'' ``It's a number.''
  I say to Tony Snow, and others at the White House, it is more than a 
number. It is somebody's son or daughter. It is someone's father or 
mother, a neighbor, an uncle, or an aunt.
  Nevada has lost 39 soldiers in Iraq--39. Every one of them is more 
than a number. I wonder how--and they are now my friends--two Nevadans, 
who came to visit me before Memorial Day--and they came to the Memorial 
Day ceremonies we had at the Boulder City Veterans Home, where last 
year we buried more than 2,000 veterans--I wonder how John Lukac's and 
William Salazar's parents feel about their sons being just numbers.
  They are not numbers. They are no more numbers than the people who 
have been wounded. They are not numbers. They are people, in many 
instances, who have lost arms or legs or eyes or are paralyzed. They 
are not just numbers.
  I think maybe we should discuss briefly what a Republican Congressman 
said yesterday. I know this man. I know him well. I have been going to 
the House gym for a lot of years. He is a man by the name of Wayne 
Gilchrest. He is my friend. He is a Republican Congressman from 
Maryland.
  We were standing in the House gym. I have known him for many, many 
years. And because of our knowing one another--he was shaving actually, 
with his shirt off. And on his back he had--I noticed it for years--a 
real scar.
  I said: Wayne, what is that scar?
  He said: I was shot.
  I said: Tell me about it.
  He was in Vietnam. He was a sergeant. He raised his arm to fire, and 
as he did that, somebody shot him through the chest. The bullet came 
out of the back. He has a big scar in the back. The words he remembers 
are: ``Sarge's been shot. I hope he's not dead.''
  He survived, but after many months in hospitals. He was a school 
teacher. He came back from Vietnam and taught kids. Now he is a Member 
of Congress, and has been for some time.
  Here is what he said in yesterday's Washington Post:

       I can't help but feel through eyes of a combat-wounded 
     Marine in Vietnam, if someone was shot, you tried to save his 
     life . . . While you were in combat, you had a sense of 
     urgency to end the slaughter, and around here we don't have 
     that sense of urgency.

  That is a direct quote. He went on to say:

       To me, the administration does not act like there's a war 
     going on. The Congress certainly doesn't act like there's a 
     war going on. If you're raising money to keep the majority, 
     if you're thinking about gay marriage, if you're doing all 
     this other peripheral stuff, what does that say to the guy 
     who's about ready to drive over a land mine?

  Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest.
  John Lukac is just a number? William Salazar is just a number?
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Isakson). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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