[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1985-S1986]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ISSUE OF FAIRNESS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, using some of my leader time, let me 
respond briefly to my good friend, the majority leader.
  The Senate Republicans are fully prepared to have a debate on the 
Iraq war. We were prepared to have a debate on the Iraq war last week. 
We anticipated it. The issue is whether the Senate will operate like 
the House. It will not.
  In the House, they have one Iraq resolution. The minority gets no 
voice at all, up or down, on one proposal. As my good friend, the 
majority leader, and certainly the majority whip said repeatedly over 
the years, the Senate is not the House. Senate Republicans are anxious 
to have the Iraq debate. We are not trying to avoid it in any way, 
whatever. But there will be, at the very least, a proposal that a 
majority of Senate Republicans support in the queue to be considered so 
that we will have an alternative.
  Now, the majority leader and I have had a number of discussions about 
this issue over the week. I am still hopeful we can work this out and 
have a process for going forward that is fair to Senate Republicans. 
However, I am very confident that Senate Republicans will insist on 
having at least one alternative favored by a majority of our Members. 
Again, I am not anticipating that we will end up in the same position 
we were last week. The majority leader and I are continuing to talk 
about it.
  But fundamental fairness is essential on the most important issue 
confronting the country.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, we have two votes scheduled at 10:30. We 
were supposed to have 15 minutes reserved for Senator Leahy and myself, 
and I know Senator Hagel is in the Senate and wants a little time.
  With the majority leader in attendance, I wonder if we might adjust 
the timing so we can talk about these judges at least for a few 
minutes?
  Mr. REID. I say to my friend, the question is an excellent question. 
We have, as the Senator knows, a funeral taking place today for Dr. 
Norwood. We changed the vote around from 11 o'clock until 10:30 today 
so a large contingent of Senators and House Members can attend the 
funeral. If we do not start the votes at 10:30, they will not be able 
to attend.
  Mr. SPECTER. I accept that. May I use the last 4 minutes to speak?
  I will yield to the Senator from Nebraska for a minute.
  Mr. HAGEL. I appreciate that.

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