[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 41 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2955-S2956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SCHEDULE
Mr. REID. Mr. President, we will shortly vote on the cloture motion
filed by the minority.
Amendments to S. 4
Mr. President, first, let me start with a letter written to me dated
February 26. There was a comparable letter written to the Republican
leader. The letter reads:
It has been exactly 14 years since the first attack on the
World Trade Center; over 5 years since the terrorist attacks
of 9/11; and over 2 years since the 9/11 Commission released
a blueprint for strengthening America's security. The pace of
Congressional response to these wake-up calls has been
glacial.
The House of Representatives has validated its commitment
to improving national security by passing H.R. 1. When S. 4
goes to conference, its provisions must match or surpass the
strength and comprehensiveness of H.R. 1. Failure to act
ratchets up the danger for America. The longer critical
security issues remain unresolved, the more time and options
the terrorists have.
S. 4 should be a clean bill, limited to implementing the
remaining 9/11 Commission recommendations. This legislation
is far too important to be politicized by the introduction of
non-germane, controversial amendments and debate,
particularly those relating to Iraq. Attention to both issues
is critically important. As such, each deserves separate
deliberation.
We urge you to act now to protect America by passing stand-
alone, comprehensive security legislation under S. 4 based on
the 9/11 Commission blueprint without complications regarding
Iraq. The legacy of those whose lives have been taken by
terrorists on American soil is in your hands. Prove to the
families of those killed in 1993 and 2001, and to all
Americans, that this is a new day in Washington, and that
safety and security will finally take precedence over special
interest groups and politics.
Mr. President, the two managers of the bill, Lieberman and Collins,
have followed the admonition of that letter. They have worked very hard
to have a clean bill. That is basically what we have. But I am sorry to
report that of the 100-plus amendments filed, virtually all of them,
except 7, are nongermane. To top it off, what the minority did is
lumped a bunch of these nongermane amendments together and filed
cloture on them.
Here is what the 9/11 families had to say about that. This is a
letter to Senator McConnell, dated March 8, 2007:
As family members who lost loved ones on 9/11, we support
full implementation of the
9/11 Commission recommendations. We are writing out of grave
concern that your recent introduction of highly provocative,
irrelevant amendments will jeopardize the passage of S. 4. It
is inconceivable that anyone in good conscience would
consider hindering implementation of the 9/11 Commission
recommendations and we strongly disagree with these divisive
procedural tactics.
Just as the Iraq war deserves separate debate, so do each
of the amendments you offered. S. 4 should be a clean bill
and debate should conclude this week with a straight up
[[Page S2956]]
or down vote. Each day that passes without implementation of
the remaining 9/11 Commission recommendations, the safety and
security of our nation is at risk.
Tactics such as those you are contemplating, aimed at
endangering the 9/11 bill, sends a signal to America that
partisan politics is alive and well under your leadership.
Both parties must work together to pass this critical
legislation. We, the undersigned, understand the risk of
failure all too well.
It is signed: ``Respectfully,'' Carol Ashley, mother of Janice, who
died, who is a member of Voices of September 11th; Beverly Eckert,
widow of Sean Rooney, who is a member of Families of September 11; Mary
Fetchet, mother of Brad, who died, who is founding director and
president of Voices of September 11th; Carie Lemack, daughter of Judy
Larocque, who died, who is cofounder and president of Families of
September 11.
Mr. President, this is what the 9/11 families have said. The
amendments lumped into one are not germane to the pending bill. That is
without any question or debate. It is a collection of far-reaching
immigration and criminal law provisions that have never been considered
by the Judiciary Committee--never. Senator Leahy said he would be happy
to do that. They have never been considered.
These are complex matters which should not be considered on the
Senate floor in this manner, especially on this very sensitive
legislation. For example, one part of the amendment would overturn a
recent Supreme Court decision. Now, remember, seven of the nine members
of the Supreme Court are Republicans. They wrote the opinion. They want
it overturned. Another part of the amendment would say visa revocations
can never, ever be reviewed by any court.
The cloture motion was nothing more than an effort to delay passage
of the 9/11 Commission bill. We need to move forward on this vital
legislation.
I again ask everyone to listen to the words of the family members of
those who perished on September 11. I have read those into the Record.
We have, as I speak, these women and others who are watching what we do
here today. I hope Senator Lieberman and Senator Collins can go forward
and complete this legislation without this. It is just absolutely hard
to comprehend that this is what is being attempted on this bill.
I respectfully suggest, as they said in this letter, ``It is
inconceivable that anyone in good conscience would consider hindering
implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. . . .'' That is
what they said, not what I said. ``Each day that passes without
implementation of the . . . 9/11 Commission recommendations [risks] the
safety and security of our nation. . . .'' That is what they said, not
what I said. ``Tactics such as [these],'' they write to Senator
McConnell, `` . . . are . . . aimed at endangering the 9/11 bill, [and
it] sends a signal to America that [is inappropriate].''
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