[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12043-S12044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, this is now day 14 of debate on the Defense 
authorization bill. It is day 14 of the current debate. We have all 
been on this bill for a good number of days previously earlier this 
year. During the same time that we have been debating this for the past 
14 days and over the course of the several months that have languished 
in between our last debate on Defense authorization, we have commanders 
and troops in the field who have been fighting bravely our terrorist 
enemies and fulfilling their mission with courage and professionalism.
  By contrast, we in the Senate are redebating old arguments and 
revoting on amendments that have previously been rejected. In fact, 
last week most of the amendments offered by our colleagues on the 
Democratic side had previously been voted on, and the result this time 
around was essentially the same as the result when we voted on these 
amendments previously. In fact, we voted now for the second and third 
time on arbitrary withdrawal dates, on cutting off funding for our war 
efforts, on changing the mission from that recommended by our 
commanders, and on other attempts to micromanage our war efforts from 
the floor of the Senate. Now we may be forced to vote on hate crimes 
legislation which has no relevance to or place in the Defense 
authorization bill.
  Congress should not and Congress cannot legislate our war strategy, 
nor do we have the expertise or constitutional authority to micromanage 
the war. American generals in Iraq, not politicians in Washington, 
should decide how to fight this war.
  I don't condemn my colleagues for a minute for their legitimate Iraq 
policy positions. As Senators, we have the right to offer amendments. 
But again, this is not the time to abandon our military efforts in Iraq 
or to attempt to micromanage our military strategy from thousands of 
miles away. The current Iraq policy debate taking place on the Defense 
authorization bill has already dangerously delayed this critical 
legislation. We all support our troops. This bill contains critical 
provisions that directly support our men and women in uniform.
  Specifically, while we have been redebating and revoting on 
amendments for the second and third time, the Defense authorization 
bill waits for final action. What does it do? This bill directly 
supports our men and women in uniform. It increases the size of the 
Army and the Marine Corps. It provides increased authorization to 
purchase more Mine Resistant Ambush Protected armored vehicles, 
otherwise known as MRAPs, which will save more lives. It provides a 
much needed 3.5-percent pay raise for our troops. It further empowers 
the Army and Air

[[Page S12044]]

Force National Guard as they continue their critical role in our 
warfighting efforts. And it includes the badly needed Wounded Warrior 
legislation that will address the broader issues of patient care which 
we saw manifested at Walter Reed.
  As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I am committed to seeing 
this bill pass the floor of the Senate. It would be a complete failure 
of leadership on our part if we failed to pass this vital measure while 
our men and women are engaged in conflict. Unfortunately, this bill has 
been bogged down by politically motivated Iraq votes the Senate has 
taken many times before. Again, I understand the legitimate differences 
of opinion others may have on our strategy in Iraq, but it demonstrates 
a lack of seriousness about the enemy we face and the needs of our men 
and women in uniform to be here after 14 days of debate and not to have 
passed this critical legislation, particularly as we come up against 
the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

  It is time to put the politics aside. It is time to put aside the 
nondefense related amendments. Every day, our men and women in uniform 
are out there making us proud with their courage and dedication to 
their mission. We should be here doing our job making sure we are 
supporting them by passing this critical legislation.
  There are some legitimate amendments related to the underlying bill 
that we have debated at length, but there are also a lot of amendments 
that are unrelated to the underlying bill. Switching gears and moving 
to hate crimes legislation or to restart the immigration debate on the 
Defense authorization bill, in my view, would be a mistake. It would 
demonstrate a lack of leadership and a lack of good judgment on our 
part when we have men and women in the field who are fighting every 
single day. We need to make sure we get them a Defense authorization 
bill that gives them the pay raise they deserve, that addresses the 
equipment needs they have, that deals with the Wounded Warrior 
legislation, and that cares for our veterans when they come back from 
that conflict. There are so many important things in this underlying 
bill that we need to deal with, and we need to deal with them in a 
timely way.
  I would hope that as the debate gets underway again tomorrow, we will 
be able to come to some final conclusion about this bill and get it 
passed into law without having to get bogged down in what are ancillary 
and unrelated issues, many of which are now, at this late juncture, 
being brought forward.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides to do what is in the national 
interest, the right thing for our men and women in uniform; that is, to 
pass a Defense authorization bill that addresses their fundamental 
needs to make sure they have the funding and support, training and 
equipment they need to do their jobs and complete their mission.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call 
be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________