[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19823-19824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     WORK THE SENATE CAN ACCOMPLISH

  Mr. THOMAS. Madam President, on the issue we have before us, 
obviously, we have many things to do. We have met this morning and we 
have been working on an economic stimulus package, which is very 
necessary and important. We also need to do the ordinary work that is 
always before the Congress--the appropriations.
  I continue to hear all the time from the other side of the aisle that 
we just can't do all these things; we have too much and we can't do 
these things at the same time. It doesn't mean you have to give up 
working on the floor on issues such as appropriations. You can go ahead 
in a committee and do some things with the judiciary and get some of 
those things out here.
  In my State, we happen to have four appointees, all of whom were 
nominated prior to the August recess. None of them has even had 
hearings. That is a problem with the committee, not a problem on the 
floor. It is a problem with moving forward. As we move into this matter 
of internal terrorism, and so on, the U.S. attorneys are going to be 
very important, as are U.S. marshals. Do we have them? No. There is no 
reason we don't have to do one or the other. We can do both of them.
  Frankly, the constant talk that we hear that we didn't do as many 
when you were in the majority is immaterial, whether that is right or 
wrong. The fact is, here is where we are, and we have 50-some judges 
waiting to be approved, with very few in. In the Tenth Circuit, we have 
4 vacancies out of 12. There is no movement to do anything about that.
  So I guess what I am saying is I feel badly about it as well. I would 
like to be moving forward, but they are not happening. We don't get any 
assurance from the chairman of the committee that he is going to do 
anything any differently. All they do is talk about what they did in 
the past. That is immaterial. What we ought to talk about is what we 
are faced with now and the fact that we need to do something about 
that.
  Energy is something that is very important, of course. We have asked 
for a commitment to do something on energy. We have been working at it. 
I am on the Energy Committee. We have worked at it for a couple of 
years, getting things together, trying to get

[[Page 19824]]

something on the floor. It is very important in terms of the United 
States and its economy. It has been very important in terms of us 
getting an energy policy out there. I know the Senator from Nevada 
agrees with that.
  Now it is even more important when we get to where we have nearly 60 
percent of our oil imported, much of it from the Middle East. We find 
ourselves with real difficulties in the Middle East, and it is even 
more important that we get it in there and have an energy policy. All 
we have asked for is a commitment to do that, to move forward. That is 
the reason things are not moving. We get no commitment as to changing 
the things that are not being done. I think that is where we are. It is 
too bad we are in a kind of controversy about it. I think getting a 
commitment from the leadership that we are going to be able to 
accomplish some of these pending things is very important.
  Saying the priority is doing something for Pakistan instead of a 
judge, that is really not a choice. We can do both of those things. We 
can do both of those things, and we can move forward. I wonder how many 
hearings there have been this week on judges. More important, what has 
been brought to the floor?
  I believe we can find a remedy, and I know there are meetings going 
on to secure that remedy. I certainly hope we can continue to find that 
remedy and get ourselves into a position to move forward not only with 
the pending legislation, but also do these things that are very 
important to the operation of Government.
  Of course, now we find ourselves with more and more difficulties in 
terms of internal terrorism and the anthrax issue that is coming up. 
But I can tell you it is the belief among the Members of Congress that 
we are going to take every method of making sure we are safe and that 
our staffs are safe. On the other hand, we can do those things that are 
necessary and we can go forward with the job we have to do. I suspect 
we are here to complete our task.
  I have suggested in the past that maybe we can set some priorities 
and have our priorities established, move forward with them and deal 
with those things that are not being done and say, yes, we are going to 
do it at a certain time. That is really the request. It is not going to 
take long to do some of these things. We need commitments and 
priorities and to be prepared to move forward. But as long as the 
issues that some of the Members are very anxious about are not dealt 
with, obviously there are going to be some efforts to make sure they 
are. That is not a unique situation, by the way. That has happened 
throughout the years, and it is part of the process here, 
unfortunately. But it is part of the process.
  I mentioned yesterday the very process we are going through now was 
gone through last year, and all the evidence is in the Congressional 
Record. The very issues we objected to now were done then.
  So I think we can find a solution. I look forward to seeing that 
solution so that we can commit ourselves to do the things that need to 
be done, to move forward with the other bills. We can do more than one 
thing at a time.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________