[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19054-19055]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       DEBATE ON IRAQ RESOLUTION

  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I did not have the opportunity to hear

[[Page 19055]]

all of the distinguished Republican leader's remarks, but I have a 
pretty good understanding of the tone of his statement and agree very 
much with what I did hear of his remarks.
  Let me say I would pick up where he left off. I want very much for 
this debate to be respectful, to recognize our solemn obligation as 
Senators to debate, and our role in providing advice and consent on 
issues of this import. That will be what we set out to do over the 
course of the next several days.
  In consultation with the Republican leader, I also had hoped we could 
have a prompt debate. That is also part of our motivation in bringing 
the resolution to the floor in the form of a cloture motion this 
afternoon.
  There will be differences of opinion expressed, but there is no 
difference of opinion with regard to our ultimate goal. Our goal is to 
address the very understandable and serious concern shared not only by 
the administration but the American people that we have to address the 
threat that exists today in Iraq, the threat that it poses to us in a 
number of ways but especially with regard to weapons of mass 
destruction.
  It is my hope that debate can begin in earnest today, that people can 
come to the floor to express themselves, to indicate their support and 
their proposals for ways in which we might address this issue through 
resolutions that will be offered over the course of the next several 
days.
  I am confident that as we begin this debate, we will debate with 
every expectation that in spite of what differences exist, the 
similarities will be far greater than the differences; that ultimately 
we can come to some resolution that will bring about perhaps a broad 
bipartisan coalition in support of a resolution that authorizes this 
administration and our country to move forward.
  There is a growing appreciation of the role of the United Nations. 
There is a growing appreciation of the role of the international 
community. There is a recognition that the extent to which we work in 
and through the international community, as we did in 1991, we will do 
it again successfully today.
  I come to the floor with an expectation that there will be an 
opportunity at some point for Senator Levin to introduce his 
resolution. We will have a debate and a vote on that resolution 
sometime next week. We would then lay down--perhaps simultaneously--the 
resolution that has been the subject of negotiations and discussions 
now with the administration over the course of the last couple of 
weeks. Agreement was reached with some members of leadership over the 
course of the last day or so. That certainly will be one of the primary 
vehicles we will address as we consider debate on this issue in the 
coming days.
  I might suggest that it be used as the primary vehicle, although we 
have not entertained a unanimous consent request in that regard.
  It is also my expectation that Senators Biden and Lugar may have an 
amendment that they wish to offer that would go to some of the concerns 
they have with regard to the need for further clarity of that 
resolution. That may be the amendment that would be offered to the 
administration resolution at some point next week.
  In the meantime, Senators are encouraged to come to the floor to 
express themselves in general or to express themselves with regard to 
any one of those specific resolutions or amendments to the resolution.
  I would hope that at some point we could reach an agreement that we 
would have those three votes--a vote on the Levin resolution, a vote on 
the Biden-Lugar amendment to the administration resolution, and then 
ultimately a vote on the administration resolution itself.
  As I said today, I am not prepared to propound it because we have not 
had enough opportunity to consult with colleagues on either side of the 
aisle. I have had many consultations with the distinguished Republican 
leader. It will be our intent to suggest that to our caucuses with the 
hope that we can put that framework in place as we debate this very 
important matter in the days ahead.
  I encourage Senators to come to the floor today, tomorrow, Monday, 
and all next week as we hope to complete our work. My expectation is 
that we would complete our work on this resolution, on this set of 
issues relating to this resolution, sometime by midweek next week.
  I know we are scheduled to have a vote at 4:15. That time has 
arrived.
  I yield the floor.

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