[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 14895-14897]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       WORLD SECURITY AND ENERGY

  Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I have come to the Chamber this morning to 
talk about energy, an important issue that affects not only our cost of 
living but our Nation's security. But before I do, I wish to say I was 
pleased, as my colleague just mentioned, that last night the Senate 
voted unanimously to recognize the inherent right of our ally, Israel, 
to defend itself against terrorist aggression. Israel has a 
responsibility to protect its citizens, just as the United States does, 
and no nation should have to live under the constant fear of missile 
attacks or kidnapping.
  The recent violence in the Middle East is demonstrating how broad 
this global war against radical Islamic murderers really is and how 
much nations such as Iran and Syria are funding these radical 
extremists. As Israel fights to defend its way of life from Hezbollah 
and Hamas and other radical Islamic terrorist groups, America will 
continue to support their efforts to defend their freedom.
  As we fight to secure our homeland from future attacks by completing 
our mission in Iraq and hunting down terrorists around the world, I am 
proud we took the time last night to recognize Israel's struggle and 
express our solidarity behind them.
  I would like to spend the rest of my time this morning talking about 
the energy crisis we are facing at home. Americans everywhere are 
paying the price.
  For years, Democrats have complained about high energy prices and 
blocked the very solutions that would have lowered them and then 
attempted to blame Republicans for not doing enough.
  American businesses, both large and small, are feeling the pinch. 
Recent estimates show that, since the year 2000, 3.1 million high-wage 
manufacturing jobs have been eliminated and moved overseas, where 
energy supplies are plentiful and costs are lower.
  American families are struggling to make ends meet. In a recent 
survey, nearly 80 percent thought the rising cost of energy was hurting 
our economy and threatening jobs; 90 percent of those polled said that 
high energy costs were impacting their family budget. Despite having 
been through the warmest winter on record, heating bills for homes 
using natural gas went up over 25 percent. Last year, the percentage of 
credit card bills 30 days or more past due reached the highest level 
since the American Banking Association began recording this information 
in 1973. The ABA's chief economist cited high gasoline prices as the 
major factor.
  One letter I received recently from a South Carolinian detailed how 
his father, who was on a fixed income, was forced to choose between 
paying for his medicine and putting gas in his car. Another constituent 
wrote that rising energy costs seriously threatened her family farm, 
due to the increased cost of vehicle operation, fertilizer, and 
irrigation.
  With all this news, is it any wonder that Americans are discouraged 
when they see the partisan obstruction coming from Washington 
Democrats? The American people need answers, not more obstruction. We 
recently had good news that Republican tax cuts continue to produce 
strong economic growth and have helped to create 5.4 million new jobs 
since 2003. But even as the economy grows and wages rise, family 
checkbooks still feel the pressure. If you get a $25-a-week raise but 
you have to spend $50 a week more to fill up your car with gas, you are 
still $25 worse off than you were when you started. It is no wonder 
that American's optimism about their economic future has faded as 
concerns over the cost of living have increased.
  There is no quick fix to this dilemma, but there are many things that 
will work together to secure our economic prosperity. We can address 
rising health care prices by passing small business health plans to 
make health insurance more affordable--another item my Democratic 
colleagues have obstructed this year. We can return more control to 
patients by ensuring that every American has a health plan that they 
can own and afford and keep.
  We can invest in the flexibility and choice necessary to train the 
best workforce in the world. It is not going to help to raise the 
minimum wage a dollar or two. We need to work on maximum wages for 
Americans by creating more qualified workers.
  We can work to increase our natural gas and oil supplies. That will 
reduce

[[Page 14896]]

the cost of gas, it will increase America's supply of energy, and 
encourage conservation. We can reduce the dependence on foreign oil. 
There is a lot we can do if we can work together in the Congress to 
pass new energy legislation.
  The good news is that Republicans are working, one step at a time, to 
get these things done. In the next few weeks, the Senate will debate 
critical legislation to increase America's deep sea exploration in the 
Gulf of Mexico. This could help, again, to lower energy costs across 
the Nation. Unfortunately, some Democrats have already threatened to 
obstruct this important bill that would keep American energy prices 
competitive and hopefully lower them in the future.
  We are still waiting for these same Democrats to offer any immediate 
solutions on their own. Strong economic growth in America and around 
the world has greatly increased the demand for already limited supplies 
of energy. We are now competing with other nations, not just for jobs 
but for the energy that powers those jobs.
  Our energy problems did not occur overnight and they will not be 
fixed overnight. But if we fail to address rising American energy 
costs, we will create yet another incentive for businesses to locate 
overseas and leave American workers behind.
  To keep the United States competitive, we must transform our energy 
policy to meet pressing short-term needs while exploring new 
alternative solutions to meet long-term needs for abundant, affordable, 
and emission-free energy. Currently, expensive and time-consuming 
permitting processes, extensive regulatory burdens, and overly 
bureaucratic environmental hurdles have made it cheaper to import our 
oil and natural gas from the Middle East than to use our own domestic 
resources. This makes no sense. To address the short-term issue of 
constantly fluctuating energy prices, we must eliminate these 
Government-imposed regulatory roadblocks in order to increase our 
energy supply and get these resources to consumers quickly and 
affordably. We can unshackle American entrepreneurs, the best in the 
world, and allow them to fully develop our natural resources and still 
protect our environment.
  The long-term policy must focus on creating a diverse energy 
infrastructure that includes new technologies such as hydrogen, fuel 
cells, and other alternative forms of energy. Many of these 
technologies, currently in the early stages of development, have shown 
great promise and can revolutionize the way we fuel our cars, homes, 
and businesses.
  Energy costs are on the rise and the ball is in the Democrats' court. 
Republicans have put forth practical solutions, such as the deep sea 
development that we will be talking about over the next weeks. These 
will diversify our energy infrastructure and supply affordable, 
abundant, and environmentally friendly energy, and most important, 
reduce the cost of living for American families.
  I ask my Democratic colleagues to reject their leadership's tired 
strategy of blocking real solutions and then trying to blame 
Republicans when the problems don't get solved. Working together, we 
can bring down the cost of living and improve the quality of life for 
every American as we reduce the cost of gas and increase America's 
supply of energy. We can still encourage conservation, while reducing 
our dependence on foreign oil.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Brownback). The Senator from the great 
State of Arizona.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I thank the majority and minority leaders for 
setting aside some time today to discuss the situation in the Middle 
East. While news of Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah rocket attacks 
have dominated the airwaves for over a week now, the issue has not been 
extensively debated on the floor of the Senate. What we have now, 
today, is an opportunity to stand together as the Senate and send an 
unequivocal message of support to our Israeli allies in their time of 
need.
  I am speaking about the Senate resolution which was adopted last 
evening, crafted in a bipartisan way by the majority and minority 
leaders of the Senate, a resolution which I am proud to cosponsor and 
which I believe eloquently expresses what I believe to be the true 
sense of this body and of the American people. It rightly points out 
that Israel has complied with the relevant Security Council resolutions 
regarding withdrawal from Lebanon and that, by contrast, Lebanon has 
failed to follow through on its obligation to disarm Hezbollah. The 
resolution correctly identifies the nexus of the problem not in Beirut 
or Gaza but in Tehran and Damascus, where State sponsorship of 
terrorism has reached new and disturbing levels.
  Finally, this resolution encourages continued U.S. support for Israel 
and renewed international action to end the conflict by eliminating 
support and freedom of action of Hezbollah. It is, in summary, an 
important expression by the Senate.
  I would like to take a moment now to address some arguments made by 
some over the years that Americans are too quick to equate our 
interests with those of Israel. There are recent articles by respected 
scholars who have argued that the role of the United States should be 
to push Israel toward an accommodation with these terrorists, the same 
terrorists bent on her destruction, rather than standing by her as she 
tries to lay the foundation for a lasting peace.
  I think this past week's conflict exposes the utter fallacy of that 
perspective. Israel is under attack today, not just from Hezbollah and 
Hamas but from Iran and Syria, the two most active State sponsors of 
global terrorism. Right now the United States is struggling with these 
same two countries over their counterproductive roles in Iraq, their 
WMD programs, and their role in financing and equipping terrorists 
throughout the world.
  The kind of attacks that Israel is enduring today could be visited on 
the United States or our troops tomorrow. For example, late last week 
an advanced Israeli warship was hit with an Iranian antiship missile. 
Despite the high-tech countermeasures on that ship, four sailors are 
now presumed lost. It is not hard to imagine these very same missiles 
used against American ships in the future, especially if the Iranians 
decide to blockade the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. pressure 
over that nuclear program. The attack on that ship can easily be 
perceived as directed as much against the U.S. Navy as it is against 
the Israeli Navy.
  Those fighting international terrorism are bound at the hip in this 
conflict. To believe otherwise is the height of foolishness.
  William Kristol stated in a editorial yesterday:

       It's our war. For while Syria and Iran are enemies of 
     Israel, they are also enemies of the United States. We have 
     done a poor job of standing up to them and weakening them. 
     They are now testing us more boldly than one would have 
     thought possible a few years ago. Weakness is provocative. We 
     have been too weak, and have allowed ourselves to be 
     perceived as weak.

  This conflict, in short, is not just about the interests of the 
Israeli or Palestinian or Lebanese people. It is about a broader state-
sponsored jihad against Western civilization, a war in which we cannot 
afford to stumble or waver or appear to be weak. The Senate resolution 
is a sign that we will not stumble, that we stand by our Israeli allies 
as they fight on the frontlines of this war against terrorists. That 
the people of Lebanon have gotten caught in the middle of this war is 
not simply regrettable, it is criminal. But make no mistake who the 
perpetrators are: Iran and Syria and the terrorist groups they equip 
and encourage. This axis of violence cannot be allowed to operate with 
impunity against the State of Israel.
  The solution to this current crisis will not be easy. But the first 
step was identified by President Bush, in what some have characterized 
as an overly candid conversation with Tony Blair in Saint Petersburg. 
Paraphrasing the President, he said the international community must 
put pressure on Iran and Syria to curb the actions of their terrorist 
proxy armies.
  At the same time, the Government of Lebanon must act swiftly and 
directly

[[Page 14897]]

to dismantle the Hezbollah infrastructure that threatens northern 
Israel. When these processes are in motion and the kidnapped Israeli 
soldiers have been returned, then is the time to again move toward the 
end game of this crisis.
  Many in the international community have urged restraint on the part 
of Israel in facing this crisis. They talk about proportionality. I 
think we can all agree that in international relations, restraint is 
generally a good thing, but Israeli restraint and forbearance should 
only be given in response to action on the other side. Israel's 
response against terrorism cannot be proportionate. It must be 
effective. Absent action by the international community and the 
Lebanese Government, restraint will look like weakness to Israel's 
enemies. And any show of weakness will only bring more blood-thirsty 
attacks.
  This is the experience of the region. This is the history of the 
region. No sovereign nation would tolerate the type of attacks that 
Israel has endured, nor would they prioritize restraint above 
effectiveness in their response.
  This is why I come back to the resolution that was passed in the 
Senate in a bipartisan expression of our support for the State of 
Israel, our condemnation of this action by terrorists and their State 
sponsors, and our commitment, as the Government of the United States, 
to do all we can to see to it that the terrorists are defeated, that 
the people in the region have an opportunity to live in peace, and that 
once and for all throughout the world the world can be safe from the 
threat of those who would attack others and to do so in the most 
heinous way.
  The kind of action that has been taken by these terrorists cannot be 
justified in any way, shape, or form, and it is altogether fitting for 
the Senate to have expressed its resolve against this action.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kyl). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I speak in morning business about the 
issue that the two prior speakers--the Senator from South Carolina and 
the Senator from Arizona--spoke about, the Middle East. This is a key 
time. I hope we continue to stand by Israel very strongly, very 
resolutely, and recognize what we are experiencing today. We are 
experiencing a key global war on terrorism, which is the use of 
terrorist entities sponsored by state sponsors so that there is some 
sort of deniability by the state sponsor. But, nonetheless, there is 
real terrorism that is taking place.
  There are real threats that are occurring and real attacks that are 
occurring. There are real responses that are needed.
  That is what you have seen Israel doing today. Israel has been 
attacked. Hezbollah has been launching missiles into Israel, into major 
cities in Israel. That is what is occurring. Hezbollah is sponsored by 
the Iranians. Iran is the key sponsor of Hezbollah. Iran is the lead 
sponsor of terrorism in the world, according to our State Department 
and, I think, frankly, according to the intelligence entities around 
the world. They cannot sponsor the terror group and then deny 
responsibility for it and say they should be left alone and there 
should be no consequences.
  We need to move aggressively against Iran in the United Nations and 
force the issue on Iran. Here I am talking about economic sanctions and 
political and diplomatic pressure on the Iranians for their state 
sponsorship of terrorism.
  We are also seeing that in Syria. This body passed the Syrian 
Accountability Act. I urge the administration to use all tools 
available toward Syria, which is also a state sponsor of terrorism, in 
working with Hamas and Hezbollah and other groups in this region.
  I get concerned when a lot of people look at it and say Israel 
shouldn't be doing this or shouldn't respond. Certainly, we want all 
care to be given in any sort of military response so that innocent 
civilians are not hurt. We want to urge that sort of restraint, but by 
the same token, if the United States were attacked by terrorist groups 
sponsored by other countries operating off foreign soil, the United 
States would act aggressively and respond. We would not allow this to 
continue. We would say our citizens are being attacked and we have the 
right as a sovereign nation to defend our people, as Israel does, and 
as any nation around the world does.
  I hope we view this for what it is--a part of the global war on 
terrorism. These are terrorist tactics that are being used by terrorist 
groups, and they have state sponsors behind them.
  I wish the situation were different today. I wish we were not here 
having to talk about the support for Israel in a military engagement in 
Lebanon. But the facts are what they are. We have to deal with the 
situation as it is. I believe we should be standing aggressively and 
firmly with Israel. They are a democratic country in the region. They 
are a strong ally of the United States. We have worked closely together 
over many years. They seek peace. They want peace as we want peace. 
Yet, at some point in time they have to respond to the attacks. That is 
what they are doing.
  I am pleased that this body in a bipartisan fashion has stood with 
Israel.

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