[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17644-17645]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 1585

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a unanimous consent request that I 
would like to make, and I will do that right now.
  I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate 
consideration of Calendar No. 189, H.R. 1585, the Department of Defense 
Authorization Act, on Monday, July 9, following the period of morning 
business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, it is my 
understanding the Senate bill is not yet available. I think the bill 
will be filed at some point soon so that Members can review it, but at 
this time, until Members see the legislation, I will object, and maybe 
we can revisit this when the bill is reported. Therefore, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LOTT. If I could ask the indulgence of the majority leader 
briefly.
  With regard to the effort on the homeland security, 9/11 Commission 
recommendations, I think the concerns we have on this legislation were 
made very clear, laid out in the Congressional Record when the 
legislation was being considered. We want homeland security in America, 
but we also want to make sure the money we provide and what we 
authorize is done in a responsible and appropriate way. There is the 
possibility of gorging the system without getting a lot of results.
  I have flown to the different ports in this country and looked at 
port security and all the intermodal activities and the security that 
goes on there. More is being done than maybe some people realize. But 
also there were some labor provisions in this legislation that clearly 
needed to be worked out in order for this legislation to make it 
through the process.
  But I agree, hopefully we can get something worked out here where 
this legislation could perhaps get into conference and get it done 
before we leave for the Fourth of July. The conferees know where the 
problems are; if they would meet and get those problems worked out, 
then I think probably this legislation could be cleared.
  I just wanted to respond to the majority leader's concern. I 
understand how he feels and what he is trying to

[[Page 17645]]

do, but I did want to put those comments and those thoughts on the 
record.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I would say this: The labor provisions about 
which the distinguished Senator talked, we have agreed to take care of 
those. Everybody knows that. Maybe my friend doesn't, but we certainly 
have conveyed this to the minority in great detail. I would simply say, 
if it is not this, then what is it? We have agreed to handle the labor 
situation in this bill. The Speaker and I have agreed, and I don't know 
what other assurance anyone could give.
  This is really stunning to me, that on the Defense authorization bill 
I am going to have to file cloture--Defense authorization bill--a 
motion to proceed to it. We have already filed--I don't know the exact 
number, I lose track of it, but 12 to 14 motions, clotures on motions 
to proceed, far more than were done in the last Congress just in this 
little period of time we have been here. Why? Because everything we 
move to, there is an objection.
  Keep in mind what this is. It is the Defense authorization bill, a 
bill we have to pass to take care of our troops in Iraq, in 
Afghanistan, in Korea, in Germany, and troops here at home. It is for 
training. It has a pay raise in it. It is a good piece of legislation 
worked on by Senator Warner and Senator Levin. It is a bipartisan bill, 
and I just think everyone who is listening to these proceedings, 
wherever they might be, should understand the Republicans are objecting 
to going to the bill to fund our troops.

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