|
{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER. UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ORDER, THE MINORITY LEADER IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. REID: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST A COUPLE OF
DAYS AGO, MY SON LIEF CALLED ME AND INDICATED THAT HIS LOVELY
WIFE AMBER WAS GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY. THAT WILL BE MY --
OUR 16th GRANDCHILD. MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT,
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE A LONG TIME.
NEVER HAVE I BEEN SO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE GAS
PRICES THAT ARE REALLY UNBELIEVABLE. THIS YEAR THEY'VE BEEN
OVER $3 IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. DIESEL FUEL IS STILL OVER $3 A
GALLON IN NEVADA. THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IS UNDER INDICTMENT. THE MAN IN CHARGE OF
CONTRACTING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER INDICTMENT.
DEFICITS, MR. PRESIDENT, SO FAR YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. THE
DEFICITS HAVE BEEN BASICALLY RUN UP BY PRESIDENT BUSH'S
ADMINISTRATION THESE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE'RE THE WEALTHIEST
NATION IN THE WORLD BUT WE ARE VERY POOR AS IT RELATES TO
HEALTH CARE. WE HAVE AN INTRACTABLE WAR IN IRAQ. IS IT ANY
WONDER THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY, MY GRANDCHILDREN?
THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE WITNESSED THE INDICTMENT OF L. LEWIS LI
LIBBY, THE VICE PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF, ALSO ON THE
PRESIDENT'S STAFF, A SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT. MR. LIBBY
IS THE FIRST SITTING WHITE HOUSE STAFFER TO BE INDICTED IN 135
YEARS. IS IT ANY WONDER, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT MY GRANDCHILDREN?
THIS INDICTMENT RAISES VERY SERIOUS CHARGES. IT ASSERTS THIS
ADMINISTRATION ENGAGED IN ACTIONS THAT BOTH HARMED OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY AND WERE MORALLY REPUGNANT. THE DECISION MADE TO PLACE
UNITED STATES SOLDIERS, OUR MILITARY INTO HARM'S WAY I BELIEVE
IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY THE CONSTITUTION VESTS
IN THE CONGRESS AND IN THE PRESIDENT. THE LIBBY INDICTMENT
PROVIDES A WINDOW INTO WHAT THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT, HOW THIS
ADMINISTRATION MANUFACTURED AND MANIPULATED INTELLIGENCE IN
ORDER TO SELL THE WAR IN IRAQ AND ATTEMPTED TO DESTROY THOSE
WHO DARED TO CHALLENGE ITS ACTIONS. MR. PRESIDENT, THESE ARE
NOT JUST WORDS FROM HARRY REID. LARRY WILKERSON, COLONEL LARRY
WILKERSON, COLIN POWELL'S FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF -- COLIN
POWELL, OF COURSE, WAS SECRETARY OF STATE. THIS MAN WAS HIS
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR FOUR YEARS. HERE'S WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE
WAR IN IRAQ. "IF -- IN PRESIDENT BUSH'S FIRST TERM, SOME OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY,
INCLUDING VITAL DECISIONS ABOUT POST-WAR IRAQ, WERE MADE BY A
SECRETIVE, LITTLE-KNOWN CABAL, WAS MADE UP OF A VERY SMALL
GROUP OF PEOPLE LED BY VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY AND DEFENSE
SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD. BUT THE SECRET PROCESS WAS
ULTIMATELY A FAILURE. IT PRODUCED A SERIES OF DISASTROUS
DECISIONS." THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, MR.
PRESIDENT. AS A RESULT OF ITS IMPROPER CONDUCT, A CLOUD NOW
HANGS OVER THIS ADMINISTRATION. THIS CLOUD IS FURTHER DARKENED
BY THE ADMINISTRATION'S MISTAKES IN PRISONER ABUSE, HURRICANE
KATRINA, AND THE CRONYISM AND CORRUPTION IN NUMEROUS AGENCIES
THROUGHOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT MUST BE
THAT SAID A CLOUD ALSO HANGS OVER THIS REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
CONGRESS FOR ITS UNWILLINGNESS TO HOLD THIS REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS MISDEEDS ON THESE ISSUES.
DURING THE TIME THAT WE HAD A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT, EIGHT
YEARS, AND WHEN THE DEMOCRATS WERE IN CHARGE OF THE CO
COMMITTEES, WE WERE IN THE MAJORITY, OVERSIGHT HEARINGS WERE
HELD COVERING THE GAMUT OF WHAT WENT ON IN THIS ADMINISTRATION
-- THAT ADMINISTRATION. TODAY THERE IS NOT AN OVERSIGHT HEARING
HELD ON ANYTHING. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT BACK HOW WE GOT HERE
WITH RESPECT TO IRAQ. THE RECORD WILL SHOW THAT WITHIN HOURS OF
THE TERRORIST ACTS OF 9/11, SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZED THOSE ATTACKS COULD BE USED AS A
PRETEXT TO INVADE IRAQ. THE RECORD WILL ALSO SHOW THAT IN THE
MONTHS AND YEARS AFTER 9/11, THE ADMINISTRATION ENGAGED IN A
PATTERN OF MANIPULATION OF THE FACTS AND RETRIBUTION AGAINST
ANYONE WHO GOT IN ITS WAY AS IT MADE ITS CASE FOR ATTACKING,
FOR INVADING IRAQ. THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF HOW THE
ADMINISTRATION MISSTATED AND MANIPULATED THE FACTS AS IT MADE
THE CASE FOR WAR. THE ADMINISTRATION STATEMENTS ON SADDAM'S
ALLEGED NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITIES AND TIES WITH AL QAEDA
REPRESENT THE BEST EXAMPLES HOW IT CONSISTENTLY AND REPEATEDLY
MANIPULATED THE FACTS. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE WARNED TIME AND
TIME AGAIN BY THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE CURRENT
SECRETARY OF STATE AND THEIR OTHER CAPACITIES ABOUT SADDAM'S
NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITIES. THE VICE PRESIDENT SAID -- AND I
QUOTE -- "IRAQ HAS RECONSTITUTED ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMS." PLAYING
UPON THE FEARS OF AMERICANS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, THESE OFFICIALS
AND OTHERS RAISED THE SPECTER THAT LEFT UNCHECKED, SADDAM COULD
SOON ATTACK AMERICA WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS. OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW NOW
THAT THEIR NUCLEAR CLAIMS WERE WHOLLY INACCURATE. BUT MORE
TROUBLING IS THE FACT THAT A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS WERE
TELLING THE ADMINISTRATION THEN THAT ITS CLAIMS ABOUT SADDAM'S
NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES WERE FALSE. THE SITUATION VERY SIMILAR
WITH RESPECT TO SADDAM'S LINKS TO AL QAEDA. THE VICE PRESIDENT
TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE -- I QUOTE AGAIN -- "WE KNOW HE'S OUT
TRYING ONCE AGAIN TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND WE KNOW HE HAS
A LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH VARIOUS TERRORIST GROUPS,
INCLUDING THE AL QAEDA ORGANIZATION." THESE ASSERTIONS HAVE
BEEN TOTALLY DISCREDITED, NOT A LITTLE BIT, TOTALLY
DISCREDITED. BUT AGAIN, THE ADMINISTRATION WENT AHEAD WITH
THESE ASSERTIONS IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S TOP
EXPERTS DID NOT AGREE WITH THESE CLAIMS. AGAIN, WILKERSON IS A
PERSON IN POINT. WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE OF THIS
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S
MANIPULATION OF INTELLIGENCE THAT LED TO THIS PROTRACTED WAR IN IRAQ?
NOTHING. DID THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS CARRY OUT ITS
CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS TO CONDUCT OVERSIGHT?
NO. DID IT SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING
THEM THE ANSWERS TO MANY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS?
NO. DID IT EVEN ATTEMPT TO FORCE THIS ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER
THE MOST BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS BEHAVIOR?
NO. UNFORTUNATELY, THE UNWILLINGNESS OF THE
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS TO EXERCISE ITS OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITIES IS NOT A LIMIT -- IS NOT LIMITED TO JUST IRAQ.
WE SEE IT WITH RESPECT TO THE PRISON ABUSE SCANDAL. WE SEE IT
WITH RESPECT TO KATRINA, AND WE SEE IT WITH RESPECT TO THE
CRONYISM AND CORRUPTION THAT PERMEATES THIS ADMINISTRATION.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THIS REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS HAS
CONSISTENTLY CHOSEN TO PUT ITS POLITICAL INTERESTS AHEAD OF OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY. THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY CHOSEN TO PROTECT THE
AMERICAN -- THE REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION RATHER THAN TO GET TO
THE BOTTOM OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY IT HAPPENED. THERE'S ALSO
ANOTHER DISTURBING PATTERN, NAMELY, ABOUT HOW THIS
ADMINISTRATION RESPONDED TO THOSE WHO CHALLENGED ITS
ASSERTIONS. OFTEN THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO
ATTACK AND UNDERCUT THOSE WHO DARED TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT
ITS PREFERRED COURSE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN GENERAL SHINSEKI
INDICATED SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND TROOPS WOULD BE NEEDED IN
IRAQ, HIS MILITARY CAREER WAS ENDED -- FIRED, RELIEVED OF DUTY
WHEN HE
{END: 2005/11/01 TIME: 14-15 , Tue. 109th SENATE, FIRST SESSION}
{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}
D IT WOULD TAKE 200,000 TROOPS. WELL, IT'S TAKEN A LOT MORE
THAN THAT. WHEN THE O.M.B. DIRECTOR, LARRY LINDSEY, SELECTED
THE COSTS FOR THIS WAR WOULD APPROACH $200 BILLION, HE WAS
DUMPED, FIRED.n WHEN THE U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR HANS BLIX
CHALLENGED CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE SADDAM HUSSEIN'S WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION CAPABILITIES, THE ADMINISTRATION SIMPLY PULLED
OUT ITS INSPECTORS. WHEN NOBEL PRIZE WINGER AND HEAD OF THE
IAEA RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S CLAIMS OF
SADDAM'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES, THE ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTED TO
REMOVE HIM FROM HIS POST. WHEN AMBASSADOR JOE WILSON STATED
THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT BY SADDAM -- NO ATTEMPT BY SADDAM TO
ACQUIRE WEAPONS FROM NIGER, THE ADMINISTRATION NOT ONLY WENT
AFTER HIM TO DISCREDIT HIM, THEY LAUNCHED A VICIOUS AND
COORDINATED CAMPAIGN GOING SO FAR AS TO EXPOSE THE FACT THAT
HIS WIFE WORKED AS A C.I.A. SPY. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOW HAVING
24-HOUR PROTECTION FEARING FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. GIVEN THIS
ADMINISTRATION'S PATTERN OF SQUASHING THOSE WHO CHALLENGE ITS
MISSTATEMENTS, AND I'VE ONLY MENTIONED A FEW, WHAT HAS BEEN THE
RESPONSE OF THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. AND WHERE THEIR INACTIONS THEY PROVIDE
POLITICAL COVER FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION AT THE SAME TIME THEY
KEEP THE TRUTH FROM OUR TROOPS WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE LARGE
SACRIFICES IN IRAQ. NOW EVERYONE MAY THINK THAT THE TROOPS IN
IRAQ ARE 100% REPUBLICAN. I'VE MET A FRIEND -- I'VE MADE A
FRIEND. HE'S A MARINE. HE WAS OVER IN WHEN THE ELECTIONS WERE
HELD TEN MONTHS AGO. HE SAID WHERE HE WAS AND HE NEVER EVEN
WENT TO THE BATHROOM WITHOUT A RIFLE, WHEREVER HE WAS IN HIS
DUTY ALL OVER THIS AREA, HE SAID HE COULDN'T FIND ANYONE THAT
WAS HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE ELECTIONS TURNED OUT. THEY, THE
REPUBLICANS, DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP THE TRUTH FROM PEOPLE
LIKE MY MARINE FRIEND. THIS BEHAVIOR -- I WOULD GIVE YOU HIS
NAME -- THIS BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE TOLL IN IRAQ IS AS
STAGGERING AS IT IS SOLEMN. MORE THAN 2,000S DID 2,025 NOW,
AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. OVER 90 AMERICANS HAVE PAID
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER ALONE, THE
FOURTH DEADLIEST MONTH IN THIS GO-ON THREE-YEAR WAR. MORE THAN
15,000 HAVE BEEN WOUNDED. MORE THAN 150,000 REMAIN OVER THERE
IN HARM'S WAY. ENORMOUS SACRIFICES HAVE BEEN MADE AND CONTINUE
TO BE MADE. MR. PRESIDENT, WE'VE HAD SOLDIERS AND MARINES FROM
NEVADA KILLED, FROM ELI, FROM LAS VEGAS, FROM HENDERSON, FROM
BOULDER CITY, FROM TONAPAW. EVERY TIME ONE OF THESE DEATHS
OCCUR, IT'S A DAGGER IN THE HEART OF THAT COMMUNITY. THIS
BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE. I'M A PATIENT MAN, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M
A LEGISLATOR AND I KNOW THINGS DON'T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. I'M A
PARENT MAN BUT THE CALL FOR MY SON HAS PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY FAMILY. THE TOLL IN IRAQ IS AS STAGGERING
AS I REPEAT IT IS SOLEMN. THE TROOPS HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT
ANSWERS AND ACCOUNTABILITY WORTHY OF THAT SACRIFICE. FOR
EXAMPLE, MORE THAN 40 DEMOCRATS WROTE A SUBSTANTIVE AND
DETAILED LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT CANNING -- ASKING FOUR BASIC
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION'S IRAQ POLICY, AND WE
RECEIVED, MR. PRESIDENT, -- WE RECEIVED A FOUR-SENTENCE FENCE
THAT IS RESPONSE. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS WITH IRAQ. I'VE SHARED YOUR LETTER
WITH THE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS." REMEMBER WE
WROTE IT TO THE PRESIDENT. "AND AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE IN THIS
AREA. PLEASE BE ASSURED YOUR LETTER IS RECEIVING THE ATTENTION
IT DESERVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTS, CANDY WOLF."
THAT'S THE LETTER THE SENATORS OF THE UNITED STATES WROTE TO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITS AND WE GET A LETTER FROM CANDY WOLF
SAY, THANKS, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. AMERICA DESERVES BETTER THAN.
THIS THEY ALSO DESERVE A SEARCHING AND COMPREHENSIVE
INVESTIGATION ABOUT HOW THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION BROUGHT THIS
COUNTRY TO WAR, KEY QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED INCLUDE
HOW DID THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ASSEMBLE ITS CASE FOR WAR
AGAINST IRAQ?
WE HEARD WHAT COLONEL WILKERSON SAID. WHO DID THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS LISTEN TO AND IGNORE?
HOW DID THE SENIOR BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS MANIPULATE OR
MANUFACTURE INTELLIGENCE PRESENTED TO THE CONGRESS OR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE?
WHAT WAS THE ROLE OF THE WHITE HOUSE IRAQ GROUP, A GROUP OF
SIGNOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS, TASKED WITH MARKETING THE WAR AND
TAKING DOWN ITS CRITICS. WE KNOW WHAT COLONEL WILKERSON SAYS.
HOW DID THE ADMINISTRATION COORDINATE ITS EFFORTS TO ATTACK
INDIVIDUALS WHO DARED TO CHALLENGE THE ADMINISTRATION'S
ASSERTIONS. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM. I LISTED A FEW. WHY
HAS THIS ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO PROVIDE CONGRESS WITH THE
DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD SHED LIGHT ON THEIR MISCONDUCT AND THE
MISSTATEMENTS?
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SENATE COMMITTEE THAT SHOULD BE TAKING THE
LEAD IN PROVIDING THESE ANSWERS IS NOT. DESPITE THE FACT THAT
THE CHAIRMAN OF SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE PUBLICLY
COMMITTED TO EXAMINE THESE QUESTIONS MORE THAN A YEAR AND A
HALF AGO, HE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO KEEP THAT COMMITMENT. DESPITE
THE FACT THAT HE'S RESTATED THE COMMITMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR ON
NATIONAL TELEVISION, HE HAS STILL DONE NOTHING. EXCEPT ASSEMBLE
A FEW QUOTES FROM DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN SENATORS GOING BACK
TO THE FIRST IRAQ WAR. WE NEED A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION THAT
THAT COMMITTEE IS CAPABLE AND TASKED TO DO. AT THIS POINT, WE
CAN ONLY CONCLUDE HE WILL CONTINUE TO PUT POLITICS AHEAD OF OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY. IF HE DOES ANYTHING AT THIS POINT, I SUSPECT
IT WILL BE PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES BY PRODUCING AN ANALYSIS
THAT FILES ANY OF THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. INSTEAD, IF
HISTORY IS ANY GUIDE, THIS ANALYSIS WILL ATTEMPT TO DISPERSE
AND DEFLECT BLAME AWAY FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION. KEY FACTS
ABOUT THE INTELLIGENCE --
A SENATOR: WOULD THE SENATOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION.
MR. REID: KEY FACTS JUNE 4, 2003, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
COMMITS TO BIPARTISAN REVIEW OF THE DEEPLY FLEWED INTELLIGENCE
IN IRAQ'S W.M.D. PHASE ONE. FEBRUARY 12, 2004, INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE COMMITS TO PHASE 2, AN INVESTIGATION LOOKING AT FIVE
AREAS INCLUDING WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATION EXAGGERATE AND
MANIPULATED MEL DENSE. JULY 9, 2004, COMMITTEE PUBLISHES PHASE
ONE REPORT ON THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES MISTAKES ON IRAQ.
SENATOR ROCKEFELLER SAYS PUBLICLY THAT PHASE TWO IS AS YET
UNBEGUN. REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN ROBERTS SAYS IT IS ONE OF MY TOP
PRIORITIES. JULY 11 ON MEET THE PRESS, REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN
ROBERTS SAYS, EVEN AS I'M SPEAKING OUR STAFF IS WORKING ON
PHASE TWO AND WE'LL GET IT DONE. FALL OF 2004, HOUSE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, AFTER NO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE IRAQ
W.M.D. INVESTIGATION, THE HOUSE ANNOUNCED ON MAY 2003, NO FINAL
REPORT. REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PETER GOSS IS SELECTED TO
C.I.A. DIRECTOR. REGARDING THE QUESTION OF VETTING THE VALERIE
PLAME LEAK GOSS SAID SHOW ME A BLUE DRESS AND SOME DNA AND I'LL
GIVE YOU AN INVESTIGATION. END OF QUOTE. NOVEMBER, 2004, WE HAD
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. MARCH 2005, PRESIDENT'S HAND-PICKED
W.M.D. INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE SAYS THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
GOT THE INTELLIGENCE DEAD WRONG BUT SAYS THAT UNDER THE
PRESIDENT'S TERMS OF REFERENCE WE ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO
INVESTIGATE HOW POLICY-MAKERS USED THE INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS
THEY RECEIVED FROM THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. MARCH 31, 2005,
SENATOR ROBERTS SAYS IT WOULD BE MONUMENTAL WASTE OF TIME TO
REPLOW THIS GROUND ANY FURTHER?
REPLOW?
APRIL 10, 2005, "MEET THE PRESS" SENATOR ROBERTS COMMITS TO TIM
RUSSERT THAT THE REVIEW WILL GET DONE. SEPTEMBER 2005,
COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS FILE ADDITIONAL VIEWS TO THEIR
AUTHORIZATION BILL BLASTING THE COMMITTEE FOR FAILING TO
CONDUCT PHASE TWO. THERE HAVE BEEN LETTERS WRITTEN TO THE
COMMITTEE, A PRESS RELEASE WAS ISSUED EVEN SAYING THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS. MR. PRESIDENT, ENOUGH TIME
HAS GONE BY. I DEMAND ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT WE
UNDERSTAND WHY THESE INVESTIGATIONS AREN'T BEING CONDUCTED, AND
IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 21, I NOW MOVE THAT SENATE GO INTO
CLOSED SESSION.
MR. DURBIN: MR. PRESIDENT, I MOTION THE -- SECOND THE MOTION.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO CLOSED
SESSION. THE. THE CHAIR PURSUANT TO RULE 21 DIRECTS THE
SERGEANT AT ARMS TO CLEAR ALL GALLERIES, CLEAR ALL DOORS OF THE
SENATE CHAMBER AND EXCLUDE FROM THE CHAMBER AND ITS IMMEDIATE
CORRIDORS ALL EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS OF THIS SENATE WHO UNDER
THE RULE ARE ARE -- ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THE CLOSED
SESSION AND ARE NOT SWORN TO SECRECY. THE QUESTION IS
NONDEBATABLE.
(THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
