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Thursday, June 17, 2004 |
Saying that Senator Biden's amendment would divide the country, Senaotor Jon Kyl is voicing his opposition to the amendment.
7:06:56 PM 
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Senator Biden is responding to Senator Grassley's comments and is saying that his amendment will not harm the "mom and pop shops" as Senator Grassley said. Claiming that his amendment is about value differences, Senator Biden offered what he considered could be logical reasons for opposing his amendment, including if someone thought it was ideologically a bad idea to have the top 1% pay.
6:56:01 PM
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Senator Grassley said that although he disagrees with Senator Biden's amendment, he does share the Senator's concerns about the cost of future Iraq rebuilding packages. Senator Grassley said that in war time you cannot worry about deficits and that if during WWII the U.S. had worried about deficits that Hitler would have been in New York. He continued by speaking about the September 11th attacks and how the U.S. took the war off American soil.
6:04:14 PM
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Senator Biden is speaking about his amendment on tax cuts. Two hours of debate are expected on Senator Biden's amendment before the Senate votes on the issue.
5:34:01 PM
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Senator Sessions is speaking on the floor regarding the Reed amendment wich relates to troop end strength. He has said that the National Guard can absolutely supplement the active duty forces and that it does no good to increase troop strength if you are not going to add the appropriate funds for their training and support. For text of the Reed amendment, click here.
4:45:34 PM
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The Senate confirmed the nomination of Jane J. Boyle, of Texas, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. The Senate will now return to legislative session.
4:11:34 PM
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The Senate confirmed the Benitez nomination and is about to vote on the nomination of Jane J. Boyle, of Texas, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas.
3:50:18 PM
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The Senate voted 99-0 to confirm the nomination of James L. Robart, of Washington, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington. The Senate is now voting on the nomination of Roger T. Benitez, of California, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California.
3:32:17 PM
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The Senate voted 55-44 to adopt the Warner amendment. Instead of voting on the Reed amendemnt the Senate will now vote on the nomination James L. Robart, of Washington, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington
3:11:29 PM
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The Senate is voting on the Warner amendment and is expected to vote on the Reed amendment shortly after the completion of this vote.
2:43:29 PM
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Senator Levin, Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee is speaking about the Reed and Warner amendments. He said that the Reed amendment says that the usual rules will apply, that there will remain in effect operational testing of the missile defense system. He noted that the differences between the amendments are that the Reed amendment would preserve the rule and that too often Congress is seeing important rules bent.
2:15:22 PM
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Senator Reed is defending his amendment, claiming that he believes that the Warner amendment fails in a number of areas and that he hopes that Senators will support the Reed amendment. Senator Allard said that he hopes that there can be accountablity in the missile defense program without added delay. He said that the military is currently putting missiles for this program in the ground and that the hope is that they will be available in the fall. Senator Allard opposes the Reed amendment and supports the Warner amendment.
2:05:31 PM
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Senators have been debating the Reed Amendment regarding missile defense and a Warner second degree amendment. Senator Talent is speaking on these amendmnets and noted that he supports the Warner amendment. Votes are expected this afternoon on these amendments.
1:57:52 PM
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The Senate voted 42-57 not to adopt Senator Boxer's amendment.
12:58:41 PM
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The Senate is now voting on the Boxer amendment.
12:34:37 PM
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Saying that she wants operational tests, Senator Boxer is responding to questions from Senator Warner about her amendment concerning anti-ballistic missile defense systems. Senator Jon Kyl is now talking about the need to test missile defense systems and the need to do so in realistic situations, so that we could obtain a reliable result. He is pointing out times in the past when defense systems have been used even when they have not been tested. In addition, he is stating that the requirements made in Senator Boxer's amendment are unrealistic.
11:57:01 AM
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Senator Barbara Boxer of California is talking about the anti-ballistic missile defense system and is saying that further money should not be spent on this system until it is operationally tested and is successful more than five out of eight times.
11:38:03 AM
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Senator Carl Levin came to the floor to say that the Department of Defense supports Senator Murray's amendment.
11:12:59 AM
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Senator Warner is asking Senator Murray to clarify that her amendment would apply to all Guard and Rerservists who are called up, regardless of whether they serve overseas. She stated that while she talked primarily about the ones serving overseas, her amendment has been written to apply to all called up.
11:10:59 AM
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Senator Patty Murray of Washington is offering an amendment, S.Amdt.3427, which would help ease the burden on the families of those serving in the National Guard and Reserves. Her amendment would apply only to activated soldiers, is discretionary and would provide a child care benefit to families of Guard and Reservists who have been called to extended deployments. Senator Murray's amendment has the support of Senator Edwards and Senator Leahy, Chairman of the National Guard and Reserves Caucus.
10:59:30 AM
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Beginning with stating that he spoke for a long time yesterday about this subject, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa came to the floor to talk about the people of Missouri and Iowa who have been harmed as a result of being nuclear workers. He is stating that between 1947 and 1975, more than 4,000 Iowans worked in an environment in which they handled radioactive materials. Of those people, only 38 have been compensated.
10:41:48 AM
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Joining Senator Bond in talking about the need to help the people who were exposed to radioactive materials through their work, Senator Jim Talent has come to the floor to voice his support for Senator Bond's amendment. He is saying that this amendment would make it easier for those who suffered to make claims and to have the claims expeditiously processed.
10:10:48 AM
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Senator Kit Bond is speaking about his amendment which would help the people whose health was placed in danger as a result of exposure to highly radioactive materials. Saying that helping the people of Missouri and Iowa who were exposed would cost roughly $180 million over the next ten years, Senator Bond is stating that is a small amount when considering how much they have suffered.
10:07:05 AM
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Senator John Warner is have a colloquy with Senator Kit Bond to discuss an amendment which would help workers who had been harmed by working with nuclear weapons.
9:52:39 AM
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The Senate convenes this morning at 9:30 to resume consideration of S.2400, the Department of Defense Authorization bill. Roll call votes on amendments to S.2400 and on judicial nomination are expected throughout the day.
9:21:37 AM
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