Dianne Feinstein

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to talk about firefighting, so I will wait my turn.

We wanted to make it clear that the military could not and should not enforce our laws within the borders of the United States.

I think it is a mistake for the military to be authorized to detain anyone here in the United States, regardless of whether they are a citizen or not.

There is a very profound, I think, kernel of American jurisprudence and constitutional rights involved in all of this.

I really dispute that. Since your day here, what has happened is the FBI now has 15,000 people in an intelligence unit in 57 offices across the United States, and that is how 20 potential attacks were prevented.

I see that it has not, and that we have had the successful criminal prosecution of over 400 terrorists since 9/11.

No citizen shall be imprisoned or otherwise detained by the United States except pursuant to an Act of Congress.

I will never forget seeing the infield of the racetrack all filled with little tiny shacks, the barbed wire around the exterior.

The FBI has never been as effective at interrogation as they are today.

The idea that we could arrest and detain U.S. citizens and other persons living in the U.S. indefinitely without charge, without trial by jury, a jury of their peers, and without having to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is, in my…

I thank my friend and colleague, the distinguished chair of the committee, for her work in managing this bill. This is a huge bill. It has many titles. It is a complex bill. It is a totally vital bill. Both on this floor and off this…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll.

In accordance with a Status of Forces Agreement, by the end of calendar year 2011, all US military servicemembers will leave Iraq.

I think the FBI is very fortunate to have your leadership. You have always been a straight shooter.

I have never asked you, at least, for your view on this. Could you talk a little bit about this and why you believe that this flexibility is so important?

If that is possible, that would be helpful. But it is whatever Senators want. OK. All right. Mr. McCAIN. Does the Senator want to unanimous-consent that?

Yes. My understanding is the House chairman only has until 3 o'clock, but I anticipate we will take all that time. So I can't change that.

I do. I have a four corners meeting on the Energy and Water appropriations bill. That is my problem. So the later it is, the better it is for me.

This essentially would strike the detention provisions and replace them with proposals from the executive branch. It reflects what the White House offered to Senators Levin and McCain as compromise language on the detention provisions to…

I only found out this bill was coming up this morning, so the administration is reviewing the largest amendment at the present time. The other two amendments, we may already have filed those. We have filed those, but I would prefer to wait…

I thank Senator Bingaman for his comments. He has been an excellent chair of the committee. It is our understanding that these points were never brought to the committee. However, I am told the Energy Department has told my staff that the…

It is my understanding that Senator Bingaman would like to speak on an amendment he has filed and Senator Murkowski may well come down to speak on that, which is fine. I will yield to Senator Bingaman to do that now. The ACTING PRESIDENT…

What is the parliamentary status now? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senate is still in morning business. The Republicans control 6 minutes 25 seconds.

If I understand this correctly, it is, as Senator Alexander has stated, that the effort is to, under a germane rule, have the Energy and Water appropriations bill brought to the floor. If that is achieved, then all Members, including…