Mike Levin

We are almost there. We are going to be there on Monday. We thought we would be there tonight, but we will on Monday.

If the Senator will yield, also I believe the debate on the second-degree amendments to the Graham amendment would occur on Monday since the only time on Tuesday prior to votes on the amendments would be 30 minutes equally divided and that…

My final question, to what court would the conviction of a detainee at Guantanamo for a capital offense subject to death, to what court would that appeal lie, if this language of the Senator is adopted? It is a very specific question, to…

Does the Senator from South Carolina want to give those same terrorists due process, for heaven's sake? Of course, he does. He gets up on the floor and says he wants to provide due process. I say--

If I could read this, because I only have a few minutes, on page 3 of the amendment, Judicial Review: United States Code is amended by saying no court, justice, or judge shall have jurisdiction to hear or consider an application for writ…

To help clarify the situation: Is it the proposal that there be two amendments voted on?

I do welcome that assurance. It is important for this institution. Whether the President is a Democrat or a Republican makes no difference on this issue. This is a matter of this institution asserting its constitutional responsibility, and…

I wish to have a very brief colloquy with my dear friend from Virginia on this matter, which I think he would want to comment briefly on, and that is I understand that once Secretary Winter is confirmed, which he now is, the Department of…

Excuse me. We made reference to two other Senators within that period of time. Senator Akaka would get 5 minutes for morning business, and I want to make sure the Senator from Minnesota, within that same time period, will have 10 minutes…

We are hopeful we can complete the drafting of an Iraq amendment in the next half hour which, if we succeed, we would want to show it to the Senator from Virginia, but it may take some real time this afternoon.

I will be in a position of supporting the Chambliss and Durbin amendments. While the Chambliss amendment takes an important step, the Durbin amendment takes three or four important steps in the right direction allowing earlier retirement…

Perhaps during those two votes, if the chairman so desires, we could try to line up the rest of the business for tonight.

I think it is very helpful that Senator Lautenberg be informed that there is a plan to offer a second-degree amendment so perhaps he can then be prepared to come to the floor and debate whatever that second-degree amendment is.

My understanding is that at 5:30 there will be two votes. I am wondering if Senator Lautenberg's amendment has been--I know it has been offered. I am wondering whether there is further debate on the Lautenberg amendment.

In which all of us have participated. We have seen the parts that emerge and the parts that do not, and it is always a little mystery as to what emerges and what does not emerge. My understanding is that clearly is a precedent for treating…

It is my recollection that the Senate already passed an amendment in one of the previous bills where we made up the difference for Federal employees; is that not correct?

The Senator from Nevada has assured the Senate that this amendment does not seek, in any way, to change current policy, including Executive Order 11850, relative to the use of riot control agents. I note that the President has provided the…

I believe that is a very useful purpose. I support that purpose. I support the Senator's amendment with that assurance. I don't know whether the Senator requested a rollcall, but if so we will support that rollcall.

Relative to the amendment of the Senator from Nevada, I had one question. Section 1 of Executive Order 11850 states the following: The Secretary of Defense shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the use by the Armed Forces of the…

I agree with that purpose. I want to be absolutely certain that all parts of the Executive order, including the specific requirement of section 1, continue and are not purported in any way to be changed by the Senator's amendment.

So we do not mislead our friend from Oklahoma, there may very well be Senators of whom I am not aware who would want to speak in opposition.

The second-degree amendment--however one wants to characterize it--I do understand there is a second-degree amendment possible.

I do believe there is at least one Member on this side who will be offering or considering a second-degree amendment.

If the chairman will yield on that point because I wish to affirm and confirm what he has just said, that these colloquies, which are necessary for clearance of amendments, are very useful. We are used to this, all of us in the Senate…

We thank the Senator from Idaho for bringing this to the attention of the Senate and for making this correction.