Mike Thompson

Before we get off that point, it doesn't matter if you call it in addition or supplement to. It places requirements on the President and the hurdles before the President that are not in existing law. Do you or do you not, in this…

The current law says the President may issue an order if he determines that the agency or subdivision has a primary function of intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. The Nelson amendment says no…

let me pose a question to my friend from Connecticut. Is it the Senator's determination that this language he quoted under subsection (2) that ``The President may issue an order suspending any provision of this chapter . . . if the…

that is a big difference. I do not think it has anything to do with employees inside the United States of America. I think that section only has to do with employees outside the United States of America.

Which would leave us, once again, in a situation where the President is having to make a new determination because there is ``concern''--concern we did not have with regard to any of these other Presidents, but we have concern with this…

before we vote, it is important we understand the parameters of the Nelson-Chafee-Breaux amendment. Two points: One has to do with the President's national security authority, and the other has to do with flexibility. This amendment is…

I think it is pretty obvious now that there is almost unanimity that we need to proceed with the homeland security bill-- unanimity in this body. There is disagreement as to whether we ought to get about doing it or whether we should delay…

I suggest Congress is not going to lose its oversight. It has been under Congress's oversight, I might add, that this duplication, waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and civil service system, which the Brookings Institution and…

I say to my colleague, it seems to me the situation is basically this: We have concerns, some with regard to our intelligence community and our intelligence difficulties; some have to do with nonintelligence areas. We have talked about the…

I welcome the opportunity, while I have two of my close friends and respected Members who are sponsoring this amendment here on the floor, to hopefully enter into a discussion under the rules of the Senate and with the consent of our…

I would say, in response, that I indeed have had that concern as that investigation has gone along. And we have seen the various problems we have had with it and the various difficulties we have had internally and externally, and with the…

Probably the best reason for going forward with some additional activity, whether extension of the joint committee or creation of a new commissioner, is not necessarily because we can do something that will prevent future catastrophes. I…

I respond to my friend from West Virginia by saying, I was simply going to address the issue very briefly and ask for the yeas and nays, frankly, on the second-degree amendment. I might add, I think the Senator is correct in the way he…

I was particularly taken with the comments of Senator Warner as he related his thoughts listening to the President a little while ago before the United Nations. I had the same thoughts. The President made a magnificent speech. In part, it…

As we debate the Interior Appropriations bill, I would like to take this opportunity to focus attention on underinvestment in our national parks, an issue of particular importance to me and the millions of Americans who visit our national…

I agree we do have some points of agreement. One is the fact that we do need a person in the White House in this coordination function. I agree with the second point also that we need a person with some clout. I submit Condoleezza Rice has…

I stand to be corrected if I can be. We are setting up something here that we have never tried before. We are experimenting in a way in which we should not be experimenting. Why do I say that? I say that because we have never had a…

I support this amendment basically for the following reasons, in addition to what I said earlier: It seems the opponents of this amendment--those who would create the new national Office for Combating Terrorism--take the position we need a…

the Senator from Texas is right. This is a significant change in procurement policy. The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, which has jurisdiction over Federal procurement policy, has not had a single hearing to consider this issue…

it is indeed true that today we begin consideration of the most significant reorganization of the executive branch in over 50 years. Not since the creation of the Department of Defense and the creation of the national intelligence…

I thought he was doing all of us a favor by slowing us down a little bit. There was an awful lot of talk about we must get this done by September 11 for symbolic reasons, and symbolism is important. But it is not nearly as important as it…

let me address what I consider to be the real issue, really the only issue, as far as I am concerned. It is not who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. I have seen excesses on both sides of this issue. It is not a matter of what is…

I come down this afternoon to the floor to speak in favor of meaningful welfare reform, to speak in support of the substitute measure. The first goal of welfare reform should be poverty reduction, and this bill does reduce poverty by…

I am compelled to vote ``present'' on H. Res. 392 because I believe that consideration of this resolution is premature. Secretary of State Colin Powell is in the midst of delicate negotiations to bring about a cease-fire and return all…

I understand that questions have been raised about the provisions of the bill that prevent State candidates from spending non-Federal money on ads that mention Federal candidates. Can the sponsors clarify how these provisions might affect…