Our feeling is that we could not do it immediately. The Baker-Hamilton study group suggested that we would basically redeploy our troops over a 15-month basis. That would suggest an orderly movement of troops of maybe 10,000 a month. But…

tonight President Bush will address our Nation. The subject is one that is on the minds of virtually every American. It is Iraq. According to the accounts in the press, President Bush will be announcing that he will be increasing the…

What I described to you is the Baker-Hamilton proposal. I did make exceptions for leaving troops there for training purposes and for hunting down al-Qaida terrorists, those specific circumstances. My feeling is that over a 4-to-6-month…

It is growing dramatically in size, which suggests more veterans are using it. But going back to Medicare Prescription Part D, we are not suggesting that Medicare offering its own program as an option is going to be mandatory on seniors…

If I could say to the Senator from Iowa, I have found my veterans to be very happy with the VA program. It is a very affordable program.

Would the Senator from Iowa acknowledge the fact that under the current Medicare prescription Part D, if a senior citizen in Iowa or Illinois signed up for a specific program, there is no guarantee the formulary they signed up for today…

What I am suggesting, what we are suggesting on this side of the aisle, is not to foreclose the possibility that private plans will continue to offer options under Medicare prescription Part D. What we are trying to add is something that…

I do not believe it is an interference to the rights of seniors eligible under Medicare Prescription Part D to give them an additional choice. And that is all we are asking: Allow Medicare to offer to the seniors another choice. They can…

As Congress considers our future course in Iraq, we remain committed on a bipartisan basis to providing our soldiers every resource they need to fight effectively and come home safely. But it's time to begin the orderly redeployment of our…

I want to close by saying thank you for this dialog. It is rare on the floor of the Senate, and we need more of it. I would say, when it comes to perfect laws, I think aside from the Ten Commandments, most laws could stand an amendment or…

I would say, when it comes to the Medicare program, we know this was created by the Senator's committee. And I salute him for his leadership. But it is in fact a Government program. In fact, it is a program that is subsidized by our…

It is your fervent hope that it will be the enemy, of course, but you know, in honesty, that it will be American soldiers and innocent people as well. So a vote on a war is one that Members of Congress--most every one of them--take so…

It is indeed a great honor. I do not know how many men and women have lived in the United States of America in our history--hundreds of millions, for sure. Today there are some 300 million who count America as their home. In the entire…

I join in the chorus of praise and thanks to my friend--and I mean that; the word is thrown around here--Mike DeWine. We came to this job together. My very first memory of Mike and Fran DeWine was when we were both wearing tuxedos and Fran…

I respect him so much, not only for his intelligence and his good humor but also for his wit and his wisdom. The reflective past he has referred to in public service starts in the House of Representatives, his service on the House…

It is interesting to see what the priorities are in the closing moments. We know that there will be many groups, particularly among businesses, that will be benefited by this tax bill. But it is interesting to me that in the list of…

I join in this chorus of salutations and praise for the retiring majority leader. I listened carefully to Senator Frist's recollection of his public service, and I noted the first item on his agenda was the $15 billion in the fight against…

Today, the Senate adopted a bipartisan bill that provides the Food and Drug Administration with the tools it needs to help monitor the safety of dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are safely consumed by millions of Americans every…

The resolution notes that George's shoeshine parlor has been in the heart of downtown Peoria for 60 years. Some would say that George's just flat is the heart of downtown Peoria. Located across the street from the Peoria County Courthouse…

most of us remember the tectonic shift that occurred in the Senate in 2001, in the month of May, when our colleague, Jim Jeffords, changed parties. He moved from being a Republican to becoming an Independent Senator and lined up with the…

this evening there was a meeting in my office with the U.S. Special Convoy to the Sudan, Andrew Natsios. It was an unusual meeting by Senate and Capitol Hill standards. It was a bipartisan meeting called by Senator Sam Brownback, my…

a few moments ago, the Iraq Study Group presented their report. This is an historic document. It is 142 pages long and easily read. Within the confines of this publication is a very important message. I want to salute, first, the members…

It is amazing what a little candor will do. That is what endeared him to the committee and resulted in this unanimous, bipartisan vote bringing his nomination to the floor. Dr. Gates was honest with members of the Committee on Armed…

I listened to these carefully and I hope others did as well. They were beautiful life stories, beautifully written, beautifully spoken by the Senator. He has given 90 tributes on the floor and hopes before he leaves the Senate in a few…

What an extraordinary fellow. The most unlikely Senator you would ever see. He just didn't look the part at all. Maybe that is why he did so well in Minnesota and was so effective here. He was cut from a different mold. He used to sit back…