Susan Collins: “earlier today in morning business, the Democratic leader spoke in favor of the amendment that he has brought to the…”

“earlier today in morning business, the Democratic leader spoke in favor of the amendment that he has brought to the Senate floor which we will vote on shortly this afternoon. I rise in opposition to Senator Reid's amendment. Mr. President, this is Senator Reid's amendment, and this is the port security bill. I can barely hold up the 507 pages of the Democratic leader's amendment. It is an interesting hodgepodge of provisions that are irrelevant to the underlying bill--to port security. It includes provisions that have already been rejected by the Senate. It includes provisions that have already been enacted by the Congress and signed into law. It includes provisions that have just recently been passed by the Senate and added to the port security bill. What it does not include are provisions that have to do with port security. This proposal, 507 pages, includes 37 pages of findings, 16 senses of Congress, and no fewer than 95 reports, certifications, and determinations. Let me tell my colleagues a bit about what is actually in Senator Reid's amendment. Let's go first to the category of provisions which have already been rejected by the Senate. Let me give two examples. The legislation includes, word for word, the exact same language regarding the involvement of the United States in Iraq that was soundly rejected by the Senate by a vote of 39 to 60 in June of this year. This is the language that calls for a phased redeployment of U.S. forces in Iraq.…”