Byron Dorgan: “let me take the 5 minutes now. I know people are trying to put together unanimous consent requests. I indicated I would…”

“let me take the 5 minutes now. I know people are trying to put together unanimous consent requests. I indicated I would take just a few minutes to describe the amendment I have offered, which I hope will be voted on at 12:30. They are discussing a consent agreement by which they might vote on the amendment I have offered and I believe the amendment that Senator Clinton has offered. Even though the unanimous consent agreement has not been entered yet, let me at least describe the amendment I have offered. The amendment I have offered is an amendment that I offered to the armed services bill, the Defense authorization bill that came to the floor of the Senate and was on the floor for some while. This amendment is pending on the Defense authorization bill, but the Defense authorization bill has been taken off the floor and it appears it will not come back to the Senate, and therefore I will not get a vote on this amendment. So I offer the amendment to the appropriations bill, understanding this is not the optimum place to do this. I will have to suspend the rules to accomplish it. But let me describe what it is. We are spending billions and billions of dollars on reconstruction in Iraq. I will read some headlines. Let me say at the start, the minute anyone comes to this floor and mentions the word ``Halliburton,'' they think it is partisan, political, going after the Vice President of the United States. It is not.…”