Jack Reed

The other issue, General, that has come up, I was out last fall.

You mentioned ethnic cleansing.

We are presenting this strategy as a new forward with a new plan, and a key element as you indicate that you are not quite sure we have those forces in place or can generate those forces.

General, that situation has existed before this surge. I find it hard to believe that you would give as your best advice to this committee that the differential, probably 40,000 troops in terms of doctrine, is going to be made up by…

Even Prime Minister Maliki told me that some of these ministerial forces are worse than the insurgents.

I agree with Senator Sessions. The Department of Defense, military officers, enlisted men and women, have been carrying the burden here without adequate support.

Well, we're clearly not winning. And we're in danger of losing in Iraq, unless we take dramatic action, unless the president takes dramatic action.

A third of our brigades in the United States are reporting non-deployable because of personnel and equipment shortages.

A third of our brigades in the United States are reporting non-deployable because of personnel and equipment shortages.

I think this behavior, if it is targeted to exploit soldiers is absolutely reprehensible.

I say to the Senator, my preference would be for a recorded vote, if possible. I think this is an important point about providing adequate resources to our special operators. Also, I would like to at least confer with Senator Bayh.

I thank my colleague. He has been extraordinarily active in ensuring us the resources are available for our military forces. I would be happy to explore with him the possibility of additional funding if it is necessary. Again, let me thank…

Do you anticipate difficulties as you move from a discretionary program to a formula program?

I think that is a correct assessment, there may be some winners and losers.

The Senate fought hard to ensure that there was an 80/20 split in funding for transportation and transit projects and this cut, I believe, violates the spirit.

Also, I think it is shortsighted, given the need for transit in our Nation and across our country.

One final comment that I would like to make is to express my disappointment that the President's budget requested $100 million less than the amount authorized in SAFETEA-LU for transit projects.

This amendment is not cut and run. This is not about a date certain. This is about getting the president to do the job correctly, something he's failed to do for the last three years and three months.

The change of policy that we call for is significant. The administration's policy to date, that we will be there for as long as Iraq needs us, will result in Iraq's depending upon us longer.

Yesterday I opposed cloture on S. 2271, the USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006. Although I support Senator Sununu's bill, I voted against ending debate on it because Members of the Senate should have the right…

A fixed deadline would not, I think, be in the best interests of the United States.

I was disappointed. The president relied too much upon rhetoric, upon a laundry list of tasks accomplished, but not a coherent view of where we are realistically and where we must go to succeed.

No. My preference is that we entertain a second-degree amendment and vote, and if the second-degree amendment is agreed to, then the underlying amendment would be voted on. There would be a series of votes. Mine would be voted on first.

We are agreeing, as I understand it, that as soon as the Senator yields his remaining time, it would be in order for me to offer a second-degree amendment. I will do so. I will speak briefly on the second-degree amendment, and I think it…

I think the most efficient course is simply to allow my second-degree amendment, allowing Members to vote essentially on my amendment first, then voice vote the amendment of the Senator from Oklahoma--if it succeeds, then the underlying…