Mark Warner

Are there other colleagues who wish to address the Defense bill? Hopefully, we can accommodate our colleague from Oregon. Let's determine, procedurally, the order in which matters in relation to this bill should be brought up.

I send an amendment on behalf of Senators McConnell, Bunning, Allard, and Salazar, which would provide the Secretary of Defense authority to use research and development funds available for chemical weapons demilitarization activities…

I wish to thank my longtime friend and committee member, the Senator from Alabama. We have worked together. We have traveled together. We have been to Iraq together. We went down last Friday to Guantanamo to inspect the detention…

In brief, the amendment would amend section 2163 of title 10, United States Code, to authorize the president of the National Defense University to confer the degree of Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy on those…

In reply to my colleague, I refer to a letter from the Secretary of State a year ago: Dear Mr. Chairman--addressed to me--I am writing to express support for the President's 2004 budget request to fund the feasibility and cost study for…

Why not have the study so the Senate and the Congress can all be well informed? And it will either verify or there will be a denial of the assertions made by our three colleagues who are in opposition, and possibly a fourth. It is…

I could only say to my distinguished colleague, the Secretary of Defense Colin Powell, a man who has been held in high esteem by this body, disagrees respectfully with my good colleague from Michigan. But the effect of denying a study on…

The Presiding Officer is most correct. I extend my apologies to the Presiding Officer of the Senate. Mr. President, I asked if the Senator would yield for a question. I thought I said that.

I regret to say to my colleagues I don't think we have a second. If the Senator would ask unanimous consent, I would strongly support it.

I modified it in such a way as to comport with the UC, whereby after I present the amendment, it can be withdrawn. That is the essence of it.

Would the Chair recite the request now as it relates to the section pertinent to the Senator from Virginia? I say to my colleagues, if you would be willing to each speak 5 minutes, I will take 5, 5 minutes each for the Senators from…

If the distinguished manager would indicate, we could go tonight. I would be willing to wait all night.

I want to help the managers keep this bill moving. We would not require more than 30 minutes, equally divided.

The damage has been done. The Senator should have taken the precautionary steps prior to----

My understanding is it is currently under investigation and being carefully scrutinized in the context of another series of documents. Until the administration has had the opportunity to complete the investigation and make their own…

I ask the Senator, is it to be treated as a public document or is it part of an investigative process which--ordinarily the materials used in the course of an investigation are accorded certain privileges.

Could we inquire of the Senator as to the use of this memo on the floor? Is that consistent with the practices of this body as regards--

Yes. Mr. McCONNELL. The Senator from Virginia mentioned the gulags in the Soviet period. It is my recollection--correct me if I am wrong--that up to 20 million people were murdered during that period from 1930 to 1950.

Not at all. Mr. McCONNELL. I was listening carefully to my friend from Virginia, and I gather one of our colleagues equated what happened in Guantanamo to Pol Pot or some equivalent of that. My recollection--I just ask the Senator from…

And the Senator from Virginia does not infer that latitude is a rubberstamp, that everyone goes through. Clearly--and I know my good friend from Delaware speaks as a matter of clear conscience--I speak as a matter of clear conscience.

I simply wish to reply that the amendment that is in the bill provides jobs. The same construction worker who is on the project building the new road comes down and repairs the old road. It requires concrete and asphalt to repair the old…

No. I withdraw any objection. I thank the Presiding Officer. And I just might add by way of courtesy to the Senators, they can expect a rollcall vote within the next 10 minutes or so. Would that not be correct?

No conscience. I ask you--you are out here accusing me of putting in a mandate--how many mandates in this bill are you the author of? For instance, Safe Walks to Schools--hurray. I am all for it. Very good one.

I have always admired the Senator for so many reasons. I really regret to be out here so forcefully taking him on with his arm in a sling.

The Senator has read from a transcript. We have had a discussion about it. Wouldn't you say that the Chief of Naval Operations expressed a different view at a different time?