mr. mcconnell: mr. president, in accordance with the resolution on the appointment of an impeachment trial committee, i recommend to the chair the appointment of senators martinez, demint, barrasso, wicker, johanns, and risch. the presiding officer: pursuant to the resolution on the appointment of an impeachment trial committee and impeachment rule 11, the chair appoints upon the recommends of the two leaders the following senators to be members of the committee to receive and report evidence in the impeachment of judge samuel b. kent: senators mccaskill, klobuchar, whitehouse, udall, shaheen, kaufman, martinez, demint, barrasso, wicker, johanns and risch. the majority leader is recognized. mr. reid: the resolution on will meet at a time to be determined. the presiding officer: the senate will take proper order and notify the house of representatives and counsel for judge kent. mr. reid: mr. president, i would ask in an orderly fashion that senators approach the desk for signing of the resolution. of th

quorum call: mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. mcconnell: and i ask consent that senator sessions and i be granted 20 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: madam president, this morning i'd like to turn my attention to the nomination of judge sonia sotomayor to the supreme court, and more specifically, to the so-called empathy standard that president obama employed in selecting her to the highest court in the land. the president has said repeatedly that his criteria for federal judges is their ability to empathize with certain groups, he said it as a senator and candidate for president and as president. i think we can take the president at his word about a judge wanting to exhibit this trait on the bench. based on a review of judge sotomayor's record, it's becoming clear to many that this is a trait he's found in this particular nominee. judge sotomayor's writings

mr. mcconnell: mr. president, the distinguished ranking member of the judiciary committee, senator sessions, senator kyl and i are going to take a few moments here to discuss the pending supreme court nomination and the proceedings leading up to that. i've notified the democratic floor staff that it might slightliedly the 4:20 vote. i find that not objectionable on the other side. so i would just inform our colleagues that we're going to proceed here as if in morning business and i ask consent we proceed as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. mcconnell: it will not cause much of a delay, if any, on the 4:20 vote i announce to our colleagues. senator sessions is up and will be the first speaker. signature session mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. sessions: mr. president, i thank senator mcconnell for his leadership in so many ways but particularly his concern that he has shown repeatedly on the united states judiciary. he's a

quorum call: mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: madam president, americans certainly want health care reform. there's no dispute about that. people are frustrated with the high cost of care and many are worried about losing the health care coverage they already have. some can't afford care or have to choose between basic necessities and the treatment that they need. these are some of the things that are wrong with the current system and they need to be fixed. but while all of us recognize that serious reform is needed, we should also recognize the necessity of getting it right. and before we rush to pass just anything in the name of reform, such as the bill introduced in the "help" committee this week, americans have a right to ask some basic -- very basic -- questions like, how much will it cost, how will we pay for it, and what will this mean for me and for my family? as to the first question

mr. president, i yield the floor. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: let me just say that senator mccain and senator graham can speak for themselves, but neither of them have ever been in favor of closing guantanamo without a plan to do something. they want to see what the plan is to deal with these terroris terrorists. and beyond that, they can speak for themselves. but they're not in favor of closing guantanamo without a plan. with regard to the suggestion that we should bring these prisoners to the united states and try them, my good friend from illinois has suggested that there's no downside to that. that, you know, why not do it? well, we could. but the question is slo: should? we should not because we passed the military commissions for the purpose of trying these very detainees. there are courtrooms and a $200 million state-of-the-art facility at guantanamo to both incarcerate this and to try them -- incarcerate them and to try them. we know that no one has ever escaped from there and

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, the health care system in this country is in urgent need of reform. people are frustrated with the soaring cost of care and they're frustrated that so many of their fellow americans lack the coverage they need and they should be able to expect in a nation as prosperous as ours. people are also worried about the enormous burden that the rising health care costs are placing on american businesses which are being forced to put off pay increases and lay off workers to cope with rising insurance premiums. and now people are concerned that a new government health plan that's being talked about will make all of these problems even worse. for weeks many of us have been warning about plans for a government takeover of health care along the lines of takeovers we've seen in other areas of the private sector. now the details of these plans are coming to light, and they raise two questions: how much is all this going to cost? and how are we going to pay for it? let's take just three pro

quorum call: mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: madam president, as the debate over health care reform continues, a number of different approaches have now emerged, but one thing unites us -- all of us agree that health care reform is needed. the question is: what kind of reform? a reform that cuts costs and expands access? or a so-called reform that leads to a government takeover, where premium are increased but health care is delayed, denied, and rationed?

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, when it comes to health care americans are looking for answers. they don't understand why basic medical procedures are so expensive. they don't understand why millions of americans have to go without basic care in a nation as prosperous as our own and many are worried about losing the care they have and like. so the need for health care reform is not in question. all of us want reform. the question is: what kind of reform will we deliver? and two very different approaches are now beginning to come into view. according to one approach, the government plays the dominant role by getting into -- into the health care business and leverages taxpayers' money to muscle everybody else out of the way. under this approach the vast majority of americans who like the health care they have, risk losing it when a government-run system takes over. the other approach is to find ways of controlling costs such as discouraging the junk lawsuits that drive up the cost of practicing medicine and

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, americans are increasingly frustrated with the u.s. health care system as we know it. and they expect real reform not just the promise of reform that never seems to come or the allusion of reform that ends up destroying what's good about the country system and replacing it with something actually worse. the americans don't think basic medical procedures should break the bank. and they dope understand why millions of mr. presidents have tmr.million of americans have to without basic care. still, many americans are quite happy with the health care they currently have and they don't want to be forced into a government plan they don't like. so the need for reform is not in question. the real question is, what kind of reform? the kind that makes care more affordable and accessible? or the kind that makes existing problems worse. one thing most people like about health care in the u.s. is the quality of cancer care that's available here. far too many americans die from cancer. ye

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, the secretary of health and human services recently said that when it comes to health care, the status quo is unacceptable. i certainly agree with that. shoe thug wulgd it can thousand r shoe thug wulgd rolling to saw -- she then went on to say that the people are content with doing nothing. on that i disagree. republicans and democrats share the belief that health care reform is definitely needed. the question is: what kind of reform should it be? some have proposed a government-run health care system that would force millions to give up private health plans they haven't liked and replace them with a government plan where care is denied, delayed and rationed. this so-called reform is not the kind of change americans want. they want health care that's more affordable and accessible, but that reserves the doctor-patient relationship and the quality of care they now enjoy. and that's why republicans are proposing reforms to make health care less expensive and easier to obtain

mr. sessions: thank you, senator mcconnell. i would note there are only nine legislative days between now and the time the hearing starts. so we definitely are in a position where it's going to be difficult to be as prepared as we would like to be when this hearing starts. and we still don't have some of the material we need also. my staff and i have been working hard, madam president, to survey the writings and records of judge sotomayor. certainly the constitutional duty of the senate to consent to the president's nomination is a very serious one. in recent years we've seen judicial opinions atune more, i think, to the judge's personal preferences than to the law. it's caused quite a bit of heartburn throughout the country. we've seen judges who fail to understand that their role, while very important, is a limited one. the judge's role is not policy, politics, ethnicity, feelings, religion or personal preference. because whatever those things are, they are not law. and first and foremost, a judge personifies law. that's why

mr. mcconnell: madam president, i would make the same observation with regard to this nominee. we have not yet been able to get it cleared on this side. therefore, i object. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. mr. reid: madam president, for the -- we've been getting inquiries in the cloakroom -- cloakrooms, plural. there will be no more votes today. i indicated today we would be out by 6 anyway. there are a number of things going on. we will work on a number of issues over the weekend, including the tobacco issue and other things, and we will vote on monday at 5:30 on the cloture motions that we filed earlier this afternoon. no more votes today, tomorrow, not monday until 5:30. mr. dodd: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from connecticut. mr. dodd: madam president, i listened carefully to the conversation between the majority leader and our friend and colleague from arizona. i just want to, as the manager of this bill on smoking, let me say, i for one have also been a strong advocate for the reimportation proposal that senator mccain and dorgan amon

mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: madam president, americans are insisting that members of congress work together on reforms that make health care more affordable and accessible but which don't force people off their current plans or add to an already staggering national debt. and yet, the democratic plan now being rushed through the senate would do just the opposite. it would force millions of americans off of their health care plans and bury our nation deeper and deeper in debt. democrats have repeatedly and incorrectly declared that under their plan, americans who like their current insurance will be able to keep it. this morning i'd like to explain why that's unfortunately not the case. just last week the independent congressional budget office said that incomplete democratic "help" committee proposal would cost 10 million americans who currently have employer-based insurance to lose that coverage. let me repeat that, madam president. before the democratic bill is even complete, we know that it will cau

mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: madam president, the american people are frustrated with the u.s. health care system but they're also increasingly concerned about some of the proposals coming from washington. now the alarms are sounding. as reported in today's "the new york times," the nation's doctors have strongly opposed to the so-called government plan that appears to be gaining steam here in washington. the american medical association says the government plan threatens to restrict patient choice by putting out of business existing health plans that cover nearly 70% of americans. one estimate suggests 119 million americans could lose the private coverage they have as a consequence of the government plan. moreover, the a.m.a. in a statement yesterday notes that "the corresponding surge in public planned participation would likely lead to an explosion of costs that would need to be absorbed by the taxpayers ." republicans and democrats alike agree health care reform is needed in our country. but a gove

quorum call: quorum call: mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader.

thank you, mr. president. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, earlier this year the new administration proposed an economic stimulus bill that was meant to lift the economy at a time of massive job losses and widespread economic hardship. not only was the bill enormously complex, it was also one of the costliest piece of legislation ever proposed. and yet, those who put it together insisted that it be rushed to a vote. their reason, of course, the economic downturn was just too dire to wait. trust us, they said. it's responsible, it's needed, and it will work. and so this incredibly complex, enormously expensive bill which was introduced on january 26 was passed less than three weeks later, just 24 hours -- 24 hours, mr. president -- after all of its details had been disclosed to the public for review. at the time i argued that spending this much borrowed money in the middle of a recession on a bill that had been rushed to the floor was extremely irresponsible. at a time when millions are struggling just to make ends meet, washington

mr. mcconnell: mr. president, when it comes to health care, americans are looking to washington for real reform. americans are rightly frustrated with the ever-increasing cost of health care and many are concerned about losing the care they already have. americans also believe that in a nation as prosperous as ours, no one should go without the health care they need. all of us agree that reform is necessary, that we must do something to address the concerns americans have on this issue. the only question is, what kind of reform will we deliver? will we deliver a so-called reform that destroys what people like about the care they already have? or will we deliver a reform that preserves what's good even as we solve the problems that all of us acknowledge and want to address? unfortunately, some of the proposals that have been coming out of washington in recent weeks are giving americans reason to be concerned. americans have witnessed the government take over banks, insurance companies and major portions

mr. president, first and for foremost we are committed to a fair and just hearings but we need to examine the record of 3,500 probably more than 4,000 cases. in addition she has given a lot of speeches and written law review articles and those need to be analyzed because make no mistake about it, this is the only time, the only opportunity, this congress and this the american people have, to play a role in what would town ou turno be a lifetime appointment, a federal bench of independence and unaccountability for the rest of their life. so i think it is important we do this thing and we do it right. i thank senator mcconnell for his leadership in insisting we do it right. i believe from what we know today the timeframe that is set forth is unrealistic. more than that, it's not necessary. let's do this right. take our time. and do it in a way that i hope, as i've said repeatedly, this would be what people could say is the finest confirmation process we've ever had. i thank the chair. i yie

>> sure. >> thanks, mr. chairman. i noticed in both the opening statements members raised the issue of the detainee photographs. we know that the president, general petraeus and general odierno all feel the release of the photographs would endanger our troops. in the senate -- in the senate, senator lieberman and senator graham offered an amendment. i believe it was accepted without dissent. there is an overwhelming view in the senate that these photographs should not be released. consequently, i'm perplexed that it appears as if there's some sentiment on the other side of the capitol, maybe even majority sentiment, given the nature of the markup to this point, that the amendment be deleted. i would like for you to have the opportunity to hear from the chairman of the senate intelligence committee, who also happens to be a member of this committee, and is sitting right down the table, to further underscore the bipartisan nature of support for the amendment guaranteing that our troops not be endangered by this sort of

mr. president, one thing republicans and democrats can agree on is the need for serious health care reform. one the president obama spoke to the american medical is as a nation to discuss the issue. i applaud the president for his commitment to health care reform and agree we need to make health care more affordable and accessible to all americans. while the american people want reform they want us to fix what's wrong with the system without taking away the freedom, choices and quality-of-care they now enjoy. during this week to become a speech at the ama the president acknowledged these concerns and articulate on health care reform that many republicans share. but it seems to me and many of my friends on the other side of the aisle should listen more closely to what the president said to the ama. one thing the president said that republicans agree with is americans shouldn't be forced to give up the insurance the currently have and like and be forced into a government plan. the president

this is 15 minutes. >> mr. president i would like to say a few words about health care and obviously, we are going to, most media reports and as members of the health committee basically we're at a gridlock. the congressional budget office stated money in response to the legislation considered and the health committee that wants the proposal and i quote is fully implemented the number of people who have coverage by a employer will decline by 15,000,001 hall scorer consulting firm estimates the number to be much higher and estimates 70 percent of all americans who have private insurance today come a 120 million americans will lose their health insurance and be forced onto the government payroll. that stance in the stark contract -- contrast to the repeated assertions if you like your health care you can keep it. analysis by the health care economics firm bound to get all americans covered under the democrats' bill will cost a staggering $4 trillion and resulted in 79 million americans who currently have private

thank you, mr. chairman. >> mr. chairman, i was moved by both the senators, senator mcconnell and senator alexander's discussion of this issue, you described it as a house matter. i believe the house has made its own decision. i think we'll see by a vote that it's different than that which you are concluding. unless aisle mistaken that the second circuit has already acted, they've upheld the lower court's decision, i can't speak for the aclu, but i can speak for my members in the house we feel strongly that this bill was designed to be a bill to support the troops and without this amendment, i think we're going exactly the wrong direction. i urge that members at least on this side to support ms. granger's amendment. >> does the gentleman -- is the gentleman from california saying he'll vote for the bill if this amendment is in the bill? >>ville to see what else -- >> the greatest danger we face is not passing this bill. we have money for the shortfall, we have money for military pay shortfall stop-loss t.b.i. not pa

. >> mr. president, senator from alabama. i want to thank senator mcconnell for his leadership in so many ways, but in particular his concern that he's shown repeatedly on the united states judiciary. he's from a member of the judiciary committee, and he takes these issues seriously, and i think it is important that we all do so. i have to say that i'm disappointed that this morning that we learned from media reports, i did, that the chairman of the judiciary committee, senator layly, announced we would begin the hearing on july 13th on judge sotomayor. i believe that's too early. i don't believe it's necessary. it is far more important that we do this matter right than we do it quick. when the announcement was made, president obama said that the time we sl look to was october 1, when the new supreme court term starts. and i think that always was an achieveable goal, and it is something i said we could achieve and do it in the right way. the question is, can we get all this consumer done in this rush-rush fashion. it will be

mr. kyl: mr. president, i've been talking about health care reform being urgently needed. mine is satisfied with the status quo. we have all heard unfortunate stories of americans who cope with health insurance. all americans deserve access to high quality health care. in a country as innovative and prosperous as ours we can achieve that goal. republicans believe we can do so by putting patients first. we believe americans should be trusted with their own money to make wise decisions about the health care plan that best fits their family's needs. we do do not believe forcing everyone into a one-size-fits-all washington-run system as the president wants to is the solution to our health care problems. indeed, we believe a washington takeover would create a whole new set of problems, the likes of which are experienced every day in countries like canada and great britain. president obama often says that if you're insured and you like your current health care, you can keep it. but as i pointed

mr. kyl: thank you. mr. president, today i'd like to talk about a bill which today senator mcconnell and i introduced and i think a companion bill will be introduced by some of the leadership in the house of representatives. the number of the bill is 1259. and this bill is called the patients act. patient as in doctor and patient. and the idea is to focus on health care as it relates to patients. the health care reform should be patient centered. that nothing should come between the physician and the patient. and we're concerned that there is something that is being done that we need to stop because it could, in fact, insert government bureaucrats in between the patient and the physician. what's happened is that in the stimulus bill, the congress appropriated $1.1 billion for something called comparative effectiveness research. now, comparative effectiveness research has been used for years by physicians and hospitals, medical schools do research and they determine what kind of treatments are best. for examp

. >> friends, fellow members of congress, trustees of the ronald reagan presidential foundation, mrs. reagan, today we celebrate a great man's life. and as we dedicate this statue we affirm that man's treasured place in our hearts and in our nation's storied history. many today are too young to remember what a difference he made. but rather than recite a history lesson, let me just say this. when america thought our best days lay behind us, ronald reagan showed they still lay ahead. when the world thought freedom was in retreat, ronald reagan proved that liberty was the strongest force in history. and when many thought freedom should negotiate with tyranny, ronald reagan had the courage to call tyranny by its name and to say that freedom would win. ronald reagan is remembered as one of the giants of the 20th century. he deserves our admiration. and he deserves this statue. but the real ronald reagan stood taller than any statue, and we know the source of that strength. she is here with us. nancy, together you and president reagan lifted our nation when we needed it most. and america i

mr. president on another subject, as the national discussion over healthcare intensifies, one thing is already clear. both republicans and democrats agree that healthcare is in serious need of reform. the only thing that remains to be seen is what kind of reform will it delivered. americans are increasingly worried about what they are hearing from washington. americans want lower cost than they want the freedom to choose their own doctors and their own care. what they don't want is a washington takeover of healthcare along the lines of what we are going to be seen with the banks, insurance companies and the auto industry. americans don't want a government run system that puts bureaucrats between patients and doctors. and basically don't want the kind of government boards that exist in places like new zealand and great britain that tonight, the delay treatments that are currently available to americans. americans want change but they don't want changes that will make existing programs wors

one on the tarp in support of mr. obama, senator mccain also supported the tarp program as did the senate republican leader mitch mcconnell, the house republican leader, john boehner. the bush administration was the one who came up with the tarp program. it was supported strongly by the chairman of the federal reserve, ben bernanke and bipartisan leadership. the rank and file never liked the program much. to the caller's other point, with the federal reserve -- one of the interesting questions is just how powerful the fed is. it has been very aggressively getting the financial system stabilized. most people think they have done a good job, but will have a difficult time removing programs to return to more normal operations. there are a lot of questions on the separation between the fed and treasury. mr. bernanke is asked that a lot when he testifies. he responds that it must be independent but during a serious financial crisis id must work with the treasury and government in power to keep the economy stabilized. host:

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. kyl: thank you, mr. president. first of all i was going to interrupt and ask a question. but i simply confirmed with senator mcconnell, and i will state and the record can reflect the fact, i believe that senator mcconnell asked the question of where he would be released in he were acquitted. i don't believe that he asserted that he would be released into the united states. i just wanted to clear that up. obviously we can check the transcript and determine it. i think that was his intent because of the question that robert gibbs had posed. that is my understanding of it. we can resolve that. i would like to say a couple of other things. first of all, i think it is important to have this debate. the senate had a debate some weeks ago and it is true that 90 senators voted against funding a -- a program to close the prison at guantanamo bay. and six senators voted in favor of moving forward with that. i appreciate the senator from illinois starchily defending the lonely -- starchily defending the -- staunch

mr. president, i rise today to talk about health care reform. what else, in regard to the interest of the american people and what we are doing here. as the republican leader, senator mcconnell has pointed out, the disiefe desire for heae reform on both sides of the aisle unites this chamber across both political and geographic boundaries. our system of health care produces some of the best care in the world and it is the driver of a substantial share of the medical innovations that wiped out diseases, improved our comfort and extended our time on this earth. however, this system is not truly accessible to everybody. that's the problem, and that's what this entire debate boils down to. your ability to have access to a doctor, to go see the doctor of your choice when you need to see that doctor. solving his this problem of access is exceedingly complicated partly because it evidences itself in so many diverse ways all across the country. so many different geographical areas. for example, in our rural areas in kansas, we are struggling with attrac

>> senator mitch mcconnell, what's on your summer reading list? >> well, i just finished a couple of books i would highly recommend. john mecham's biography of andrew jackson, which is fairly recently out. it's a fabulous, sort of different look at andrew jackson from previous biographies that i've read of him and i've read several. it really focuses mostly on his presidential years and also a good deal about his personal life, how important his family was. his wife died right after his election and so was never in the white house. but he had a collection of relatives who served as advisors and sort of supported him and this really delves deeply into their relationship with him and also the infamous -- what was commonly referred to as the peggy eaton matter, which was the wife of one of his cabinet members who had been maligned similar to the way his wife had been maligned during the campaign and he defended her and made it into a really big issue. so, you know, meacham's a good writer and it's a good read. i also finished a book actually since th

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, one thing republicans and democrats can all agree on is the need for serious health care reform. on monday, president obama spoke to the american medical association to discuss the issue. a i applaud the president for hs commitment to health care reform and i agree that we plead to make health care remore affordable and access to believe other americans. the people want us to fix what's wrong with the system without taking away the freedom, choices and quality of care they now enjoy. during his speech to the a.m.a., the president acknowledged his concerns and articulated some principles on homosexuality care reform that many republicans share. but it seems to me that many of my friends on the other side of the aisle should have listened more closely to what the president s

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, i'm going to proceed on my leader time, which i did not use earlier this morning. when it coming to reforming health care, republicans believe that both political parties should work together to make it less expensive and easier to obtain while preserving what people like about our current system. that's why republicans have put forward ideas that should be easy for everyone to support, such as reforming medical malpractice laws to get rid of junk lawsuits. encouraging wellness and prevention programs that have already been shown to cut costs. and addressing the needs of small businesses without asbestossing taxes that kill jobs. -- without imposing taxes that kill jobs. opponents on capitol hill opted against many of these commonsense proposals moving instead in t

mr. mcconnell: mr. president, it was less than three weeks ago that the president announced his intentions to nominate judge sonia sotomayor to the supreme court. in announcing her nomination the white house made much of the fact she had the lengthiest judicial record in recent memory. last week in a departure from practice the democratic leadership of the judiciary committee scheduled her hearing without even notifying the ranking member. because of this unwise and unfair approach, judge sotomayor's hearing will begin just three weeks from today. as i understand it, her questionnaire is still incomplete. among other deficiencies she has not provided materials from 17 cases sheehan telled as a prosecutor -- cases she has handled as a prosecutor and she has not provided materials from over 100 speeches she has given. during the roberts and alito hearings our democratic friends said it was more important to do it right than quick. that is the, now that there is a democratic president, it appears the attit

and so it has been announced today that mr. ahmaz ghalani is being brought to the united states, to new york, for trial. luckily this administration is not following the advice and counsel of senator mcconnell and some on his side. it is time for this man to face a trial. what is he being charged with? he's being charged as one of those involved in the 1998 embassy attacks in africa. this tanzania national has been held in cuba since september of 2006. he was captured by our forces, and others, in pakistan, in 2004 and transported to guantanamo. he is being charged with his involvement in the 1998 bombings of u.s. embassies in east africa which killed 224 people, including 12 americans. the position being taken by the republicans in the senate is that this man should not be brought to the united states for trial. i think they're wrong. i think it's time that he answer for the crimes that are being charged against him. 12 americans died. as a result of what we believe was his conduct. he needs to be held accountable. this argume

mr. hatch: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the distinguished senator from missouri be given a couple of minutes to make his -- put his speech in the record, and that i be immediately given the floor. mr. wyden:b mr. president? reserve the right to object, and i do not intend to object. i would just ask unanimous consent, mr. president, after the distinguished senator from missouri has spoken and after the distinguished senator from utah has spoken, that i follow them. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. hatch: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. hatch: i would like my colleague to understand that i may take longer than ten minutes on my speech. i ask unanimous consent to be able to do so. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the senator from missouri. mr. bond: mr. president, today in the defense appropriations bill, we've heard about some good things going on in south asia and the new strategy for both a