Senate Live - June 22, 2006

The Senate is scheduled to open at 9:30 AM to take up:

S.2766 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007

Text of Amendments 4196 to 4208 : June 12, 2006
Text of Amendments 4209 to 4220 : June 13, 2006
Text of Amendments 4221 to 4252 : June 14, 2006
Text of Amendments 4253 to 4291 : June 15, 2006
Text of Amendments 4292 to 4309 : June 16, 2006
Text of Amendments 4311 to 4331 : June 19, 2006
Text of Amendments 4332 to 4380 : June 20, 2006
Text of Amendments 4381 to 4480 : June 21, 2006
Text of Amendments 4481 to 4541 : June 22, 2006

June 14 debate
June 15 debate
June 16 debate
June 19 debate
June 20 debate: Part I - Part II
June 21 debate
June 22 debate

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In summary, the major side issues now set-up and remaining within the debate on the Defense Authorization Bill are:

1. Levin amendment and Kerry amendment re: US policy toward Iraq
2. Bingaman amendment re: a timetable for charging or releasing all prisoners in Gitmo

The pending business is:
- the McCAIN amendment (No. 4241) (Purpose: To name the Act after John Warner),
- the LEVIN amendment (No. 4320) (Purpose: To state the sense of Congress on the United States policy on Iraq), and
- the KERRY amendment (No. 4442) (Purpose: To require the redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq in order to further a political solution in Iraq, encourage the people of Iraq to provide for their own security, and achieve victory in the war on terror.)

A unanimous consent agreement provides the following schedule:

• 60 minutes of debate on Levin No. 4320 and Kerry No. 4442 Iraq policy amendments
• 15 minutes for the minority leader
• 15 minutes for the majority leader
• vote on the Levin amendment
• vote on the Kerry amendment
• vote on the cloture motion for the bill

Co-sponsors of the Kerry amendment are Feingold, Boxer and Leahy. Co-sponsors of the Levin amendment are Reed, Feinstein, Salazar, Clinton, Biden, [Dodd was added later in the day], Obama and Rockefeller. Wow, Rockefeller, there's a name that hasn't come up much in the past few months.

UPDATE @ 11:43

The KERRY amendment (No. 4442) was REJECTED on a 13 - 86 vote (Purpose: To require the redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq in order to further a political solution in Iraq, encourage the people of Iraq to provide for their own security, and achieve victory in the war on terror.)
Voting AYE: Akaka, Boxer, Durbin, Feingold, Harkin, Inouye, Jeffords, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Menendez, and Wyden

UPDATE @ 12:03

The LEVIN amendment (No. 4320) was REJECTED on a 39 - 60 vote (Purpose: To state the sense of Congress on the United States policy on Iraq)
GOP voting AYE: Chafee
DEM Voting NAY: Dayton, Landrieu, Lieberman, Nelson (FL), Nelson (NE), and Pryor

UPDATE @ 12:22

Motion to invoke cloture on S.2766 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 was PASSED on a 98 - 01 vote
Against cloture: Feingold

UPDATE @ 12:40

Senator Warner requests that Hutchison's amendment No. 4377 be taken up next, followed by a voice vote.

Hutchison's amendment No. 4377 was PASSED on a voice vote. (Purpose: To include the Homeland Defense and Civil Support missions of the National Guard in the quadrennial defense review.)

Then Chambliss amendment No. 4261 (Purpose: To purchase 60 F-22A Raptor aircraft, and 133 F-119 engines), debated for an hour, followed by a roll call vote.

Then Dayton to discuss several amendments and the overall bill. Senator Warner indicates that he expects no further roll call vote before 3:00 PM, in order to permit Senators to pay respects at Merrill's funeral service.

The Chambliss amendment amounts to making the 60 aircraft purchase in one contract, rather than in three contracts. Senator McCain is in opposition to the Chambliss amendment.

UPDATE @ 13:50

Senator Warner submitted a package of about 60 amendments to be voted on en bloc, and they were agreed to. Senators Warner and Levin exchange compliments on a job well done.

Senator Warner indicates that he expects a vote on final passage of the bill before the close of business today, and notes that there are no pending amendments. I wonder what became of Bingaman's amendment No. 4317 relating to Gitmo? I assume this is what is being negotiated by Frist and Reid, to establish time allocation for debate and for voting.

UPDATE @ 14:15

A bit of reading while the Senate is in what appears will be an extended quorum call.

NRO Corner has an interesting piece relating to Senator Chafee, that speculates Chafee may decide to run as in independent. The deadline for his decision is 4PM, Wednesday, June 28th.

Confirmthem.com has an interesting piece about Judge Boyle, especially Senator DeWine's actions that seem to indicate objection to a second hearing.

Sessions amendment No. 4471 is called up. (Purpose: To provide an additional $45 million for research, development and test for the Missile Defense Agency, where the $45 million is offset by reductions in R&D elsewhere.)

UPDATE @ 16:00

Inhofe amendment No. 4491 is called up. It is based on Inhofe amendment No. 4454. "The Department shall transform the contract for the Defense Travel System into a pay-for-performance based system."

Senator Warner asserts that 95% of Inhofe's goals have been achieved, due to Senator Inhofe's persistence, and that by October, they will be 100% achieved. Senator Inhofe looks at his notes and says the utilization rate of is 30%. Senator Warner says that the cost comparison needs to account for the fact that the DTS (Defense Travel System) performs more than travel booking, it also performs accounting and disbursement.

A number of other amendments were introduced - I was "away." Voting is underway on the Chambliss amendment.

UPDATE @ 16:20

The CHAMBLISS amendment (No. 4261) was PASSED on a 70 - 28 vote (Purpose: To purchase 60 F-22A Raptor aircraft, and 133 F-119 engines, under a single three year contract instead of three separate, annual contracts)

Warner indicates that there will be a vote on Sessions No. 4471, then a series of amendments (managers' package), then vote on final passage of the bill.

Looks as though the Gitmo issue has been dropped from the bill.

Sessions' amendment and the bill will pass easily. This show is all but over.

UPDATE @ 17:40

The SESSIONS amendment (No. 4471) was PASSED on a 98 - 00 vote (Purpose: To provide an additional $45 million for research, development and test for the Missile Defense Agency, where the $45 million is offset by reductions in R&D elsewhere)

S.2766 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 was PASSED on a 96 - 00 vote

S.2767 - S.2769 being considered en bloc (housekeeping), with the text of S.2766 being substituted among those bills as indicated by a schedule submitted by Senator Warner.

H.R.5122 vs. S.2766 difference will likely result in a conference, or, theoretically possible but highly unlikely, may result in the House agreeing to adopt the Senate language. Senate conferees are named:

Warner; McCain; Inhofe; Roberts; Sessions; Collins; Ensign; Talent; Chambliss; Graham; Dole; Cornyn; Thune; Levin; Kennedy; Byrd; Lieberman; Reed; Akaka; Nelson FL; Nelson NE; Dayton; Bayh; and Clinton.

Summary of all action on S.2766.

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Andrew Guilford to be U.S. District Judge for Central District of California, was CONFIRMED on a 93 - 00 vote

Frank Whitney to be District Court Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, was CONFIRMED on a voice vote.

Thomas D. Anderson to be US Attorney, was CONFIRMED on a voice vote.

Senator Levin makes a point of recognizing Senator Cantwell for her amendment requiring recapitalization (replacement) of National Guard equipment that was left in Iraq. More self-congratulations back and forth between Warner and Levin, as well as thanks for staff.

Cantwell and Talent to speak for about 5 minutes each, followed by Senator Byrd for as much time as he may consume.

Senator Byrd utters congratulations and praise to Senator Warner for his performance as chairman of the Armed Services Committee.