Senate Proceeding on Oct 22nd, 2009 :: 1:41:05 to 1:53:25
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1:41:02 to 1:41:23( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: would urge our colleagues to vote for cloture on this conference report and then t adopt the conference report itself. and i yield the a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from mr. mccain: i yield myself such time as i may consume.

1:41:05 to 1:53:25( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John McCain

1:41:24 to 1:41:45( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: today the senate begins consideration of the conference report to accompany this year's national defense authorization bill, providing our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and their families with the support they need and deserve is a responsibility that i don't take lightly, especially during a time of war. it's a responsibility that my good friend and colleague,

1:41:46 to 1:42:07( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: senator levin, understands very, very well. i thank and commend senator levin for his skill in shepherding this bill through the conference process in a bipartisan fashion. i thank senator levin for his leadership. i thank him for his commitment to the men and women who are serving in the military and the long relationship that we have

1:42:08 to 1:42:31( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: enjoyed working together as colleagues in that effort. the conference report largely supports the defense priorities laid out by secretary gates and authorizes over $550 billion base program funding for the department of defense and national security programs of the department of energy. additionally, the legislation

1:42:32 to 1:42:55( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: authorizes over $129 billion in overseas contingency operations funding for ongoing activities in iraq, afghanistan, pakistan, and other regional operations in support of the war on terrorism. the conference report demonstrates our bipartisan support to the men and women of the armed forces and their families and provides them with the paid benefits, equipment and

1:42:56 to 1:43:18( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: training that they need and deserve. the report increases benefits for our wounded warriors and provides an across-the-board pay raise for our military. the report terminates production of the f-22 aircraft, contains no funding for additional c-17 cargo aeurblg, provides full -- cao aircraft, and fully

1:43:19 to 1:43:39( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: authorizes funding to train and equip thefghan national army and police forces. i'm unable to eliminate funding for the continued development of the alternate energy for the joint strike fighter. as secretary and i quote -- "this program is unnecessary and could disrupt the overall j.s.f. program by

1:43:40 to 1:44:00( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: diverting resources away from efforts needed for the continuation of that program." during the more than 240 hours that senator levin and i have worked -- 20 years, during the more than 20 years that senator levin and i have worked together, we've had our share of respectful disagreements, and this year is no exception.

1:44:01 to 1:44:21( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: i strongly disagree with the majority's decision to include hate crimes legislation in the national defense authorization bill. i have consistently opposed attaching hate crimes legislation to the national defense ahorization bill in years past. this year i again objected to the inclusion of this

1:44:22 to 1:44:44( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: nongermane, nonrelevant language as an amendment to the defense authorization bill when the bill was being considered on the floor of the senate in july. and today i remain strongly opposed to its inclusion in the conference report. a defense authorization bill is not the appropriate vehicle for consideration of hate crimes

1:44:45 to 1:45:05( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: legislation. it is not germane to the work of the armed services committee. the sta-alone s. 909, has not even been considered by the senate judiciary committee where it could have been debated, modified, improved, and brought to the floor of the senat this is what we are -- what we are doing here is an abuse of

1:45:06 to 1:45:26( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: the senate process. i also object to the language itself because it would create new federal crime for willfully causing bodily injury to any peon due to the actual or perceived race, national origin, religion, or gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability of any person.

1:45:27 to 1:45:48( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: i do not believe an expansion of the federal criminal code is necessary to cover a certain clas of citizens from -- quote -- "perceived injustices." now, let me tell y one of the biggest problems i have here, mr. president. it is that we have now seen a virtual disappearance of authorization bills for various

1:45:49 to 1:46:09( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: functions of government from senate consideration. now, we've done that extraneous and nongermane issues have been raised on those authorizations bills. i don't remember the last time we had authorization bills for foreign options out of the

1:46:10 to 1:46:30( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: foreign relations committee. i don't know when we've had authorization for other branches of government. and the reason is because they always get bogged down in extraneous amendments on both sides. i'm not placing the blame on the other side. i'm placing the blame on both sides, which then bog

1:46:31 to 1:46:51( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: legislation, which then, because the exigencies of time, we're not able to address the proper authorizing process for many functions of government, which then throws it all into the appropriations process. and, of course, that is now an enormous shift of power and authority and responsibility

1:46:52 to 1:47:13( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: from the authorizing committees in whom the responsibility sh committees, which are simply only supposed to appropriate money for previously authorized functioning of government. so i worry a great deal about -- and the only -- and the only bill that has been consistently

1:47:14 to 1:47:34( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: passed for many, many years through the senate of the united states and into law was -- is the defense authorization bill. now, the defense authorization bi is vital, so we are now starting a very dangerous precedent by

1:47:35 to 1:47:55( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: and very controversial provision which is nongermane and nonrelated to defense to a defense authorization bill. now, as my friend, senator levin, will point oud, there have been other times when provisions have been added to this bill which are nongermane. nothing of this magnitude. nothing of the controversy that is associated with the herit

1:47:56 to 1:48:16( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: crimes legislation, which was tacked on to this bill without any consideration in the committee itself. there was no committee consideration. when the bill came to the floor, bang! the first amendment out of the box was the hate crimes legislation, which of course tied up the legislation for some days. and i understand the realities

1:48:17 to 1:48:38( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: here. i know what majority votes are, and i know what majority membership in this body s and it wasammed through. i want to tell my colleagues, if we allow hat crimes to be to this -- hate crimes to be added to this defense authorization bill, what's next? what pet project on the part or legislation on the part of the

1:48:39 to 1:48:59( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: majority leader or the majority will be included in the next authorization bill? so i want to also point out, if this legislation is signed into law, prosecutors to treat identical problems differently depending upon the police officer or prosecutor's determination of

1:49:00 to 1:49:21( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: the political gender, philosophical or even religious beliefs of the offender. our legal system is based on identifying, capturinger and punishing criminals and not on using the power of government to try to define biases. crimes motivated by hate deserve vigorous prosecution, and i strongly support punishing those

1:49:22 to 1:49:43( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: who commit such heinous acts under existing laws. moreover, i am committed to a full and transparent debate on the issue. but i strongly oppose using the men and women of the military as the vehicle to pass this controversial and partisan legislation. "the detroit news"

1:49:44 to 1:50:04( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: editorialized, and i quote, "the detroit news" said -- quote -- "certainly threats of violence or violence against individuals for any reason should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. not, however, because the victims are me particular race adherence of a particular religion or are gay. these crimes should be punished

1:50:05 to 1:50:26( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: because the victim are uniquely valuable individuals who deserve the protection of the law solely on that basis. the idea of special prosecutions for hate crimes is inherently divisive." i am pleased that the conference report does retain some legislative language offered by senator brownback during senate

1:50:27 to 1:50:47( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: debate on the bill. senator brownback's language clarifies that nothing in the hate crimes legislation language shall be construed as an infringement on americans' first amendment rights. additionally, his amendment ensures that nothing in the hate crimes language should be construed to overturn -- quote -- "the religious freedom

1:50:48 to 1:51:09( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: restoration act of 1993" that ensures our laws do not substantially burden americans' free enterprise of their religion. the majority had the votes in july to add hate crimes to the senate bill. have the votes today to invoke cloture on the containing hate it is indeed unfortunate that

1:51:10 to 1:51:31( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: we're using the brave men and women in uniform as leverage to pass hate and i want to say again, this legislation should have gone through the judiciary committee. that's the oversight committee. that's the jurisdiction. i know that my colleagues who are here on the floor will be justifying this legislation on

1:51:32 to 1:51:52( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: the grounds need. i say to the majority, who controls the legislative schedule here, you could have had this bill through the floor of the united states states senate in the proper fashion, and not -- and not put hit crimes on a bill that cares for the men and women who are

1:51:53 to 1:52:14( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: serving in the military today. and iorry a greater deal about the precedent -- and i wry a great deal about the precedent we'll set by including an incredibly controversial piece of legislation in the defense authorization bill, which provides for our first foremost obligation, and tha that is to secure the safety and w

1:52:15 to 1:52:35( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: of our fellow citizens. finally, i feel it is important to note that the defense authorization bill has been the only authorization bill that the u.s. congress has consistently passed every year. other authorization bills, as i've said, have often fallen under the weight of provisions inserted into must-pass bills that are not relevant to the

1:52:36 to 1:52:57( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: legislation and highly controversial. the lives of our men and women serving abroad literally depend upon our ability to consistently and reliably pass this authorizat and i'll not willing to take a gamble with our troops. for these reasons, i cannot in good conscience vote to support the motion to invoke cloture on

1:52:58 to 1:53:20( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: this bill, and i encourage my completion to do the same. prior to the final vote on passage of the conference report, i plan to speak in more detail about and the commitment we have made in this conference report to do everything possible to ensure our soldiers sailors, airmen, and marines receive the support that they very much deserve and need as well

1:53:21 to 1:53:25( Edit History Discussion )

John McCain: need to send those bra an-- those brave men and women and the families and stand behind