Senate Proceeding 10-14-09 on Oct 14th, 2009 :: 3:55:25 to 3:58:50
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3:55:21 to 3:55:41( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: after time and we spend hours and days on this floor doing mr. levin: will the yield the leader mentioned the defense authorization bill that's awaiting action by this senate.

3:55:25 to 3:58:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Carl Levin

3:55:42 to 3:56:03( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: we've got a conference report. we've spent months and months and months on this bill. there are critical provisions that everyone knows about. some of those can be argued, well, doesn't that require an appropriation? and the answer is yes, technically some of these provisions do. for instance, the pay increase requires an appropriation.

3:56:04 to 3:56:25( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: but by holding up this bill, the conference report, we are holding up legislative provisions as well that are critically important, that do not rely on appropriations. and so i want to -- mr. reid: i say to my frerntiondz the majority of your bill is legislative language that has nothing to do with appropriations. mr. levin: i just want to ask the leader, if he would bear

3:56:26 to 3:56:48( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: with me for a moment -- i just want to spend a couple moments talking about a few of the legislative provisions. one, to remedy the military commission law. it's been basically thrown out by the supreme court. we cannot hold people in front ofilitary commissions and try them before a military commission under the current law.

3:56:49 to 3:57:09( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: we have got to modify this law. we spent the modifications are in the defense authorization bill. until these modifications are signed into law b of the uni have detainees tried before military commissions. we want to get -- we want to get

3:57:10 to 3:57:31( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: equipment to many of us are focusing on strengthening the afghan army as a way that we can succeed in afghanistan. to get their numbers up to get their equipment up. but in order to get nonaccess frort iraq to afghanistan, we've got to authorize t that's in our bill.

3:57:32 to 3:57:52( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: that's now being held up apparently unwillingness on the part of some of the republicans to agree to a una with a time agreement for debate -- no one is trying to preempt anybody from talking. now, my question is to the -- one other example:

3:57:53 to 3:58:13( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: unless we act, soldiers who are getting care in tricare facilities are going to have to pay $100 a day extra. we have got to stop that from happening, to provision in law to extend the limitation on charges for tricare.

3:58:14 to 3:58:34( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: on and on and on we have critically important legislative provisions -- and my question to the leader is this: am i correct in my understanding that we've offered a unanimous consent agreement, given the time agreement, willingness to enter into a fipple agreement on i know there are people who oppose the hate crimes provision, for instance in our

3:58:35 to 3:58:50( Edit History Discussion )

Carl Levin: bill. wooer a not trying to debate. the opposite. we're trying to get on with the gailt. and my question is: is it true that we have offered the unanimous consent agreement on the defense authorization