Senate Proceeding on Oct 22nd, 2009 :: 2:57:15 to 3:05:55
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2:57:12 to 2:57:33( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: mr. chambliss: i thank the president. mr. president, i rise today regrettably to oppose the conference report for the fiscal year 2010 national defense authorization act. for the record, this is the first defense authorization bill that -- the presiding officer: can we have order in the senate, please. the senator from georgia. mr. chambliss: for the record,

2:57:15 to 3:05:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Saxby Chambliss

2:57:34 to 2:57:56( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: this will be the first defense authorization bill that i have voted against in my 15 years in congress. there are many provisions in this bill with which i agree -- and strongly agree -- and that represent major steps forward in support of our men and women in uniform and the national security responsibilities of t united states. for example, the bill includes a significant pay raise for our

2:57:57 to 2:58:18( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: troops, reauthorizes numerous bonuses and special pays, authorizes billions of dollars of much-need military construction, both inside the united states as well as overseas, and authorizes $6.7 billion for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles or mraps. also, the bill includes t

2:58:19 to 2:58:39( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: military and overseas voting empowerment act which i worked on in conjunction with senators schumer, ben nelson, core anyone and bennett. -- cornyn and bennett. the presiding officer: order i the senate. mr. chambliss: and which was cosponsored by over half this body. the move act is one of the most substantive and comprehensive

2:58:40 to 2:59:00( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: military and overseas voting reforms that we have seen in years and certainly is really fix a significant problem that we have had in this country with the ability of our men and women who are putting their life in harm's way from being denied the ability to, number one, have the opportunity to vote; and,

2:59:01 to 2:59:22( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: secondly, to have their vote counted. however, the bill includes at least three provisions which i strongly oppose and for those reasons that i cannot support this final bill. first, the bill includes hate crimes legislation which i firmly believe is unnecessary, irresponsible, and certainly not

2:59:23 to 2:59:44( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: germane to this b there is little evidence that indicates that violent crimes motivated by hate in the united states. every single state has come from laws that prohibit the antisocial behavior ray dressed by hate crimes legislation

2:59:45 to 3:00:05( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: including laws against rape, assault an battery. i oppose the hate crimes legislation for several reasons. first, i do not believe the federal government should interfere with the criminal laws already on the books in our states. second, this hate crime legislation would establish a protected class of crime victims which would receive special

3:00:06 to 3:00:27( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: protection under the law. and, finally, we already have laws to prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes, those people guilty of violent crimes against anyone should and will be prosecuted under existing law and should be punished to the lt when found glty. for all these reasons, i

3:00:28 to 3:00:48( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: strongly oppose the hate crimes legislation in this bill. secondly, the bill contains no funding for the procurement of additional f-22's. on may 19, 2009, the chief of staff of the air force, general schwartz, affirmed under oath

3:00:49 to 3:01:09( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: that 243 is the right number of f-22's to have in our inventory. nevertheless, inclusion of additional f-22 funding received a veto threat from the administration and funding was stripped out of the senate bill after an unbelievable lobbying effort coming out of the pentagon and out of the white house.

3:01:10 to 3:01:31( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: i readily acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion on this issue a that others do not necessarily share my views on this subject of the however, what i will not that support for additional f-22's simply an example of doing business as usual and the influence of special interest. congress is entitled to disagree

3:01:32 to 3:01:52( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: with the executive branch on significant procurement an policy decions -- and policy decisions. and there are countless examples of where we have done so and history has proven congress to be right. time will tell, but the f-22 may very well be an example of where the supporters were, without question, correct.

3:01:53 to 3:02:13( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: i hope that we never have to be put in a position as a country to once again ensure that we maintain air dominance, but there is not a single weapon in our inventory that assures that we will maintain air dominance than the f-22.

3:02:14 to 3:02:36( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: -- other than the f-22. even the f-35, which is a great weapon system, and which now we know is going to be delayed by two years. it was kind of interesting that the announcement on the two-year delay on the f-35 came out about three or four days after the final vote on the defense authorization bill on this floor.

3:02:37 to 3:02:59( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: but the f-35 is an air-to-ground -- excuse me. is an air-to-ground weapon system that will not guarantee us the air superiority that the f-22 will. and if we're going to rely on 187f-22's from an air dominant standpoint in every potential sector of the world against

3:03:00 to 3:03:21( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: every potential adverry is simply not enough. general schwartz was right when he said that 233 is a more correct number. and i believe that stopping production at 17 puts -- 187 puts our nation at high the near to mid-term and there's no reason that our nation should

3:03:22 to 3:03:43( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: accept that amount of risk given our global responsibilities. third, section 1041 of the bill provides for the transfer of guantanamo detainees to the united states. while the bill specifies conditions for transfer and requires a plan for each detainee that is transferred, the bill nevertheless allows for the transfer of those detainees.

3:03:44 to 3:04:05( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: the contions for the transfer of those detainees are similar to those that are present in the fy 2010, homeland security appropriations bill, which i voted against earlier this week, made a much more detailed statement at that time why i was voting against that bil relative to this issue of the transfer of guantanamo detainees to the united states.

3:04:06 to 3:04:27( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: but that bill authorized the transfer of detainees to the united states for the purpose of prosecuting the detainee or for detaing him during legal proceedings. this bill allows the transfer of detainees, not just for that purpose, but for any purpose. this will allow those detainees who have access to u.s. criminal

3:04:28 to 3:04:48( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: courts, which i strongly oppose, because thesere individuals who were arrested on the battlefield. not by the f.b.i. or local police or any other law enforcement agency inside the united states. these are battlefield combatants. this also goes against the will

3:04:49 to 3:05:09( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: of the american people an opens up the possibility that these detainees may one day be released into the united states. therefore, i cannot support this provision in the underlying bill. mr president, i strongly support our troops and i support the missions which we have asked them to carry out. shortly i'll be going back to

3:05:10 to 3:05:31( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: afganistan for my third trip. i'll also have been to iraq on eight different occasions, and i get very emotional and excited about the opportunity to look our men and women in the eye with their boots on the ground to tell them how much w americans appreciate the great job that they're doing. and i'm going to continue to support them in every way possible.

3:05:32 to 3:05:54( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: but the fact is that here we have provisions and a -- in a defense authorization bill that go against the will of the american people and that, frankly, do have much of anything to do with our troops on the ground as well as our troops -- troops on the ground in theater as well a our troops here. so, mr. president, regrettably,

3:05:55 to 3:05:55( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: i'm going to