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TENNESSEE.
AND NOW LIVE TO THE SENATE FLOOR
FOR LIVE SENATE COVERAGE HERE ON
C-SPAN2.
THE
SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE CHAPLAIN, DR. BARRY BLACK,
WILL LEAD THE SENATE IN PRAYER.
LET US PRAY.
ALMIGHTY GOD, FATHER OF ALL
MERCIES, LET YOUR PRESENCE BE
FELT TODAY BY ALL ON CAPITOL
HILL AND BEYOND.
MAY THE AWARENESS OF YOUR
NEARNESS MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT
UPON OUR THOUGHTS, SPEECH, AND
ACTIONS.
AS WE LEARN TO CULTIVATE
COMPANIONSHIP WITH YOU, MAY IT
IMPROVE OUR DECISIONS, OUR
RELATIONSHIPS, AND OUR
ASPIRATIONS.
TEACH US YOUR WAYS AND LEAD US
IN YOUR TRUTH.
LORD, AS MILLIONS REACT TO THE
DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN, MAY WE
REMEMBER YOUR MERCIES TO OUR
NATION AND OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO
YOU.
BLESS THE MANY WHO HAVE
SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO KEEP US
FREE.
WE PRAY IN YOUR MERCIFUL NAME.
AMEN.
INTO
PLEASE
JOIN ME IN RECITING THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE
TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO
THE FLAG OF THE
AND TO THE REPUBLIC
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE,
WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE
CLERK WILL READ A COMMUNICATION
TO THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON D.C.,
MAY 1, 2011.
TO THE SENATE:
PARAGRAPH 3, OF THE STANDING
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 1,
RULES OF THE SENATE, I HEREBY
APPOINT
THE HONORABLE CHRISTOPHER A.
***, A SENATOR FROM THE STATE
OF DELAWARE
TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE
CHAIR.
SIGNED: DANIEL K. INOUYE,
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE.
FOLLOWING LEADER
REMARKS THE SENATE WILL BE IN A
PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS UNTIL
4:30 TODAY.
FOLLOWING MORNING BUSINESS THE
SENATE WILL BE IN EXECUTIVE
SESSION TO CONSIDER CALENDAR
NUMBER 74, ROY BALE DALTON OF
FLORIDA TO BE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE
DISTRICT OF FLORIDA.
CALENDAR NUMBER 76, KEVIN HUNTER
SHARP TO BE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE
DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE.
THERE WILL BE AN HOUR OF DEBATE.
AT 5:30 THIS EVENING THERE WILL
BE A ROLL CALL ON THE SHARP
NOMINATION.
THE DALTON NOMINATION WILL BE
CONFIRMED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, LATE LAST NIGHT
WE HEARD THE NEWS WE'VE BEEN
LONGING TO HEAR SINCE THE WORST
MORNING IN OUR MEMORY, OSAMA BIN
LADEN BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
THIS WAS AN AMERICAN MISSION.
LAST NIGHT'S NEWS STUMPED THE
WORLD BUT THIS OPERATION'S
SUCCESS SURPRISED NO ONE.
AMERICA'S SPECIAL FORCES AND
INTELLIGENCE OPERATIVES ARE THE
BEST, BEST TRAINED, BEST
EQUIPPED AND BEST LED.
EVERY DAY OF EVERY YEAR THEY
RISK THEIR LIVES FOR OUR SAFETY.
THEY ARE THE MOST PROFESSIONAL
AND PROFICIENT FORCES ON THE
PLANET.
AND YESTERDAY THEY BROUGHT DOWN
EARTH.
THE MOST WANTED MASS MURDERER ON
THEIR SUCCESS IS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT VICTORY YET IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST AL QAEDA AND
TERRORISM.
IT SENDS A STRONG AND
UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE TO
TERRORISTS WHO THREATEN OUR
PEOPLE AND OUR INTERESTS.
THIS SUCCESS IS A DIRECT RESULT
OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LEADERSHIP
AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY
PRIORITIES HE OUTLINED WHEN HE
TOOK OFFICE AND THE GREEN LIGHT
HE GAVE OUR FORCES THIS WEEKEND.
PRESIDENT OBAMA INSISTED THAT WE
REFOCUS ON AFGHANISTAN AND
PAKISTAN AS THE CENTER OF
BATTLEFIELDS IN OUR FIGHT
AGAINST TERRORISM.
THERE WAS TREMENDOUS MILITARY,
DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC EFFORTS
ARE THE REASON WE WOKE UP THIS
MORNING TO THE WORLD THAT IS NO
LONGER HOME TO OSAMA BIN LADEN.
THE END OF HIS LIFE IS NOT THE
END OF THE FIGHT.
YESTERDAY'S OPERATION IS INDEED
A MEASURE OF JUSTICE.
IT IS ONLY ONE MEASURE OF
JUSTICE.
IT ABSOLUTELY IS A DEFINITIVE
VICTORY BUT IT DOES NOT DEFINE
ABSOLUTE VICTORY.
AMERICA WELCOMES THE SUCCESS OF
EXTRAORDINARY MISSION.
OUR FELLOW CITIZENS'
EVEN AS WE BREATHE A SIGH OF
RELIEF, THOUGH, WE'RE NOT
RELIEVED OF OUR DUTY TO BE
VIGILANT, TO BE PERSISTENT AND
DEFEAT OUR ENEMY AND TO MAKE OUR
NATION STRONGER.
THE LEADER OF AL QAEDA IS GONE
BUT HIS ORGANIZATION IS NOT.
WE KNOW OUR ENEMY IS WIDESPREAD
AND MOTIVATED.
THE TRUTH IS IT MAY BE MORE
MOTIVATED TODAY THAN IT WAS
YESTERDAY.
OUR TROOPS CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
OUR INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS
CONTINUE TO WORK.
THEIR FAMILIES CONTINUE TO
SACRIFICE.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL OF
THEM AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
WE ALSO PAUSE TODAY TO ONCE
AGAIN LEND A SHOULDER TO THOSE
WHOSE GRIEF NEVER ENDS, NOT WITH
TIME, NOT EVER.
THIS SIGNIFICANT MEASURE OF
JUSTICE IS BUT A SMALL MEASURE
OF COMFORT TO THOSE WHO LOST
LOVED ONES AT BIN LADEN'S
DIRECTION IN AMERICA AND AROUND
THE WORLD, IN NEW YORK, VIRGINIA
AND PENNSYLVANIA, BOARD THE
U.S.S. COLE AND AMERICAN
EMBASSIES IN AFRICA, TRAINS IN
LONDON AND MADRID AND SO MANY
OTHER PLACES.
BIN LADEN'S DEATH DOES NOT BRING
BACK THE THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
PEOPLE AND MAKE WHOLE FAMILIES
THAT WILL BE FOREVER INCOMPLETE
BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE
THAT REMINDS THE WORLD AMERICA
DOES NOT SUFFER THE WICKED AND
DOES NOT SUBMIT TO EVIL.
OUR RESOLVE IS STRENGTHENED BUT
IT IS CHALLENGED IN OUR UNITY,
THOUGH IT TOO SOFPB TESTED, IS
UNBREAKABLE.
BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF OUR
AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE AND
AMERICAN FORCES, A LONG CHAPTER
IN AMERICA'S HISTORY CLOSED
YESTERDAY.
TODAY WE WELCOME THE SPRING OF A
NEW OPTIMISM AND RENEWED
PATRIOTISM.
WE HOPE THE CHAPTER AHEAD OF US
WILL BRING SECURITY AND PEACE.
WHILE THE NATION AND WORLD
ABSORBED THIS CRUCIAL
DEVELOPMENT, THE WORK OF THE
SENATE CONTINUES.
TODAY WE BEGIN A NEW MONTH AND A
NEW WORK PERIOD AND A NEW
OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO
CREATE JOBS.
I HOPE THIS MONTH WILL BE A
PRODUCTIVE MONTH.
THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPORTANT AND
TIME-SENSITIVE ITEMS ON OUR
PLATE.
ONE, TO HELP WRAP UP THE SMALL
BUSINESS JOBS BILL.
THIS HAS BEEN ON THE FLOOR FOR
WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS, FAR
TOO LONG, AND WE NEED TO RESOLVE
IT SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO OTHER
MATTERS.
TWO, WE'LL HAVE THE SAME DEBATE
IN THE SENATE THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ARE HAVING AT HOME.
THAT IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER
WE SHOULD KEEP GIVING AWAY MONEY
TO OIL COMPANIES WHO CLEARLY
DON'T NEED HANDOUTS.
THAT WILL BE PART OF A LARGER
DEBATE WE'LL CONTINUE HAVING
ABOUT HOW BEST TO INVEST IN
FOREIGN OIL.
THRAOERBGS VOTE ON THE -- THREE,
VOTE ON THE HOUSE-PASSED BUDGET.
THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WILL REJECT IT AND THE
SENATE WILL SOON HAVE ITS SAY.
FINALLY WE'LL CONFIRM JUDICIAL
NOMINEES, MANY OF WHOM WE'VE
SENATE.
WAITED A LONG TIME FOR IN THE
IF THE MINORITY FORCES US TO
FILE CLOTURE ON THESE NOMINEES
IN ORDER TO GET A FINAL VOTE,
WE'LL FILE A FINAL VOTE.
WE CANNOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME OR
PLAY THESE GAMES FOR A LONGER
PERIOD OF TIME.
THE COUNTRY NEEDS THESE EMPTY
BENCHES FILLED.
WE ALSO HAVE OTHER NOMINATIONS
TO CONFIRM INCLUDING THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S NUMBER-ONE
DEPUTY.
THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL RUNS
THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
HE IS ALSO THE PERSON WHO SIGNS
OUR WARRANTS TO PERMIT OUR
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TO
CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE ON
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.
WE MUST DO THAT SOON.
ESPECIALLY GIVEN LAST NIGHT'S
DEVELOPMENT, IT IS UNTHINKABLE
THAT WE WOULD KEEP A
WELL-QUALIFIED NOMINEE OUT OF
ROLE.
THIS IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY
A MOMENT AGO WE BEGAN THIS
REMARKABLE DAY IN THE SENATE THE
SAME DAY WE BEGIN EVERY DAY IN
THE SESSION.
WE BEGIN IT WITH THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE TO OUR FLAG.
ITS CLOSING WORDS WERE THE
POWERFUL CLOSING WORDS OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ADDRESS TO THE
NATION LAST NIGHT AND THE
MEANING IS EVEN MORE PROFOUND
ERA.
TODAY, THE FIRST DAY OF THIS NEW
THOSE WORDS "LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL" REPRESENT AMERICA'S
PURPOSE.
THIS WEEKEND THE NAME AND
PURSUIT OF LIBERTY HEROIC
AMERICANS HALFWAY AROUND THE
WORLD SECURED JUSTICE FOR AN
EVIL MAN'S VICTIMS, FOR
AMERICANS, THEIR ALLIES AND THE
ENTIRE WORLD.
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR AUFPLT
AUFPLT -- LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER.
MR. PRESIDENT,
TODAY AMERICANS AND ALL WHO LONG
FOR JUSTICE WOKE TO GOOD NEWS.
NEARLY TEN YEARS AFTER THE
UNITED STATES SET OUT TO KILL OR
CAPTURE OSAMA BIN LADEN, JUSTICE
HAS INDEED BEEN DONE.
THE MAN WHO ORCHESTRATED THE
9/11 ATTACKS AND WHO REVELED IN
THE HORROR OF THAT DAY IS DEAD.
AND THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HIS
TWISTED VISION ARE AGAIN ON
NOTICE: AMERICA IS IN PURSUIT.
THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING.
FOR TWO DECADES OSAMA BIN LADEN
AND THE AL QAEDA NETWORK HE
CREATED SUSTAINED AND LED HAD
BEEN AT WAR WITH THE UNITED
STATES.
THE PATH OF TERROR EXTENDED FROM
THE FIRST WORLD TRADE CENTER
BOMBING TO THE BOMBING OF THE
KHOBAR TOWERS AND THE U.S.
EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA
TO THE BOMBING OF THE U.S.S.
COLE TO THE HORRORS OF 9/11 AND
THROUGH TWO LONG AND DIFFICULT
WARS THAT FOLLOWED.
9/11 MAY HAVE BEEN THE DAY THAT
THIS PATTERN OF VIOLENCE BECAME
SUDDENLY AND UNDENIABLY CLEAR.
BIN LADEN'S DESTRUCTIVE PATH WAS
ALREADY LONG BY THEN.
AND FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS
AMERICA HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO
BRING THIS MONSTER TO JUSTICE.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS
FIGHT, THE MISSION HAS BEEN
CLEAR, TO DENY AL QAEDA AND ANY
OF ITS AFFILIATES AROUND THE
WORLD A SANCTUARY FROM WHICH
THEY COULD PLAN, PREPARE OR
LAUNCH ANOTHER ATTACK ON U.S.
SOIL.
AND THE EFFORT TO PREVENT THAT
LONG FEARED ATTACK HAS BEEN AN
UNDENIABLE SUCCESS UNDER TWO
ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE ONGOING
WAR ON TERROR.
A FEW SHORT YEARS AFTER 9/11, AL
QAEDA GAINED ENOUGH STRENGTH TO
ONCE AGAIN POSE A SERIOUS THREAT
TO THE UNITED STATES.
MEANWHILE THE TALIBAN HAD
REESTABLISHED ITS HEADQUARTERS
IN PAKISTAN AND GAINED ENOUGH
STRENGTH TO RETURN TO
AFGHANISTAN AND TO RISK THE
SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION THERE.
AS THE YEARS WENT BY, OSAMA BIN
LADEN'S ABILITY TO ELUDE CAPTURE
HAD BECOME A GREATER SOURCE OF
FRUSTRATION TO US AND A SOURCE
OF PROPAGANDA TO HIS FOLLOWERS.
OVER THE YEARS AMERICANS HAD
BECOME ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH BIN
LADEN'S DARK PRONOUNCEMENTS FROM
HIS DECLARATION THREE YEARS AGO
BEFORE 9/11 THAT IT WAS THE
OBLIGATION OF EVERY MUSLIM TO
KILL AND FIGHT AMERICANS AND
THEIR ALLIES, WHETHER CIVILIAN
OR MILITARY IN ANY COUNTRY, TO
HIS DECLARATION AFTER 9/11 THAT
HE HAD CALCULATED THE NUMBER OF
INNOCENTS HE COULD KILL THAT
MORNING AND THAT HE WAS THE MOST
OPTIMISTIC PLANNER OF THEM ALL.
LAST NIGHT THOSE PRONOUNCEMENTS
ENDED AT THE BARREL OF A GUN.
THE LAST THING OSAMA BIN LADEN
SAW ON THIS EARTH WAS A SMALL
TEAM OF AMERICANS WHO SHOT HIM.
SO AMERICANS CAN BE PROUD OF THE
EFFORTS OF OUR MILITARY AND
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITIES AND THE
FOCUSED EFFORTS OF TWO
ADMINISTRATIONS IN FIGHTING AL
QAEDA AND NOW IN CAPTURING ITS
SELF-APPOINTED LEADER.
THIS IS INDEED A SIGNALED
ACHIEVEMENT, A HUGE VICTORY IN
THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, A DAY
OF GREAT PRIDE FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THE PRESIDENT MADE THE RIGHT
CALL, AND WE THANK HIM FOR IT.
WE COULD NEVER BRING BACK THOSE
WHO DIED ON 9/11 OR THOSE WHO
HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN THIS
LONG AND DIFFICULT WAR, BUT ALL
AMERICANS CAN SAY WITH RENEWED
CONFIDENCE TODAY THAT WE HAVE
KEPT OUR PLEDGE AND THAT THIS IS
A WAR WE WILL WIN.
SOME WILL RECALL THAT OSAMA BIN
LADEN LAUNCHED THIS WAR MANY
YEARS AGO ON THE FALSE
ASSUMPTION THAT AMERICA DIDN'T
HAVE THE STOMACH FOR THE FIGHT.
AND WHILE IT MAY HAVE TAKEN
LONGER THAN WE HOPED, LAST NIGHT
HE AND HIS FOLLOWERS LEARNED
JUST HOW WRONG HE WAS.
WE TAKE GREAT SATISFACTION IN
KNOWING THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN
WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CARRY
OUT HIS EVIL PLANS THAT HE HAS
MADE HIS LAST VIDEO, AND THAT
WHATEVER -- AND THAT WHENEVER
SOMEONE SUGGESTS THAT THE U.S.
HAS GROWN WEARY AND COMPLACENT
IN THIS WAR, WE HAVE SHOWN HOW
DETERMINED WE ARE TO FIGHT IT TO
THE END.
HISTORY IS FULL OF FALLEN
DESPOTS AND MADMEN WHO
UNDERESTIMATED THE RESOLVE OF
THE UNITED STATES.
LAST NIGHT WE ADDED ONE MORE TO
THEIR RANKS.
BUT WE DON'T REST BECAUSE WE
KNOW AL QAEDA'S DETERMINATION TO
ATTACK THE UNITED STATES DIDN'T
END ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, AND
IT DIDN'T END LAST NIGHT.
WE CONTINUE THE FIGHT KNOWING
THAT AL QAEDA REMAINS COMMITTED
TO ATTACKING OUR HOMELAND AND
OUR ALLIES.
WE WERE REMINDED OF THIS LAST
WEEK WHEN POLICE IN GERMANY
ARRESTED THREE MEN ASSOCIATED
WITH AL QAEDA WHO WERE PLANNING
AN ATTACK THERE.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM, WE HAVE
MATCHED THE TERRORIST THREAT
WITH THE VALOR OF OUR ARMED
SERVICES AND COUNTERTERRORISM
PROFESSIONALS.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY'S
COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER HAVE
UNSELFISHLY DEVOTED THEMSELVES
TO PREVENTING ATTACKS THEMSELVES
AND HUNTING DOWN BIN LADEN.
LAST NIGHT THEIR EFFORTS MET
WITH SUCCESS, AND WE'RE DEEPLY,
DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
EFFORTS.
AS FOR THE
BROADER WAR, THE DEATH OF BIN
LADEN MAY CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO RENEW OUR EFFORTS TO BRING
FRESH PRESSURE ON AL QAEDA'S
LEADERSHIP.
PRESIDENT OBAMA NOTED THAT IT IS
ESSENTIAL THAT PAKISTAN JOINS US
IN THIS FIGHT.
IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS
THESE SAME COUNTERTERRORISM
PROFESSIONALS WILL FOCUS ON
DETERMINING WHAT BIN LADEN'S
DEATH MEAN FOR THE DEATH POSED
FOR AL QAEDA AFFILIATES IN THE
LEADERSHIP.
REMAINDER OF AL QAEDA'S SENIOR
BUT TODAY THE WORLD KNOWS, ONCE
AGAIN, THAT WHEREVER AL QAEDA
LURKS, WHEREVER THEY LURK, WE
WILL FIND THEM.
IT MAY NOT BE DAYS FROM NOW.
IT MAY NOT BE MONTHS, BUT THOSE
WHO PLOT HARM TO INNOCENT
AMERICANS AND OUR ALLIES WILL BE
CAPTURED OR KILLED.
FOR THEM JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
ANYONE WHO LIVED THROUGH THE
HORROR OF 9/11 REMEMBERS EXACTLY
WHERE THEY WERE ON THAT TERRIBLE
SEPTEMBER DAY.
NOW THEY WILL REMEMBER WHERE
THEY WERE WHEN THEY FIRST HEARD
THE NEWS THAT THE MAN BEHIND IT
HAD BEEN KILLED BY BRAVE
AMERICAN FORCES INSIDE PAKISTAN.
WE'LL REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE
WHEN, AFTER YEAR OF EFFORT, WE
FINALLY GOT OUR MAN.
AMERICA DIDN'T SEEK THIS FIGHT.
IT CAME TO US.
BUT EVER SINCE 9/11 WE'VE BEEN
DETERMINED TO FIGHT AL QAEDA TO
THE END.
WE KNEW FROM THE START IT WOULD
REQUIRE PATIENCE AND GREAT
SACRIFICE.
AND THAT EFFORT HAS PAID OFF.
THANKS TO THE SKILL AND
PERSEVERENCE OF MANY BRAVE MEN
AND WOMEN WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE
SAID.
AMERICA HAS NOT WAVERED, IT HAS
NOT LOST SIGHT OF THE MISSION,
AND WE WILL PREVAIL.
TIME IS RESERVED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER THE
SENATE WILL BE IN A PERIOD OF
MORNING BUSINESS FOR DEBATE ONLY
UNTIL 4:30 P.M. WITH SENATORS
PERMITTED TO SPEAK FOR UP TO 10
MINUTES EACH.
I SUGGEST THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, IT WAS A LITTLE
LESS THAN TEN YEARS AGO I WAS IN
NORTHERN WYOMING DRIVING HOME.
IT WAS THE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 11,
2001.
AND ON THAT DRIVE HOME THAT
EVENING, I HEARD THE PRESS
REPORT SAYING THAT OSAMA BIN
LADEN WAS BEHIND THE TERRORIST
ATTACK ON THE TRADE CENTER AND
THE PENTAGON AND IN THAT FIELD
IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE THE PLANE
WENT DOWN.
I SAID TO MYSELF THEN, IT'S JUST
A MATTER OF TIME WHEN THE UNITED
STATES WILL CATCH HIM AND
JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED.
WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, ACROSS THE
REMOTE MOUNTAINS AND DINGY
SUBURBS OF AFGHANISTAN AND
PAKISTAN, THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN
TROOPS DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO
STAMPING OUT OSAMA BIN LADEN.
AND THE EVIL THAT HE DEFINED.
ALL THOSE AMERICANS MADE PAINFUL
SACRIFICES AT HOME, MANY STILL
ARE, MANY STRUGGLE WITH INJURIES
SEEN AND UNSEEN.
THOUSANDS HAVE GIVEN THEIR
PRECIOUS LIVES.
AND, OF COURSE, WE'LL NEVER
FORGET THE INNOCENT LIVES TAKEN
IN COLD BLOOD ON THAT DAY OF
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.
WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT DAY CHANGED
THE COURSE OF WORLD HISTORY.
ONE MAN WAS BEHIND IT.
WE'VE HUNTED HIM FOR THE BEST
PART OF A DECADE.
NOW, THANKS TO THE HARD,
DILIGENT WORK OF AMERICA'S
SPECIAL FORCES AND INTELLIGENCE
AGENTS, THIS MAN IS DEAD.
AT LONG LAST, CATCHING HIM IN A
CORNER, A HANDFUL OF AMERICAN
ENTIRE WORLD.
TROOPS DELIVERED JUSTICE FOR THE
THE PRICE OF OSAMA BIN LADEN'S
DEATH WAS ENORMOUS, AND ALTHOUGH
YESTERDAY'S PRECISION STRIKE WAS
EXECUTED BY THE TOUGHEST, THE
SMARTEST AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE
SPECIAL OPERATIONS ON EARTH,
IT'S JUSTICE AS A RESULT OF THE
COUNTLESS SOLDIERS, AIRMEN,
MARINE, SAILORS, INTELLIGENCE
AGENTS AND FAMILIES WHO WENT ALL
IN FOR US OVER THE PAST DECADE.
THIS COUNTRY, NOW AND AMONG
FUTURE GENERATIONS, WILL NEVER
FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES.
36 MONTANANS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN
WORLDWIDE OPERATIONS SINCE 9/11,
DOZENS MORE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY
WOUNDED.
A FEW WERE LONGTIME SERVICE
MEMBERS BUT MANY OF THEM JOINED
THE MILITARY SPECIFICALLY
BECAUSE OF THAT DAY AND WHAT
HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 11th.
WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO THEM FOR
ALL THAT THEY GAVE AND FOR ALL
THAT THEIR FAMILIES GAVE.
AND WHILE OSAMA BIN LADEN'S
DEATH IS A TRUE VICTORY, OUR
VIGILANCE IN THE WORLDWIDE FIGHT
AGAINST TERRORISM DOESN'T END
HERE.
MR. PRESIDENT, THE THOUSANDS OF
MONTANANS STILL CIVIC ABROAD
TODAY -- SERVING ABROAD TODAY
REMIND US THAT EVERY DAY --
YESTERDAY WE BLOTTED OUT OSAMA
BIN LADEN FOREVER AND THAT WILL
MAKE OUR WORLD SAFER, BUT
WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, OUR
NATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE
STEADFAST IN OUR COMMITMENT TO
THE SECURITY, THE SAFETY AND THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS.
SECURITY AND OPPORTUNITY AND
FREEDOM AREN'T JUST AMERICAN
VALUES, THEY'RE HUMAN VALUES.
AND AS AMERICANS, WE WILL NEVER
BE AFRAID TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
IN THE DAYS AND THE MONTHS
AHEAD, I EXPECT WE WILL REFINE
AND RECALIBRATE THE FUTURE OF
U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN,
AND AS THIS NEXT CHAPTER
UNFOLDS, MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
WILL ALWAYS REMAIN WITH THE
HUNDREDS OF MONTANANS SERVING
THERE.
SERVICE.
WE'RE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
HOME.
WE ARE ANXIOUS TO BRING THEM
AND WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR AND SUGGEST THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
SENATOR FROM NEVADA.
I ASK THAT THE
QUORUM CALL BE DISPENSED WITH.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
RISE TODAY TO DELIVER A VERY
DIFFICULT SPEECH.
