Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations For Fiscal Year 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. If the Senator will further yield for a question, it would seem, since two of these three amendments are emanating from the State of Arizona, there is a free-for-all in Arizona to think of more extreme ways to respond to what they consider to be a political situation there, from the passage of the legislation--and I concur with the analysis of the Senator from New Jersey of it--and now $2 1/4 billion dollars to be sent down for other--I am sorry, that includes the Cornyn amendment, the Senator from Texas. It is $200 million for Senator Kyl--let's say $450 million between Senators McCain and Kyl, money to be sent into this Arizona situation.

I wonder if we shouldn't declare a time out in Arizona for at least some thoughtful reflection about what works and what doesn't. It seems there is no end to ideas that are being propounded down there to respond to situations real and imagined. These amendments are clear evidence.

I don't know if the Senator from New Jersey sees it the same way.

Mr. MENENDEZ. I appreciate the question and view of the Senator from Illinois. Yes, that is why I said I respect the previous positions Senator McCain had. He understood that you cannot solve this problem by throwing more money, more troops at it. At the end of the day, that has not achieved all the goals, despite enormous increases. And yet there are still challenges.

In view of the fact the President himself--something I personally don't support but nonetheless has gone ahead and made a deployment on his own, it seems to me we should see what works before we advance billions for efforts and directing troops by an amendment when those troops could be needed for a whole host of things.

I have to be honest with you. If we are going to start directing troops, then I wish to see them directed to the gulf so, in fact, we can help out with the oilspill not getting into critical wetlands and estuaries. I think that is a national emergency.

Mr. DURBIN. I ask through the Chair one last question. I don't know what the situation is with the New Jersey Guard, but many of the Illinois Guard have been deployed and redeployed in Iraq and Afghanistan at great inconvenience and hardship to their families. The McCain amendment calls for deployment within 72 hours. People will literally be removed from their families and on the road headed down to Arizona within 72 hours under the McCain amendment.

I ask the Senator if he has dealt with these Guard families and has any idea what impact this might have on their lives.

Mr. MENENDEZ. I appreciate the Senator's question. The fact is, as I mentioned earlier in my comments, we have used the National Guard in an unprecedented way. They have been called for deployment abroad, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere in unprecedented numbers. The stress we have created on the force by virtue of these two continuing engagements, as well as any other national emergency that might occur, is incredibly challenging. It is real challenging to those forces. My view is the Senator is right.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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