The Administration

I urge my colleagues in the Senate to vote ‘yes’ in today’s cloture vote in support of Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach to be Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA needs a leader with the backing and the mandate that Senate confirmation provides. Continuing to block this supremely qualified nominee will have severe consequences for the near and long-term future of this important agency, whose decisions affect every American, every day.

Dr. von Eschenbach has a strong record. He is an accomplished scientist, a proven manager, and a man with vision. He is also a cancer survivor, and he has brought that perspective -- and the compassion that goes with it -- to his government service.

He has given up a job that he loves – a challenging but rewarding post directing the National Cancer Institute – to offer his service in what I believe is a much more challenging and often thankless job of leading the FDA.

Dr. von Eschenbach has received significant support from the HELP Committee. I urge my colleagues who are not on our Committee to give Dr. von Eschenbach a chance to effectively run the FDA with full statutory authority.

The Iraq Study Group’s report supports many things I have said previously: that "stay the course" is not an option, that the Iraqis must take responsibility for their country, and that regional diplomacy and a political solution are our only real options in Iraq. I hope the President will listen to the bipartisan, highly qualified members of the Iraq Study Group and move past his refusal to listen to informed, credible voices in Congress.

When asked yesterday if we were winning in Iraq, Robert Gates, the President's Secretary of Defense nominee, told the Senate Armed Services Committee simply “no. Read more...

During his remarks at the NATO summit meeting last week, President Bush announced his support for expanding the Visa Waiver program. This is a positive move for the President, and it mirrors the view I have long shared with many of my Congressional colleagues.

Currently, the Visa Waiver program allows people from 27 countries to visit America for travel or business purposes for up to 90 days without a visa. The Washington Post reports that this program attracts 15 million visitors to the United States each year, allowing our citizens the ability to visit with loved ones and generating up to $15 billion for our economy. But even more than these benefits, at a time when the United States is trying to build and repair relationships abroad, extending the Visa Waiver program offers the United States a very meaningful way to show our appreciation to our allies.

And no ally is more deserving of receiving Visa Waiver status than Poland. As a member of both the EU and NATO, and a firm ally in the United States’ war on terror, Poland has done more than enough to qualify for the reduced travel restrictions enjoyed by many of its European neighbors. The young democracy and growing economy of Poland, as well as the nearly 10 million people of Polish descent living in America, will greatly benefit from increased ties and reduced travel restrictions between our two countries. Read more...

Today, I sent a letter to Senators Richard Lugar and Joseph Biden, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urging the consideration and confirmation of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. John Bolton's aggressive advocacy for much-needed reform at the United Nations and strong support of one of America's greatest allies, Israel, qualifies him as an outstanding Ambassador. One instance where his exemplary leadership was shown was in his vote on November 17th against a United Nations General Assembly resolution which condemned Israel for defending itself in the Gaza Strip against the terrorist rocket launches into Israel. I applaud Ambassador Bolton for standing as a powerful force against biased and politically-motivated resolutions. Additionally, with corruption and mismanagement rampant throughout the UN, as evidenced by the recent "Oil-for-Food" scandal, it is clear that we need a strong voice for reform to represent our country to the world body.

Following requests from myself, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and other House members, for an investigation of the National Security Agency's (NSA) warrantless surveillance program, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Glenn A. Fine yesterday informed me that his office has opened a review of the agency's involvement with the program.

In his letter to me, Fine wrote, "The OIG previously received clearances relating to the NSA program for myself and two other OIG supervisors. After conducting initial inquiries into the program, we have decided to open a program review that will examine the Department's controls and use of information related to the program and the Department's compliance with legal requirements governing the program. On October 20, 2006, I made a formal request to the Attorney General for additional clearances for OIG staff to conduct this program review. The Attorney General forwarded the request to the White House, which makes the decisions on clearance requests relating to the program. Last week, I received word that the request for clearances for the OIG staff to conduct this review would be granted. As a result, the OIG has opened this program review, and I wanted to inform you of the review."

I must say that after trying for nearly a year to get DOJ to conduct an investigation of the NSA's warrantless spy program, I am very pleased to learn that the agency's Inspector General is finally opening an investigation that we were made to believe would never happen. While I'm glad that the White House finally relented and granted additional clearances for DOJ officials to conduct an investigation, I can't help but be skeptical about the timing. I wonder whether this reversal is only coming now after the election as an attempt to appease Democrats in Congress who have been critical of the NSA program and will soon be in control and armed with subpoena power. Read more...

After nearly a year of stonewalling, security clearances have finally been approved by the White House so that the Department of Justice can investigate its own involvement in the NSA's warrantless surveillance program.  I look forward to the results of this inquiry.  Congress needs to craft legislation so that terrorists can be the subject of surveillance while the Constitution of the United States is honored. To do that a full investigation into the program as a whole, not just the DOJ's involvement, will be necessary.

Secretary Rumsfeld deserves the thanks of all Americans for his leadership in the war on terror.  I trusted his opinion following the attack on America on September the 11, 2001. It was undoubtedly one of America's darkest days and Secretary Rumsfeld demonstrated leadership in making the right decision to go after the terrorists on their turf, not ours. I am also pleased the President now has the opportunity to appoint someone new to the position that will reassure Americans that he is a President capable of making needed change to provide Iraqi stability, U.S. security, and change tactics in the war on terror without risking defeat.

Yesterday's elections sent a message to the President, and the entire U. S. Congress, that greater flexibility is needed to do a better job in achieving positive results in Iraq.  Recent reports indicate that the young Iraqi government is moving in the right direction to quell the violence, disarm the insurgency, and empower the Sunni minority.

I hope the President's choice of former CIA chief Robert Gates, will have a perspective that will allow the American people to have greater confidence in our mission.

In May 2004, I called for the resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld as well as Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz when the Abu Ghraib prison scandal became public.  At the time I said that the prison abuse scandal demonstrated that the United States was reeling on the precipice of a major foreign policy debacle.  Our standing as a nation had been lowered to the point that the world no longer viewed the U.S. as the ambassador of peace but as a principal threat to world peace.

Two and one-half years later, the Administration continues to pursue a policy in Iraq without the benefit of any strategic or political compass.  Yesterday’s Congressional elections, and the ascendancy of the Democratic Party to the leadership of the House of Representatives, represents a clear repudiation of Secretary Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy.

It is past time to change course in Iraq.  It is my hope that today’s resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld is a signal that the Administration is not staying the course, but instead will chart a new path that enhances the security and safety of both Iraq and the U.S.

It's clear that these inflammatory, absurd comments by President Bush are a last-ditch effort to motivate the right-wing Republican base and to fear-monger.  But it's equally clear that this demagoguery is not working for the President or the Republican Party this year.  The American people see right through such comments, which are fueled by political desperation.  Americans know that Democrats are absolutely committed to protecting our people and strengthening our national security with tough, smart policies.

I applaud the courageous men and women from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Fire Arms and other local agencies; whose talents and relentlessly thorough investigation quickly revealed the cause of the wildfire and led to the eventual arrest of Mr. Oyler.

It is a tragedy that the senseless and horrendous murder of five brave US Forest Service employees was the result of a suspected arsonist. If Raymond Lee Oyler is guilty of this offense, there can be nothing less than a sentence that imposes the maximum penalty under law.

I ask our community to pray for swift justice; and to never forget those victims of the Esperanza Fire: our brave first responders who lost their lives, the families who have lost their loved ones, and our neighbors and friends who lost their homes, property and personal possessions.