Senate Proceeding on Apr 30th, 2009 :: 0:07:05 to 0:18:45
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0:07:04 to 0:07:24( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: affirmative 60-vote threshhold. mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presidin republican leader. mr. mcconnell: madam president, today the secretary of defense and the secretary of state will appear before the appropriations committee to support the administ fuing to execute our combat operations in iraq and afghanistan.

0:07:05 to 0:18:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mitch McConnell

0:07:25 to 0:07:46( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: they will be explaing the need to spend $80 million in our efforts to go after al qaeda in iraq and this includes $80 million to close the secure tention facility at guantanamo bay yet rather than appear beforehe senate to explain idea funds are news and what administration plans to do with

0:07:47 to 0:08:08( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the guantanamo, attorney general hold are chose to deliver a speech in berlin yesterday in which he reiterated the administration's intent to close it. during that speech attorney general holder acknowledged once again that guantanamo is run in an efficient, professional he said detainees there are treated humanely.

0:08:09 to 0:08:29( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: yet guantanamo must be closed, he said, because it represents, as he put approach we want to put behind us." keeping this so-called symbol open "makes america less safe," and makes our friends including the europeans "less secure." it's clear from these remarks that the administration is

0:08:30 to 0:08:50( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: putting symbolism ahead of safety. this becomes even more apparent from attorney general holder's admission that closing guantanamo wil most daunting challenges he will face. he clearly realized what most americans realize: closing guantanamo is not a good option if no

0:08:51 to 0:09:12( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: in an effort to circumven dilemma, attorney general hold are says the u.s. will not only transfer detainees but will also others in federal court. nowhere -- nowhere -- did the attorney general mention the use of milit that congress passed on a

0:09:13 to 0:09:33( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: direction of the supreme court. the attorney general present a whole range of new problems and potential dangers that some of my colleagues will detail throughout the day. attorney general holder also failed to address recent news reports that the administration was considering releasing guantanamo detainees into

0:09:34 to 0:09:55( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: american communities. on april 2, senator sessions sent the attorne general a letter asking him what legal authority the administration has to release detainees who have participated in terrorist-related a the united states. the attorney general still hasn't responded to senator sessions. but it's a

0:09:56 to 0:10:16( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: people want answered right away. this weekend i'll be attending the kentucky derby with well over 100,000 tuckans and other americans -- ken other americans andf i asked if they thought sending terrorists to our neighborhoods what a good plan they would the administration has given no

0:10:17 to 0:10:38( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: indication where they will put the 240 terrorists currently housed at guantanamo, the attorney general was asked in berlin if any of the detainees could be put up in hotels. according to the associated press report on the needing attorney general joked that -- quote -- "hotels might be a possible."

0:10:39 to 0:11:04( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: "it depends on is." the question of where the terrorists at guantanamo will be sent is no joking matter, madam president. and the administratio needs to tell the american people how it will keep the terrorists at guantanamo out of o neighborhoods and off the battlefield. it's one thing not to have a land and it's another to joke --

0:11:25 to 0:11:45( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: joke -- about not having one. mr. mcconnell: mada matter, a sad matter, the nation and the commonwealth of kentucky are sergeant david cooper of williamsburg. on august 27, tragically killed when his

0:11:46 to 0:12:07( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: dismounted patrol came under small-arms fire in iraq. he was 25 years old. sergeant cooper was in his third for his b received several medicals, awards -- medals and decorations including the purple heart and

0:12:08 to 0:12:29( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the sergeant cooper was about ten miles south williamsburg. a friend who watched him grow up said of sergeant cooper "i don't know where our count keeps getting these heroes." ronald and judy cooper, his parents, could tell you: they

0:12:30 to 0:12:51( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: fondly remember david, who was born fun-loving kid who loved football, track and the school band. david went straight from being a little boy at 11 at 12 with full facial hair and he played junior high school

0:12:52 to 0:13:12( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: football and the coach had him and david and another like him, carrying a copy of the two players' birth certificates to prove they were not over age for junior high football and he played defensive end and tight end on the williamsburg yellow jackets. one friend, steveen moses remembers david as "hard as heck

0:13:13 to 0:13:35( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: to block." david had many friends who called him by the nickname "cook." as for david's friends they all seem "my buddy." in a eulogy written with david's sister, and graciously shared

0:13:39 to 0:14:00( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: would call his friends: "my dud "my buddy matt, chapman and black." when he went with friends to cut down a christmas tree he demonstrated he buyer law knew his own strength. they borrowed a went out and cut beautiful, cedar. david was also a big strong man even

0:14:01 to 0:14:23( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: as they were loading the tree a branch was stuck on a david and a friend got into the truck, gave a mighty pulled the tree through the truck and through the back window. he considered eastern kentucky university.

0:14:24 to 0:14:45( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: in may of 2004 he enlisted in the the mayor of w school football coach rembers seeing david soon after he enlisted and telling him how proud he was of him. he was a smart kid, the mayor recalls, a good student, very likable.

0:14:46 to 0:15:06( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: he had a great sense of humor. we're going to miss him. david attended basic ft. sill, oklahoma, and individual traing at ft. sill and in alabama.

0:15:07 to 0:15:28( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: by tillry first based out of fort hood, texas. he was soon deployed to iraq and serves as a mechanic. the commanding officer wrote to

0:15:29 to 0:15:49( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: usually called him "cook," and he c and wheth a monster truck shows he was great time." david was a great young man who had shown a great deal of

0:15:50 to 0:16:15( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: maturity in the time i knew him. in iraq david served as a command team driver and armor. he was selected to serve on his command sergeant major's detail for his record of performan. when hole on leave, david would tell his childhood friend matt about the excitement of serving in the army.

0:16:17 to 0:16:38( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: he kw the dangers, unafraid to face them. "he really was a brave person," matt said. "i never, ever heard him say he was scared." his mother rembers that a group of his friends came to visit her and share stories about her son. es stories mostly began, "you remember that time when you and

0:16:39 to 0:16:59( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: me and cook," judy says. "they were all funny, most of them dangerous. were they funny at the time? no. where do you think i got all these gray hairs and wrinkles." but time does give us perspective. madam president, david's many friends and family members are in our thoughts as we remember him today.

0:17:00 to 0:17:23( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: we're thinking of his wife, amanda flieshman parents, judy and ronald his sisters and his grandparents wanda and e.l.

0:17:24 to 0:17:44( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: jenny husband, and many other friends and family members. all those who knew him will remember a man qualities, his mother judy says no had to guess where they stood with david. david and i had a very close relationsh, she says.

0:17:45 to 0:18:06( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: "he always said 'mom, i know there isn't any sense in me trying to lie to you. i know you're just going to find out the what is the truth now is that our nation must never forget his se nor can we ever

0:18:07 to 0:18:28( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: and pain of his i hope they will rember this united states senate is proud to honor him for his honor, patriotism and love of country. i suggest the absence of a quor the presiding officer: the

0:18:29 to 0:18:46( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. mendez: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. menendez: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order, the