January 8, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S235 

valid to all intents and purposes as part of 

the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 

within seven years after the date of its submission by the Congress: 

‘‘ARTICLE— 

‘‘SECTION 1. The President and Vice President shall be jointly elected by the direct 

vote of the qualified electors of the several 

States and territories and the District constituting the seat of Government of the 

United States. The electors in each State, 

territory, and the District constituting the 

seat of Government of the United States 

shall have the qualifications requisite for 

electors of the most numerous branch of the 

legislative body where they reside. 

‘‘SECTION 2. Congress may determine the 

time, place, and manner of holding the election, the entitlement to inclusion on the ballot, and the manner in which the results of 

the election shall be ascertained and declared.’’. 

f 

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS 

SENATE RESOLUTION 10—RECOGNIZING THE RIGHT OF ISRAEL 

TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ATTACKS FROM GAZA AND REAFFIRMING THE UNITED 

STATES’ STRONG SUPPORT FOR 

ISRAEL IN ITS BATTLE WITH 

HAMAS, AND SUPPORTING THE 

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE 

PROCESS 

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. KYL, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. 

CHAMBLISS, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. HATCH, 

Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BOND, Mr. SCHUMER, 

Mr. DEMINT, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. 

THUNE, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. MARTINEZ, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. CASEY, 

Mr. PRYOR, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. CARPER, 

Mr. BAUCAS, Mr. BAYH. Mr. JOHANNS, 

Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. BROWN, and Mr. 

CARDIN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to: 

S. RES. 10 

Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel; 

Whereas Hamas has been designated by the 

Secretary of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; 

Whereas Hamas has refused to comply with 

the requirements of the Quartet (the United 

States, the European Union, Russia, and the 

United Nations) that Hamas recognize 

Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence, and 

agree to accept previous agreements between 

Israel and the Palestinians; 

Whereas, in June 2006, Hamas crossed into 

Israel, attacked Israeli forces and kidnapped 

Corporal Gilad Shalit, whom they continue 

to hold today; 

Whereas Hamas has launched thousands of 

rockets and mortars since Israel dismantled 

settlements and withdrew from Gaza in 2005; 

Whereas Hamas has increased the range of 

its rockets, reportedly with support from 

Iran and others, putting additional large 

numbers of Israelis in danger of rocket attacks from Gaza; 

Whereas Hamas locates elements of its terrorist infrastructure in civilian population 

centers, thus using innocent civilians as 

human shields; 

Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza 

Rice said in a statement on December 27, 

2008, that ‘‘[w]e strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against 

Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there’’; 

Whereas, on December 27, 2008, Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert said, ‘‘For approximately seven years, hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens in the south have 

been suffering from missiles being fired at 

them. . . . In such a situation we had no alternative but to respond. We do not rejoice 

in battle but neither will we be deterred 

from it. . . . The operation in the Gaza Strip 

is designed, first and foremost, to bring 

about an improvement in the security reality for the residents of the south of the 

country.’’; 

Whereas, on January 2, 2009, Secretary of 

State Rice stated that ‘‘Hamas has held the 

people of Gaza hostage ever since their illegal coup against the forces of President 

Mahmoud Abbas, the legitimate President of 

the Palestinian people. Hamas has used Gaza 

as a launching pad for rockets against Israeli 

cities and has contributed deeply to a very 

bad daily life for the Palestinian people in 

Gaza, and to a humanitarian situation that 

we have all been trying to address’’; 

Whereas the humanitarian situation in 

Gaza, including shortages of food, water, 

electricity, and adequate medical care, is becoming more acute; 

Whereas Israel has facilitated humanitarian aid to Gaza with over 500 trucks and 

numerous ambulances entering the Gaza 

Strip since December 26, 2008; 

Whereas, on January 2, 2009, Secretary of 

State Rice stated that it was ‘‘Hamas that 

rejected the Egyptian and Arab calls for an 

extension of the tahadiya that Egypt had negotiated’’ and that the United States was 

‘‘working toward a cease-fire that would not 

allow a reestablishment of the status quo 

ante where Hamas can continue to launch 

rockets out of Gaza. It is obvious that that 

cease-fire should take place as soon as possible, but we need a cease-fire that is durable 

and sustainable’’; and 

Whereas the ultimate goal of the United 

States is a sustainable resolution of the 

Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will allow 

for a viable and independent Palestinian 

state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel, which will not 

be possible as long as Israeli civilians are 

under threat from within Gaza: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) expresses vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, 

and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and recognizes its right to act in selfdefense to protect its citizens against acts of 

terrorism; 

(2) reiterates that Hamas must end the 

rocket and mortar attacks against Israel, 

recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence, and agree to accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians; 

(3) encourages the President to work actively to support a durable, enforceable, and 

sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, as soon as 

possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining 

or rebuilding the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel and allows for 

the long term improvement of daily living 

conditions for the ordinary people of Gaza; 

(4) believes strongly that the lives of innocent civilians must be protected and all appropriate measures should be taken to diminish civilian casualties and that all involved should continue to work to address 

humanitarian needs in Gaza; 

(5) supports and encourages efforts to diminish the appeal and influence of extremists in the Palestinian territories and to 

strengthen moderate Palestinians who are 

committed to a secure and lasting peace 

with Israel; and 

(6) reiterates its strong support for United 

States Government efforts to promote a just 

resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 

through a serious and sustained peace process that leads to the creation of a viable and 

independent Palestinian state living in peace 

alongside a secure State of Israel. 

f 

SENATE RESOLUTION 11—TO AUTHORIZE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 

DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. 

MCCONNELL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to: 

S. RES. 11 

Whereas, last Congress the Committee on 

Armed Services conducted a staff inquiry 

into allegations regarding irregularities in 

the administration of a contract for 

logistical support in Iraq by the Department 

of the Army; 

Whereas, upon the completion of the Committee’s staff inquiry, the Chairman and 

Ranking Member referred to the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense for review allegations regarding the 

Administration of this LOGCAP contract; 

Whereas, by the privileges of the Senate of 

the United States and Rule XI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, no evidence under 

the control or in the possession of the Senate 

may, by the judicial or administrative process, be taken from such control or possession 

but by permission of the Senate; 

Whereas, when it appears that evidence 

under the control or in the possession of the 

Senate may promote the administration of 

justice, the Senate will take such action as 

will promote the ends of justice consistent 

with the privileges of the Senate: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Chairman and Ranking 

Member of the Armed Services Committee, 

acting jointly, are authorized to produce to 

the Department of Defense Inspector General 

records of the Committee’s staff inquiry into 

allegations relating to the administration of 

the Army’s LOGCAP contract. 

f 

AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED AND 

PROPOSED 

SA 1. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 

bill S. 22, to designate certain land components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, to authorize certain programs 

and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and 

for other purposes; which was ordered to lie 

on the table. 

SA 2. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 

bill S. 22, supra; which was ordered to lie on 

the table. 

SA 3. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 

bill S. 22, supra; which was ordered to lie on 

the table. 

SA 4. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 

bill S. 22, supra; which was ordered to lie on 

the table. 

SA 5. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 

bill S. 22, supra; which was ordered to lie on 

the table. 

SA 6. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 


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