January 13, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S349 

(D) Head Coach of the University of Florida football team, Urban Meyer. 

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NOTICE OF HEARING 

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I would 

like to announce that the Committee 

on Indian Affairs will meet on Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. in 

room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office 

Building to conduct an oversight hearing on Job Creation and Economic 

Stimulus in Indian Country. 

Those wishing additional information 

may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at 202–224–2251. 

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AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO 

MEET 

COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN

AFFAIRS

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 

Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs be authorized to meet 

during the session of the Senate on 

January 13, 2009 at 10 a.m. to conduct a 

committee hearing on the nomination 

of Mr. Shaun Donovan to be Secretary 

of the U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL

RESOURCES

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during 

the session of the Senate to conduct a 

hearing on Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 

at 10 a.m., in room SD–366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this 

hearing, the Committee will consider 

the nomination of Steven Chu, to be 

Secretary of Energy. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 

Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of 

the Senate on Tuesday, January 13, 

2009, at 9:30 a.m., to hold hearing a 

nomination hearing. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, 

AND PENSIONS

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 

Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions be authorized to 

meet, during the session of the Senate 

on January 13th, to conduct a hearing 

on the nomination of Mr. Arne Duncan, 

of Illinois, to be Secretary of Education. The hearing will commence at 

10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT 

OF 2009—MOTION TO PROCEED 

CLOTURE MOTION

Mr. REID. I now move to proceed to 

Calendar No. 14, S. 181, and send a cloture motion to the desk. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The cloture motion having been 

presented under rule XXII, the Chair 

directs the clerk to read the motion. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

CLOTURE MOTION

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move 

to bring to a close debate on the motion to 

proceed to Calendar No. 14, S. 181, the Lilly 

Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. 

Jim Webb, Benjamin L. Cardin, Richard 

Durbin, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Jeff Bingaman, Mary L. 

Landrieu, Tom Harkin, Hillary 

Rodham Clinton, Charles E. Schumer, 

Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher J. 

Dodd, Maria Cantwell, Debbie 

Stabenow, Patty Murray, Bernard 

Sanders, Barbara A. Mikulski, Harry 

Reid. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum 

be waived. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. REID. I now withdraw the motion. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The motion is withdrawn. 

The Senator from New Jersey is recognized. 

GAZA CONFLICT

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I 

rise to talk about the events that are 

in front of us and their significance. We 

are presently sharing in the excitement 

that surrounds this Capitol and our 

country at the prospect that President 

Obama will be taking office and leading this country in a positive fashion. 

There is a lot of work to do and a lot 

of concerns have been brought to our 

attention. We are reminded by President-elect Obama that people are losing their jobs, and we cannot stand 

still and let it happen. Prospects are 

that maybe 500,000 new people a month 

will be out of work. The economy is 

fragile and there is not the capital 

around to get businesses started or to 

reverse the course we are on. And 

health care is of great concern to people who are uninsured and struggling. 

At the same time that we are concerned about these things now in our 

own country, we have international responsibilities that we cannot ignore. 

Even as excitement surrounds us 

here, inspired by the new President, we 

have to look away from our shores and 

see what is happening in the Middle 

East where there is fighting raging between Israel and Hamas. And even 

while we face domestic problems, we 

cannot step back from what is happening in the Middle East and the responsibility of America as the leading 

Nation on our globe. Although I bring 

this up with some degree of reluctance, 

we must discuss the situation that we 

face. 

We know that governing is about 

choices. When we look at the Middle 

East right now, the choice for Israel is 

whether Israel steps aside and ignores 

the attacks on her people that come 

daily, without provocation. 

We have all heard the opinion around 

the world about how awful the situation in the Middle East is. It is awful. 

It is terrible. When I see children hurt, 

when I see them killed, when I see families distressed as their economy worsens, it is a terrible sight. 

I was in the Gaza Strip some years 

ago, bringing good news and financial 

assistance to the people of the Gaza as 

they opened a new airport. It was during the time that Arafat was President. 

There was hope springing up all around 

that maybe they could get out of the 

misery that existed in the Gaza Strip 

and develop an orderly society. 

Israel is a democracy in an area of 

many nations that are less than democratic. When these economies flourish 

the wealth falls into a few hands, who 

build their buildings, take their resources, and buy bigger yachts and bigger airplanes for themselves and not 

for their countries. But there was hope 

that maybe the Gaza Strip would become a place of opportunity for its people. That is why I was so pleased to be 

there and to bring the promise of aid 

upon which we had agreed. 

There was no Hamas there at that 

time. Now, Hamas is there making determinations about its future and the 

future of the people of the Gaza. Apparently the choice of Hamas is to continue the assault on Israel and to not 

let discussions take place. I am one of 

those people who support a two-state 

commitment there, knowing full well 

that Israel is a place that could share 

its knowledge and experience with the 

people of Gaza. But Hamas refuses to 

do that. It is a terrorist organization. 

I remember a trip I took with several 

colleagues when we went to Iraq and on 

the way we stopped in Jordan and 

Syria, and we spoke to the President of 

Syria and I asked him to try to curb 

the activities of Hamas by securing the 

borders. I said: Why are you encouraging Hamas to find refuge here, have 

their headquarters here along with 

Hezbollah? President Asad said: They 

are a social service organization. 

Social service—Mr. President, that is 

no more a social service organization 

than the people who attacked us on 9/ 

11; than the people who attacked the 

British train system; than those who 

attack innocent people in various 

countries and cities. 

Terrorism is at our throat. We have 

to be wary. It has changed the way our 

society functions. Look at all the inspections you go through if you want 

to catch an airplane or go into public 

buildings—always with an ID card. We 

know the results of terrorism. It is to 

destroy democratic society, take away 

the choices people have in their lives. 

It says women have to conduct themselves in a certain way satisfactory and 


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