The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 3765” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S8775-S8776 on Aug. 3, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 3765
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I see the majority leader is on the floor. I will make a unanimous consent request. I would like to very briefly describe what I am about to request.
I have filed S. 3765, along with Senator Sununu as my cosponsor, as well as Senator Feingold and Senator Stabenow.
This is a bill that is very timely and important. I hope we will be able to have unanimous consent to go forward with this bill and pass it this evening.
It is a bill that has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
I have personally spoken to Senator Arlen Specter, chairman of this committee, and told am I was going to make this unanimous consent request this evening. He said he would not object. Those were his exact words.
Senator Leahy said the same thing.
The reason I am taking this extraordinary step is because this is an extraordinary situation. We all know what happened in Lebanon today. You can't turn on the news without being aware of the war that has consumed both southern Lebanon and many parts of northern Israel.
We realize as well that many people are innocent victims on both sides of the border, and we realize that the United States has officially evacuated American citizens from Lebanon because of the danger.
We are also very aware of the fact that we have asked other Americans who remained to remove themselves as quickly as possible. It is estimated that 20 to 25 percent of the population of Lebanon has now been displaced. They are refugees--people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the danger of remaining because of the hostilities that continue between Israel and Hezbollah.
The purpose of this legislation is not new. It is something that has been done repeatedly. It grants temporary protected status to those Lebanese visitors in the United States who are legally here on visas which permit them to be here and which may soon expire. When they do, under the law these people are expected to leave the United States and return to Lebanon.
We have in the past been sensitized to the fact that sending many of these families from the United States to war-torn countries under these circumstances may in fact endanger those families.
The United States has many, many times in the past said we will grant temporary protected status to visitors in the United States to protect them from returning to a dangerous situation.
It is an act of compassion, an act of humanitarian caring, and I think speaks well of the United States. In the past we have even granted this status to Lebanese visitors when Lebanon was at war in the 1990s for the very same reason.
Today, there are seven countries around the world where the United States has granted temporary protected status to visitors from those countries in the United States.
This temporary protected status does not put these visitors on a path to legalization or citizenship. It simply allows them if they wish to stay in the U.S. while the hostilities continue up to a year. It would be a renewal after that point.
The reason I offered it at this late hour is because it is a matter of great urgency. It is important that we do this in a timely fashion.
As we consider this measure, the Bush administration is considering whether to do this administratively, which they can. We have done it legislatively. It has been done administratively.
My concern is that tomorrow I am certain some Lebanese visitors to the U.S. will find that their visas have expired, and they will face a very difficult decision. If they comply with the law and leave, returning to Lebanon, they could be endangering families and children who are here innocently visiting members of their family and friends. We don't want that to happen. These poor people from Lebanon, these innocent victims, should not have to return to this scene.
Of course, our State Department and the Department of Homeland Security would retain the authority to review each and every person. If for any reason some Lebanese visitor to the United States should not be allowed to remain in the United States, they can be denied the status. So it is done on a case-by-case basis. It offers a protection, which I think is the humanitarian thing to do.
Throughout history there have been times when in the course of war people have turned refugees from their country, left their country and turned to other countries for refuge. In many instances, countries have welcomed them understanding that that is the right and humane thing to do. In other instances, countries have shunned them. Those countries have been embarrassed by the history that was written afterwards.
I am lucky to be a Senator in this great country, a country which has extended this generosity and this welcome time and time again.
I am urging my colleagues this evening to join me in passing this bill, an extraordinary passage by unanimous consent so that we can send a clear message to the administration and to the Lebanese visitors to the United States that we deeply care about their safety and their security.
I see the majority leader is on the floor. I will make the formal unanimous consent request.
I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 3765, the Lebanese Temporary Protected Status bill that has been introduced by myself, Senator Sununu, Senator Feingold, and Senator Stabenow, that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration, the bill be read a third time and passed, and the motion reconsider be laid upon the table without any intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, reserving right to object, S. 3765 to permit nationals being granted temporary protected status in United States is a bill that I personally support. And the chairman of the Judiciary Committee commented to the distinguished assistant minority leader his support. I just received it 15 minutes ago. I am trying to clear it but have not heard back from everybody tonight.
Without giving everyone the opportunity to review it, I am going to have to object tonight.
Again, we will see what happens over the next 30 or 40 minutes that we are in tonight. Not having heard back from everyone, I am unable to verify. So I do object.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I understand. I gave this to the majority leader maybe 45 minutes ago at most. I certainly didn't want to try to surprise him and mislead him because I think this is a matter that is very important. I sincerely hope we can clear this tonight. If we are unable to clear this and pass this legislation--or even if we do--I urge Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Homeland Security Department, to grant this status to Lebanon and to do it immediately--immediately. The people of Lebanon cannot wait until Congress returns to Washington in September. And his immediate action will save lives and give peace of mind to a lot of our friends from Lebanon and to their families who live in the United States.
I yield the floor.
____________________
