Sen. Robert C Byrd, D-W.Va., continued his opposition Wednesday to a Senate resolution that will give President Bush expanded powers to launch a pre-emptive attack against Iraq.

Byrd pleaded with fellow senators not to take a vote to invoke cloture tomorrow morning. A cloture vote, if approved, limits debate on a resolution to 30 hours. For such a motion to pass, 60 of the 100 senators must vote for it.

A decision not to take that vote would require unanimous consent by the Senate. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others said they opposed Byrd’s proposal to delay the cloture vote.

Senate President Tom Dashle, D-S.D., indicated he might keep the Senate in session around the clock to end any further debate more quickly.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Byrd said, “I make my pleas on behalf of the mothers and the fathers, the grandmothers and grandfathers of this country, the fate of whose sons and daughters and grandchildren hinges on the outcome of the vote on cloture.

“This is a fateful decision. It involves the treasure of this country. It involves the blood of our fighting men and women. It is too momentous, too far-reaching a decision to be signed, sealed and delivered by 10:15 tomorrow morning.”

Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., agreed with Byrd’s efforts to encourage more debate on “a matter of grave import. It is a sad commentary.”

Sarbanes also criticized Sen. John Warner, R-Va., for “marshalling the war forces on the floor of the U.S. Senate.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said, “Just two nights ago, our president said he had not made a decision to go to war. ... Yet he is asking us to give him the authority to go to war alone, alone, with no one else ... to take this country to war without any other nation, without any other ally.”

Byrd said people across the nation “are just now awakening to the fact the U.S. Senate and the House are about to turn ... over to a commander-in-chief the power to determine when to go to war.”

Byrd introduced an amendment Monday to the resolution introduced jointly by Sens. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Warner and McCain that gives Bush the new powers he wants.

Byrd’s amendment states, “Nothing in this joint resolution is intended to alter the Constitutional authority of the Congress to declare war or grant [the president] other authorities invested in Congress.”

Late Monday afternoon, Byrd said he will also introduce a second amendment adding “a sunset provision, so that there is a time limit on when the Lieberman bill will run its course.”

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said he regretted that “some in the Congress rushed so quickly to support” the Lieberman-McCain-Warner resolution. But he then said he plans to vote for that resolution.

“But approving this resolution does not mean military action is imminent or unavoidable. The vote I will give to the president is for one reason and one reason only. I will not support a unilateral war against Iraq unless the threat is imminent.”

Kerry said the resolution does not allow Bush or any president “to act against any terror threat anywhere.”

Kerry added, “In Afghanistan, the president has given more lip service than resources to rebuilding the nation. ... They will need to do more in Iraq. It is clear that the Senate is about to give the president the authority he has requested.”

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said he opposes the Lieberman resolution.

“If we say we have a right to pre-emptively attack Iraq,” Biden asked, “What is to prevent China from saying it has a right preemptively to take over Taiwan, or India to say that pre-emptively they are taking over Pakistan?”

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.

© Copyright 2002 The Charleston Gazette

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