Robert Bennett

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, 2000. The purpose of this hearing will be to review the Federal sugar program.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Forests and Public Lands of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct an oversight hearing to receive testimony on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement implementing the October 1999 announcement by President Clinton to review approximately 40 million acres of national forest lands for increased protection.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, 2000, to markup S. 1594, ``Community Development and Venture Capital Act of 1999,'' and other pending matters. The markup will begin at 9:00 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, July 26, 2000, at 9:30 a.m., in 226 Dirksen.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 at 2:30 p.m. in room 485 of the Russell Senate Building to conduct a hearing on the S. 2526, to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 at 1:30 p.m. in room 485 of the Russell Senate Building to mark up pending legislation to be followed by an oversight hearing, on the Activities of the National Indian Gaming Commission; to be followed by a legislative hearing on the S. 2526, to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 at 9:30 a.m., in open session to consider the nominations of Mr. Donald Mancuso to be Inspector General, Department of Defense; Mr. Roger W. Kallock to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Material Readiness; and Mr. James E. Baker to be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, July 26, 2000, at 9:30 a.m., on broadband issues.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26 at 9:30 to conduct an oversight hearing. The committee will receive testimony on Natural Gas Supply.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, at 9:00 a.m., Hearing Room (SD-4006), to consider the following items: 1. S. 2417, Water Pollution Program Enhancements Act of 2000, with a manager's amendment; 2. S. 1109, Bear Protection Act of 1999; 3. S. 2878, National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial; 4. GSA FY 2001 Construction authorizations (including courthouses); 5. Namings: H.R. 1729, Pamela B. Gwin Hall, Charlottesville, Virginia; H.R. 1901, Kika de la Garza United States Border Station, Pharr, Texas; H.R. 1959, Adrian A. Spears Judicial Training Center, San Antonio, Texas; and H.R. 4608, James H. Quillen United States Courthouse, Greeneville, Tennessee. 6. Nominations: a. Arthur C. Campbell, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, The Department of Commerce; b. Ella Wong-Rusinko, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission; and 7. A study resolution to approve a Natural Resources Conservation Service flood control dam in Warren, Minnesota.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the Session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 for a public hearing to consider the nominations of Robert S. LaRussa to be Under Secretary for International Trade, Department of Commerce, Ruth M. Thomas to be Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of the Treasury; and Lisa G. Ross to be Assistant Secretary for Management and Chief Financial Officer, Department of the Treasury.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 26 at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a legislative hearing followed by an oversight hearing. The subcommittee will receive testimony on S. 2877, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study on water optimization in the Burnt River basin, Malheur River basin, Owyehee River basin, and Powder River basin, Oregon; S. 2881, a bill to update an existing Bureau of Reclamation program by amending the Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956, to establish a partnership program in the Bureau of Reclamation for small reclamation projects, and for other purposes; and S. 2882, a bill to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct certain feasibility studies to augment water supplies for the Klamath Project, Oregon and California, and for other purposes. The subcommittee will then receive oversight testimony on the status of the Biological Opinions of the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the operations of the Federal hydropower system of the Columbia River.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk due for its second reading.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I object to further proceedings on this bill at this time.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3519, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. BENNETT. Senator Helms, for himself and others, has a substitute amendment at the desk, and I ask for its consideration.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, as amended, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. BENNETT. Is the Senator aware the majority leader has an agreement with the minority leader whereby a number of judges would, in fact, be confirmed and that the agreement was accepted by both sides, only to have the minority leader come forward and say that he wanted to identify the specific judges, and the numbers were not acceptable? The minority leader wanted to pick specific people, in contradiction of the normal pattern of the Judiciary Committee. Is the Senator aware of the fact the minority leader has taken that stand?

Mr. BENNETT. I will respond at a later time.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at the hour of 5 p.m. the Senate proceed to adopt the motion to proceed to the Treasury/Postal appropriations bill; that immediately after that the Senate vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to the intelligence authorization bill; that immediately after that vote, regardless of the outcome, the Senate proceed to a period for morning business until the Senate completes its business today, and that the preceding all occur without any intervening action or debate. I announce that the cloture vote regarding the motion to proceed to the intelligence authorization bill which will occur at 5 p.m. this evening will be the last vote today. We would then go into a period for morning business and conclude the session for the day with the exception of any conference reports or wrap-up items that may be cleared for action. I further ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it stand in adjournment until the hour of 9:30 a.m. tomorrow; that the call of the calendar be waived and the morning hour be deemed to have expired; that there then be a period for eulogies for our former colleague Senator Coverdell as previously ordered; that following the swearing in of our new colleague, Zell Miller, at 11 a.m. and his eulogy of Senator Coverdell, the Senate adopt the motion to proceed to the intelligence authorization bill, if its pending, and then vote on the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the energy/ water appropriations bill, and that the preceding all occur without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, in light of this agreement, a rollcall vote will occur at 5 p.m. today on the motion to proceed to the intelligence authorization bill. Another rollcall vote will occur at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Thursday on the motion to proceed to the energy and water appropriations bill. I thank the Senator from Oregon.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendments be agreed to.

Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.