Conrad Burns

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, we have another speaker coming on our side who is on his way. In the meantime, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I yield time to Senator Kyl for the purpose of withdrawing his amendment.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Arizona. There is a larger problem on the Arizona River. We are all aware of it. It is going to take a lot of us working together to deal with that river because of population growth, especially in the wintertime, from Lake Mead and going south. Arizona is only a little piece of that. But, nonetheless, the Senator is very much interested in what happens all the way down, for the simple reason that with Nevada, Arizona, and California, it will take a lot of people working together to deal with that problem. I appreciate the Senator's interest in that, and I do pledge to work with the Senator on authorization. Mr. President, I yield the floor to the Senator from Florida.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, all time has expired.

Mr. BURNS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BURNS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. BURNS. Nobody can sum this argument better than the Senator from Florida and the Senator from Nevada. I would say this: This is a change in policy and regulation, and we should consider that. I yield the remainder of my time.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. I appreciate the concerns raised by the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and commit to working with him to address this issue of importance to him and the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Mr. BURNS. Yes, we will certainly do that.

Mr. BURNS. I thank the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, for his support for this unique Park Service asset. As the Senator from Virginia has indicated, the facilities at the Filene Center's main gate are in serious need of replacement to improve employee space and visitor services. The Senator from Virginia has my commitment to ensure that the needs of this facility are fully evaluated as we work with our colleagues in the House of Representatives on the FY 2006 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Mr. BURNS. The subcommittee would be happy to assist the Senator in this matter.

Mr. BURNS. It is my understanding.

Mr. BURNS. We will see that the change is made.

Mr. BURNS. The Senator from New Mexico is correct. The committee restored $2 million to the BIA budget request for Water Management and Planning activities and continues funding for the BIA Water Technician Training program, which the administration proposed to eliminate.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, the role of partnerships is rapidly changing and our subcommittee has encouraged the Park Service to develop guidelines and standards for their partners. I am encouraged by the progress. It also seems appropriate that we not hobble partners with unnecessary and expensive requirements. I will be glad to look at ways to do that. rahway valley sewerage authority

Mr. BURNS. The Senator is correct. I am willing to work with the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold, and the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Dorgan to request in writing this audit by the Government Accountability Office.

Mr. BURNS. My State of Montana is home to tens of thousands of Native Americans, and I am familiar with the health care challenges that they and other Native Americans around the Nation face. I understand that the minority leader expects IHS to meet with all Nevada tribes to discuss ways to improve their health care services.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 29, 2005, at 9:30 a.m., in open session to consider the following nominations: General Peter Pace, USMC for reappointment to the grade of General and to be Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., USN for reappointment to the grade of Admiral and to be Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; General T. Michael Moseley, USAF for reappointment to the grade of General and to be Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Ambassador Eric S. Edelman to be under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Mr. Daniel R. Stanley to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs; and Mr. James A. Rispoli to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 29, 2005, at 3:30 p.m., to receive a classified briefing regarding detention operations and interrogation procedures at Guantanamo Bay.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday June 29, 2005, at 10 a.m., to hear testimony on ``Medicaid Waste, Fraud and Abuse: Threatening the Health Care Safety Net.''

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing on Nominations.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a business meeting on the following: S.J. Res. 15 A bill to acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States. S. 374 A bill to provide compensation to the Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux Tribes of South Dakota for damage to tribal land caused by Pick-Sloan projects along the Missouri River. S. 113 A bill to modify the date as of which certain tribal land of the Lytton Rancheria is deemed to be held in trust. S. 881 A bill to compensate the Spokane Tribe of Indians for the use of tribal land for the production of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam, and for other purposes. S. 449 A bill to facilitate shareholder consideration of proposals to make Settlement Common Stock under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act available to missed enrollees, eligible elders, and persons born after Dec. 18, 1971, and for other purposes. H.R. 797/S. 475 A bill to amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 and other Acts to improve housing programs for Indians. S. 623 A bill to direct the Secretary of Interior to convey certain land held in trust for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah to the City of Richfield, Utah and for other purposes. S. 598 A bill to reauthorize provisions in the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 relating to Native Hawaiian low-income housing and Federal loan guarantees for Native Hawaiian housing. S. . A bill to condemn certain subsurface rights to land held in trust by the State of Arizona, convey subsurface rights held by BLM, for the Pacsua Yaqui Tribe. S. A bill to authorize funding for the National Indian Gaming Commission. S. 1239, A bill to authorize the use of Indian Health Service funds to pay Medicare Part D premiums on behalf of Indians. S.1231, A bill to provide initial funding for the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education previously established by Congress. S. A bill to require former federal employees who are employed by tribes to adhere to conflict of interest rules. S. A bill to amend the Tribally Controlled Community College and Universities Assistance Act. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. for a hearing titled, ``Vulnerabilities in the U.S. Passport System Can Be Exploited by Criminals and Terrorists.''

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 29, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed briefing.

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President: I ask unanimous consent that Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction be authorized to meet on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., on National Weather Service- Severe Weather.