Robert Byrd

Mr. BYRD

Mr. BYRD. I yield 4 minutes to the Senator.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BYRD. I move the Senate insist on its amendment to H.R. 2216 and request a conference with the House of Representatives, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate.

Mr. BYRD. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I tender my thanks to my friend, Senator Stevens. Without his able cooperation and assistance all the way, we would not have completed this bill today.

Mr. BYRD. I yield back the remainder of my time. Amendment No. 874

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

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the name of Senator Patty Murray was inadvertently omitted from the sponsorship of the $2 million drought assistance in the State of Washington. I add that name at this time. So it will read: An amendment by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell providing $2 million for drought assistance in the Yakima Basin in the State of Washington. It is fully offset. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Murray's name be added.

Mr. BYRD. Very well.

Mr. BYRD. I didn't understand the Senator.

Mr. BYRD. I am asking that they be considered, not adopted.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendments be considered en bloc.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I shall send to the desk a managers' amendment. It consists of a package of amendments. These have been cleared on both sides, and I believe there is no controversy on them. The first items are amendments by Senator Stevens, Senator Lincoln, and Senator Hutchinson for storm damage repair and relief in Arkansas and Oklahoma and emergency response and firefighting needs in Alaska. The amendment provides a total of $26,500,000 with the necessary offsets. The next amendment is offered by Senator Inhofe concerning the Education Impact Aid Program. No additional funds are involved. Next is an amendment by Senator Boxer to provide $1,400,000 for the so-called ``sudden oak death syndrome''. This is from within existing funds in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Next is an amendment by Senators Dorgan and Conrad to provide $5 million for emergency housing for Indians on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota. It, too, is fully offset. Next is an amendment by Senator McConnell making a slight modification in the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. No funding is involved. Next is an amendment to establish the new Senate committee ratio for the Joint Economic Committee as a result of the recent change in the Senate majority. This requires an amendment to the underlying law; An amendment concerning the B-1 bomber for Senators Roberts, Miller, Craig, Cleland, Crapo, and Brownback; An amendment for Senator Patty Murray and Senator Cantwell providing $2 million for drought assistance in Yakima Basin in the State of Washington. It is fully offset. Finally, an amendment by myself to provide $5 million for providing relief from the severe recent flooding in my State of West Virginia. This amendment is also fully offset. Over the last several days and nights, thousands of West Virginians have been digging out from the mud and muck left behind from severe flooding over the weekend. Throughout southern West Virginia, especially, the rain fell hard and fast, dropping 8 inches of rain across the region before the clouds finally let up. By then, the damage was done. The Guyandotte River was measured at 18 feet at Pineville, 5 feet above flood stage and above the 1977 record of 17.76 feet. The Tug Fork was at 17.5 at Welch, 7.5 feet over its banks and more than 4 feet above the previous high. It is an almost indescribable scene for many families who have watched their homes and their belongings washed away by the torrent of flood waters. For many families, this latest flood comes just a few weeks after they finished cleaning up from May's heavy rains that prompted a Federal disaster declaration from President Bush. Today West Virginia's streams, creeks, and rivers are carrying refrigerators, stoves, cars, and trucks. Tree branches are filled with ruined clothing and debris. Water and sewer systems are washed out. Roads and bridges are buckled. Power is out. More than 3,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. In the McDowell County town of Kimball, the community is covered with thick mud. One woman described it aptly when she said: ``This whole town is gone.'' For everyone, there is a feeling of disbelief at the devastation. But there is also a strong determination to recover. In an effort to speed Federal assistance, the managers' amendment contains $5 million to boost the recovery effort. This is the amount that the Natural Resources Conservation Service has stated that it needs to remove debris and obstructions to waterways that pose a threat to private property or human safety. This is just a small step in the recovery process, but it is an important step to make. I personally thank the thousands of National Guardsmen, local firefighters, sheriffs' departments, police officials, Red Cross volunteers, State Office of Emergency Services personnel, and the countless others who have worked to save lives over the last few days. Their efforts have helped to prevent this disaster from taking an even larger tool on West Virginia. Mr. President, I send the amendment to the desk.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I gladly yield 5 minutes to the distinguished majority whip.

Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The McCain amendment provides $848 million for defense that the President has not requested, is not assumed in the budget resolution and is not authorized. Many of the items that would be funded in the McCain amendment will be considered as part of the annual DoD omnibus reprogramming request. DoD will cover many of these costs with their own offsets rather than through cutting non-defense programs. Many of the non-defense offsets contained in the amendment are objectionable: Job training: The McCain amendment rescinds an additional $141.5 million from the FY01 job training funds, $41.5 million from dislocated workers and $100 million from adult job training. This is in addition to the $217.5 million rescission already included in the bill. Increasing the rescission above the $217.5 million risks actual cuts on job training services. Security at Winter Olympics: The McCain amendment would cut $30 million from the Committee bill. The committee approved the funds to provide security for participants and visitors to the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The federal government is mandated under Presidential Decision Directive 62 to provide security for officially designated National Security Special Events. These funds were requested and fully paid for. Advanced Technology Program: The amendment would rescind $67 million from the National Institutes for Standards and Technology Advanced Technology Program. ATP is a valuable and well-managed innovation program. From the telegraph to the Internet to biomedical research, government investment has spurred the development of new technologies and new fields, which have had great impact on and held enormous benefit for the American people. According to the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council, ATP's approach is funding new technologies that contribute to important societal goals. International Trade Administration, Trade Development: The amendment would rescind $19 million. TD is responsible for negotiating and enforcing industry sector trade agreements such as these on autos, textiles and aircraft. TD's mission is extremely important in the era of trade agreements such as NAFTA and the African Free Trade Agreement. Oil/gas: $114.8 million has already been rescinded from the Emergency Oil and Gas Loan Guaranteed Loan Program to help pay for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, RECA, and Global AIDS. This funding is no longer available for rescission. Steel: The amendment would rescind $126.8 million from the oil and gas and steel loan guarantee programs. The committee bill already rescinds $114.8 million from the oil and gas program. If the entire $126.8 million rescission came from the steel loan guarantee program, then the ability of the steel loan guarantee board to help the steel industry receive needed capital would be eliminated. This reduction would come at a time when a record number of steel companies have filed for bankruptcy (eighteen companies) and steel prices have fallen below levels that prevailed during the depths of the 1998 steel crisis. Access to Work: The McCain amendment would rescind over 80 percent of Access to Work funding. This program has been very successful at starting new programs at transit agencies to get welfare recipients to employers that want to hire them. Many studies have shown that one of the biggest problems in getting welfare recipients off the welfare roles and on to payrolls is transportation--getting them to work. Antidumping: In the last 4 years, continued dumping or subsidization has been found in roughly 80 percent of all administrative reviews conducted by the Department of Commerce. Industries affected include many parts of agriculture, chemicals, consumer goods, industrial goods and components, and metals. The amendment would rescind $200 million from the Treasury program established last year to assist companies impacted by unfair foreign trade practices. This rescission would eliminate the program just when it is anticipated that the first offset disbursements will be made by Customs toward the end of November 2001. NASA: The amendment would rescind $40 million from Life and Micro- Gravity research. In FY 2000, Congress fenced $40 million for a life and micro-gravity mission aboard the space shuttle. However, due to delays in overhauling the Space Shuttle Columbia, and the need to accelerate the Hubble space telescope servicing mission, NASA was forced to reschedule the launch date May 2002. As a result of the delay, the committee included bill language that lifts a restriction on the use of the funds to give NASA the flexibility to reprogram the funds for a Shuttle mission that will include a life and microgravity research experiment. Rescinding these funds will prohibit NASA from conducting a life and microgravity research experiment as directed by Congress, and put in jeopardy future research missions by threatening the viability of NASA's contractor. NASA electric auxiliary power units: The Senate should not rescind $19 million from the electric auxiliary power units. As part of the space shuttle safety upgrades program, NASA initiated an effort to develop an electric auxiliary power unit in FY 2000 to upgrade the existing power units to make them safer and more reliable. However after the initial development phase, it became clear that there were significant technical hurdles that could not be overcome without a significant increase in the budget. While this particular program was canceled by NASA, the overall Space Shuttle Safety Program remains a top priority. NASA will redirect the remaining funds to address other key safety and reliability upgrades for the space shuttle. There is no higher priority than protecting our astronauts. Transit research and planning: The McCain amendment would virtually eliminate funding for transit planning and research -$90 million, provided in the FY 2001 Transportation Appropriations Act. Mr. President, I hope the Senate will oppose and defeat the amendment. I yield the floor.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, how much time remains?

Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I remove my reservation.

Mr. BYRD. Madam President, reserving the right to object--I have no intention of objecting--if we may just study the modification momentarily?

Mr. BYRD. I oppose the amendment proposed by the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold. This amendment provides funding to address the AIDS epidemic, which is a problem of astounding proportions affecting millions in the world today. There is a very laudable purpose behind the amendment. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the committee-reported bill which contains $100 million for the Global AIDS Program is a fair and commendable approach under the present circumstances and at the present time. The $100 million for the Global AIDS Program was included in the committee bill at my own request. I made the request at the urging of the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Daschle. The President did not request supplemental funds for this purpose, but we worked in committee to identify noncontroversial offsets for this important program. I believe the committee has produced a fair bill, a responsible bill, a balanced bill. I believe the most effective way to get this essential aid to the people who need it is to approve the committee bill, without this amendment, so the bill can be taken to conference and sent to the President for his signature. I shall move to table and I do so with apologies to the distinguished Senator from Wisconsin, who is, as I have already indicated, offering an amendment that is laudable. I think we have responded in the committee, and under the circumstances I think the committee bill should be approved as is with respect to this amendment. I move to table the amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to table.

Mr. BYRD. I intend to move to table if the Senator would like to speak prior to that motion.

Mr. BYRD. I have a brief statement.

Mr. BYRD. Does the Senator have anything further?

Mr. BYRD. I thank the distinguished Senator from Arkansas for her exceedingly kind remarks concerning my efforts and the efforts of my distinguished colleague, Senator Stevens from Alaska. There need not be any doubt in anybody's mind that the Senator stands up for her constituents and ably represents them. This is just another example of that. Madam President, how much time remains?

Mr. BYRD. How much time does the Senator from Arkansas want?

Mr. BYRD. How much time do we have, I ask the Chair?