Ben Campbell

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I support passage of the pending bill, S. 1791, that Senator Lieberman and I introduced. This legislation would authorize the Librarian of Congress to acquire Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior's personal papers from his estate. Dr. King, as a minister, civil rights leader, prolific writer and Nobel Price winner, was deeply committed to nonviolence in the struggle for civil rights. He is quite possible the most important and influential black leader in American history. When Dr. King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968, he was in his prime, after having emerged as a true national hero and a chief advocate of peacefully uniting a racially divided nation. He strove to build communities of hope and opportunity for all. He recognized that all Americans must be free if we are to live in a truly great nation. The acquisition of Dr. King's papers would permanently place them in the public domain. People from all over the United States, and the entire world, would have direct access to these important historic documents. Those people studying his life's work would have access to his messages of justice and peace, and also to reflect on the civil rights struggle. The Library of Congress would be the perfect place for these papers which already houses other great works of original American freedom fighters such as Frederick Douglass and Thurgood Marshall. It is altogether fitting that these documents be together under one roof. Dr. King was a person who wanted all people to get along regardless of their race, color or creed. His call to all of us, that we should judge by the content of one's character rather than by the color of one's skin, sums up the very core of how we can all peacefully live together as well as any other words ever spoken. The establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national holiday was the result of the work of many determined people who wanted to ensure that we and future generations duly honor and remember his legacy. In fact, our tradition of honoring Dr. King took another step forward when on October 25, 1999, the President signed into law S. 322, a bill I introduced earlier this year that authorizes the flying of the American flag on Martin Luther King Day, in addition to all of our Nation's national holidays. This legislation builds on this work and will ensure that Dr. King's legacy is preserved for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important bill.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, following the vote, the Senate will continue consideration of the African trade bill or any other legislative or executive business. The Senate may also begin consideration of the conference report to accompany the D.C./Labor-HHS bill during today's session.

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will begin 30 minutes of debate on H.R. 434, the African-CBI trade bill. By previous consent, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the Roth substitute amendment at 10 a.m. Order to File Second-Degree Amendments Under the provisions of rule XXII, I now ask unanimous consent that Senators have until 10 a.m. today in order to file second-degree amendments to the substitute.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I am compelled to raise a recent, shocking example of racism in South Dakota. An Indian woman residing on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota came across an ``advertisement'' in the local newspaper that bore the heading ``State of South Dakota, Game Fish and Parks Department''. She sent me a copy of the ad along with her letter. The ``ad,'' which resembles a run-of-the-mill hunting and fishing season announcement, was located in the editorial section of the newspaper. The ``ad'' went on to outline the rules for ``Indian Hunting Season'' in the State of South Dakota, including a limit on the number of Indians a ``hunter'' was allowed to kill and the approved methods for killing them. I cannot express to you the anger and deep disappointment I felt when I read this ad because for those who think anti-Indian sentiment and feelings is a ``relic of the past,'' I urge them to read this product of a twisted and hateful mind. At the turn of the millennium in the greatest nation on Earth, there are pockets of hate that continue to thrive. After my tenure in Congress, I know full well the limits of government. I know we can pass no law forcing people to respect each other or forcing them to be tolerant. But this ad goes beyond mere hurtful words and actually advocates murder, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. As chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, and as an American, I am embarrassed and outraged at the same time. This is shameful. Indian children are most affected by this kind of bile. They hear these hate-filled expressions in school, in public places like shopping malls and grocery stores, and they start to believe they are worthless, and they eventually stop trying to become or achieve anything. Many commit suicide. This is ongoing. In a few days, the Nation will honor the contributions of generations of Native Americans by dedicating the month of November, 1999, as ``American Indian Heritage Month''. Native people have fought and died for this country in every war from the Revolutionary War to WWII to Vietnam to the ongoing missions around the world. Yet, as this ad shows, Indians are still targeted by these expressions of hate. I condemn this and every instance of discrimination and hatred against any American--red, black, white or yellow--and call on my colleagues to do the same. I ask unanimous consent to have a copy of the newspaper ad printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, November 4, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a Joint Hearing with the House Committee on Resources on S. 1586, the Indian Land Consolidation Act Amendments of 1996; and S. 1315, to permit the leasing of oil and gas rights on Navajo allotted lands. The hearing will be held in room 106, Dirksen Senate Building. Please direct any inquiries to Committee staff at 202/224-2251.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that would authorize the Librarian of Congress to acquire Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior's personal papers from his estate. I am pleased to be joined in this important initiative by my friend and colleague from Connecticut, Senator Joe Lieberman. This bill is a companion to H.R. 2963, which was introduced by our colleagues in the House of Representatives, Congressman James Clyburn and Congressman J.C. Watts. Dr. King, as a minister, civil rights leader, prolific writer and Nobel Prize winner, was deeply committed to nonviolence in the struggle for civil rights. He is quite possibly the most important and influential black leader in American history. When Dr. King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968, he was in his prime, after having emerged as a true national hero and a chief advocate of peacefully uniting a racially divided nation. He strove to build communities of hope and opportunity for all. He recognized that all Americans must be free if we are to live in a truly great nation. The acquisition of Dr. King's papers would permanently place them in the public domain. People from all over the United States, and the entire world, would have direct access to these important historic documents. Those people studying his life's work would have access to his messages of justice and peace, and also to reflect on the civil rights struggle. The Library of Congress would be the perfect place for these papers which already houses other great works of original American freedom fighters such as Frederick Douglass and Thurgood Marshall. It is altogether fitting that these documents be together under one roof. Dr. King was a person who wanted all people to get along regardless of their race, color or creed. His call to all of us, that we should judge by the content of one's character rather than by the color of one's skin, sums up the very core of how we can all peacefully live together as well as any other words ever spoken. The establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national holiday was the result of the work of many determined people who wanted to ensure that we and future generations duly honor and remember his legacy. In fact, our tradition of honoring Dr. King took another step forward when just yesterday the President signed into law S. 322, a bill I introduced earlier this year that authorizes the flying of the American flag on Martin Luther King Day, in addition to all of our nation's national holidays. The bill I introduce today builds on this work and will ensure that Dr. King's legacy is preserved for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that would authorize the Librarian of Congress to acquire Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior's personal papers from his estate. I am pleased to be joined in this important initiative by my friend and colleague from Connecticut, Senator Joe Lieberman. This bill is a companion to H.R. 2963, which was introduced by our colleagues in the House of Representatives, Congressman James Clyburn and Congressman J.C. Watts. Dr. King, as a minister, civil rights leader, prolific writer and Nobel Prize winner, was deeply committed to nonviolence in the struggle for civil rights. He is quite possibly the most important and influential black leader in American history. When Dr. King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968, he was in his prime, after having emerged as a true national hero and a chief advocate of peacefully uniting a racially divided nation. He strove to build communities of hope and opportunity for all. He recognized that all Americans must be free if we are to live in a truly great nation. The acquisition of Dr. King's papers would permanently place them in the public domain. People from all over the United States, and the entire world, would have direct access to these important historic documents. Those people studying his life's work would have access to his messages of justice and peace, and also to reflect on the civil rights struggle. The Library of Congress would be the perfect place for these papers which already houses other great works of original American freedom fighters such as Frederick Douglass and Thurgood Marshall. It is altogether fitting that these documents be together under one roof. Dr. King was a person who wanted all people to get along regardless of their race, color or creed. His call to all of us, that we should judge by the content of one's character rather than by the color of one's skin, sums up the very core of how we can all peacefully live together as well as any other words ever spoken. The establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national holiday was the result of the work of many determined people who wanted to ensure that we and future generations duly honor and remember his legacy. In fact, our tradition of honoring Dr. King took another step forward when just yesterday the President signed into law S. 322, a bill I introduced earlier this year that authorizes the flying of the American flag on Martin Luther King Day, in addition to all of our nation's national holidays. The bill I introduce today builds on this work and will ensure that Dr. King's legacy is preserved for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, while traveling to Washington today from my home in Colorado, I learned the sad news that our colleague, Senator John Chafee, passed away last evening from heart failure. It is with deep sadness that I pay tribute today to this statesman, a great American, and my friend. John Chafee was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School. He left Yale to enlist in the Marine Corps when the United States entered World War II, and then served in the original invasion forces at Guadalcanal. He was recalled to active duty in 1951, and commanded a rifle company in Korea. John served for six years in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, was elected as Rhode Island's governor in 1962, and was reelected in 1964 and 1966. In January 1969, John Chafee was appointed Secretary of the Navy, and he began his career in the United States Senate in 1976. He was reelected to a fourth term in 1994, with 65 percent of the vote, and was the only Republican to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island in the past 68 years. John Chafee has been a leader in the Senate and indeed the nation to improve the quality of our environment. As an effective Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, John built a strong legislative record for clean air, clean water, conservation of wetlands, and preservation of open space. He also will be long remembered for his tireless efforts as a senior member of the Finance Committee to expand health care coverage for women and children and to improve community services for persons with disabilities. I extend my condolences to John's wife Virginia, their five children and twelve grandchildren. I will miss my friend and colleague, Senator John Chafee of Rhode Island.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, just a few weeks ago, many of my Senate colleagues met a young, dynamic parliamentarian from Belarus, Mr. Anatoly Lebedko, right here on the Senate floor. He impressed us with his dedication and commitment as he advocates for democracy and the rule of law in his home country currently being rule by a repressive regime. You can imagine how shocked and concerned I was to receive a call from the State Department this week informing me Mr. Lebedko had been picked up by the authorities as part of the latest crackdown in Belarus. I am sure my colleagues who met Mr. Lebedko share my concern for his well-being and for the safety of all of those struggling for democracy and freedom of speech. Eight years after the break-up of the Soviet Union, Belarus finds itself increasingly isolated from the rest of Europe as a direct consequence of the authoritarian policies pursued by its present government which have stifled that country's fledging democracy and market economy. The Helsinki Commission, which I co-chair, held a hearing a few months ago to assess democracy and human rights in Belarus. In July, a number of Commission members and I had the opportunity to hear Mr. Lebedko address the annual Parliamentary Assembly meeting of the Organization of Security and Corporation in Europe (OSCE) in St. Petersburg, where he outlined developments in Belarus and the prospects for genuine political and economic reforms. Clearly, the cycle of political and economic stagnation in Belarus will only come to an end through genuine dialogue based on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Helsinki Commission has called on Belarus to adopt meaningful political and economic reforms in keeping with that country's obligations as a participating State of the OSCE. On September 3, the government and opposition in Belarus began consultations at the office of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Minsk. These talks, long urged by the international community and the Helsinki Commission could represent an important step in beginning the process of reversing the bleak human rights and democratization picture in Belarus. Until recently I had been encouraged by what appeared to be the start of a dialog between the Belarusian Government and opposition. However, there have been a number of disturbing developments, including continued harassment of opposition members, a renewed crackdown on the independent media in recent weeks, and now the detainment of Mr. Lebedko. We recently wrote to Secretary of State Albright voicing concern about the situation in Belarus and called on the State Department to intensify its work in this area. This most recent development underscores our concerns. I ask unanimous consent that copies of our letter to the Secretary of State, a letter we sent to the President of Belarus, along with recent news clips be printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I urge my colleagues to support passage of the pending resolution, Senate Resolution 190, designating October 10, 1999, through October 16, 1999, as ``National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week.'' I introduced this legislation in September and am pleased that it garnered such strong bipartisan support from my Senate colleagues. I am hopeful that greater awareness of cystic fibrosis, CF will lead to a cure. Incredibly, CF is the number one genetic killer in the United States. Approximately 30,000 Americans suffer from the life-threatening disease. Today, the average life expectancy for someone with CF is 31 years. We must do what we can to change that. I urge my colleagues to support final passage of this resolution so that we can move one step closer to eradicating this disease.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 20, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. to mark up pending legislation to be followed by a hearing on Indian Reservation Roads and the Transportation Equity Act in the 21st Century (TEA-21). The hearing will be held in room 485, Russell Senate Offfice Building. Please direct any inquiries to committee staff at 202/224-2251. committee on rules and administration

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to amend the National Trails System Act to clarify federal authority relating to land acquisition from willing sellers. This bill is the companion to Congressman Scott McInnis' legislation. Congressman McInnis has been an advocate for this legislation for many years. There are 20 trails in the national scenic and historic trail system. These trails are among some of the most beautiful areas in the United States and are deserving of preservation. This bill will enable the federal government to help conserve the special resources of all of these congressionally designated trails, enabling everyone to enjoy the benefit of these trails today and for future generations of Americans tomorrow. This legislation does not appropriate any money, it only provides the federal government the authority to acquire lands from willing sellers. Once willing sellers are identified, Congress then appropriates the money so that the land can be purchased. It also will help to address the increasing development pressures that threaten the long-range continuity of the National Trails System. Currently, the federal government only has authority to buy land along 11 of the 20 national scenic and historic trails. This bill gives authority to buy land from willing sellers along the other nine trails to ensure that the entire trail can be preserved. There are many unique and special historic sites along the nine affected scenic and historic trails. These sites have been voluntarily protected for several generations by responsible individual families. These families should have the right to sell these irreplaceable places of our nation's heritage to the federal government to continue their protection when and if they choose to do so. This legislation is a vehicle to help preserve part of our natural heritage. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joining Senator McCain in co-sponsoring the Indian Tribal Government Unemployment Compensation Act Tax Relief Amendments of 1999. If enacted, this legislation will modify the Federal Unemployment Tax Act of 1935 (``FUTA'') to allow Indian tribal governments to receive the same unemployment compensation treatment as state and local governments. FUTA imposes a tax on the wages paid by employers to their employees. From these tax proceeds, unemployment insurance and benefits for out- of-work citizens is provided. Under the bill introduced today, Indian tribal governments would be treated as state and local governments, and would be authorized to contribute to state unemployment funds on a reimbursable basis. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that this bill would have a minimal impact, $10 million over 10 years, on the Federal budget. However, the impact that this amendment would have on Indian economic development is immeasurable. The development of strong tribal economies is fundamental for tribal self-sufficiency and self-determination. Private enterprise is often reluctant to do business and hire Indian workers if legal, tax, and regulatory regimes they face are confusing or unfriendly. This legislation would eliminate any confusion over the applicability of the FUTA tax and would create a level playing field for tribal governments and enhance their ability to attract and retain the best skilled employees. By providing equitable FUTA treatment to tribal government employers, this legislation will assist in the long-term growth and stability of tribal economies. I urge my colleagues to join Senator McCain and I in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to amend the National Trails System Act to clarify federal authority relating to land acquisition from willing sellers. This bill is the companion to Congressman Scott McInnis' legislation. Congressman McInnis has been an advocate for this legislation for many years. There are 20 trails in the national scenic and historic trail system. These trails are among some of the most beautiful areas in the United States and are deserving of preservation. This bill will enable the federal government to help conserve the special resources of all of these congressionally designated trails, enabling everyone to enjoy the benefit of these trails today and for future generations of Americans tomorrow. This legislation does not appropriate any money, it only provides the federal government the authority to acquire lands from willing sellers. Once willing sellers are identified, Congress then appropriates the money so that the land can be purchased. It also will help to address the increasing development pressures that threaten the long-range continuity of the National Trails System. Currently, the federal government only has authority to buy land along 11 of the 20 national scenic and historic trails. This bill gives authority to buy land from willing sellers along the other nine trails to ensure that the entire trail can be preserved. There are many unique and special historic sites along the nine affected scenic and historic trails. These sites have been voluntarily protected for several generations by responsible individual families. These families should have the right to sell these irreplaceable places of our nation's heritage to the federal government to continue their protection when and if they choose to do so. This legislation is a vehicle to help preserve part of our natural heritage. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joining Senator McCain in co-sponsoring the Indian Tribal Government Unemployment Compensation Act Tax Relief Amendments of 1999. If enacted, this legislation will modify the Federal Unemployment Tax Act of 1935 (``FUTA'') to allow Indian tribal governments to receive the same unemployment compensation treatment as state and local governments. FUTA imposes a tax on the wages paid by employers to their employees. From these tax proceeds, unemployment insurance and benefits for out- of-work citizens is provided. Under the bill introduced today, Indian tribal governments would be treated as state and local governments, and would be authorized to contribute to state unemployment funds on a reimbursable basis. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that this bill would have a minimal impact, $10 million over 10 years, on the Federal budget. However, the impact that this amendment would have on Indian economic development is immeasurable. The development of strong tribal economies is fundamental for tribal self-sufficiency and self-determination. Private enterprise is often reluctant to do business and hire Indian workers if legal, tax, and regulatory regimes they face are confusing or unfriendly. This legislation would eliminate any confusion over the applicability of the FUTA tax and would create a level playing field for tribal governments and enhance their ability to attract and retain the best skilled employees. By providing equitable FUTA treatment to tribal government employers, this legislation will assist in the long-term growth and stability of tribal economies. I urge my colleagues to join Senator McCain and I in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I submit a resolution recognizing October 10, 1999, through October 16, 1999, as National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week. I am pleased to be joined by my colleagues Senators Gramm, Ashcroft, Kerry, and Robb in submitting this resolution. We are hopeful that greater awareness of cystic fibrosis (CF) will lead to a cure. Incredibly, CF is the number one genetic killer in the United States. Approximately 30,000 Americans suffer from the life-threatening disease. Today, the average life expectancy for someone with CF is 31 years. We must do what we can to change that. While there remains no cure, early detection and prompt treatment can significantly improve and extend the lives of those with CF. For example, my home state of Colorado is one of the first and only states that requires CF screening for newborns, providing a greater quality of life for CF sufferers. And since the discovery of the defective CF gene in 1989, CF research has greatly accelerated. At Children's Hospital of Denver, researchers are participating in the innovative Therapeutics Development Program, a promising venture with the CF Foundation. Designed to aid the development of new therapeutics for CF, researchers in the program are expediting the early phases of clinical trials that evaluate safety and dosing regimens for new drugs. I applaud their efforts. But while I am encouraged by the CF research in Colorado and elsewhere, more needs to be done. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to act quickly on this resolution so that we can move one step closer to eradicating this disease.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 1 minute as in morning business.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess for 3 minutes to greet Mr. Lebedko, Parliamentarian from Belarus.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, as the cochair of the House-Senate Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known as the Helsinki Commission, I had the privilege in July to go to St. Petersburg, Russia, to participate, with other Senators, in the annual meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. During the proceedings, our 17-member congressional delegation heard a very powerful speech by Mr. Anatoly Lebedko, who is a leader of the opposition party in Belarus. He is a very strong force for democracy in Belarus. He is here with us today. He is often faced with overwhelming opposition. Yet he has led the fight for the kind of principles on which our own Nation was founded.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to vitiate amendment No. 1782. This was included inadvertently in the list of amendments and was already agreed to as part of the bill.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I call upon my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2000 Interior appropriations bill which will help preserve our natural wonders. The bill contains an amendment that I offered which would direct the forest service to conduct a study of the severity of Mountain Pine Beetle in the Rocky Mountain Region and report back to Congress within six months after enactment on how to address this problem. As adopted the amendment would not have any budget ramifications. My amendment is in the interest of our national forests. According to the Forest Service this outbreak of the Pine Beetle infestation is similar to the one that occurred in the 1970's. During that period there were peak annual losses of over 1 million trees as a result of the beetle. Right now we are seeing the beginning of another epidemic, which is continuing to grow. There are a number of factors which contribute to the current Mountain Pine Beetle problem--the general lack of forest management, which includes proper timber harvesting, and increased susceptibility resulting from the suppression of forest fires. The current infestation is in the northern two-thirds of the front range of Colorado where the largest number of people live in my home state. Surveys by the Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service survey shows 12,891 dead trees detected in 1996; 32,445 in 1997; and 74,288 in 1998. All indications are that we will see a staggering 150,000 trees infested in 1999. It is clear that if this trend continues we will see an outbreak worse than the 1970's. I am also concerned about the high possibility that dead timber from the pine beetle will catch on fire and wreak havoc on Colorado's front range. It is important for Congress to address this problem now before it gets out of control and the people of Colorado find themselves with thousands of dead trees. I urge my colleagues to support passage of the bill. I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 22, 1999 at 10:00 a.m. to conduct a hearing on S. 1587, a bill to amend the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 to establish within the Department of the Interior an Office of Special Trustee for Data Cleanup and Internal Control and; S. 1589, to amend the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994. The hearing will be held in room 485, Russell Senate Building. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing on S. 1508, a bill to provide technical and legal assistance to tribal justice systems and members of Indian tribes. The hearing will be held in room 485, Russell Senate Building. Please direct any inquiries to Committee staff at 202/224-2251.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I say to the Senator that we did try to stay within our allocation, as you know. We had many more requests than we were capable of dealing with and our allocation was raised by $100 million. So we did stay within that. We simply could not fit all of the requests in the original amount we were allocated.

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I urge the Senate to approve this conference report. Because of the budget constraints, we were not able to give everything that everyone wanted, obviously; but that is certainly what compromise is all about. It took us 6 weeks to get this report to conference, by the way. At the outset, I thank the ranking member of the Treasury Subcommittee, Senator Dorgan, and his staff for all of their valuable assistance and support during that process. The conference report provides a total of $28,239,811,000, of which $13,706,000,000 is discretionary spending. We have provided funding necessary for the Department of the Treasury, the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, and various independent agencies to move into the new millennium. Here are some of the highlights of this conference report. The conference provided $12.32 million to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to Expand the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative. This is $1.12 million more than the requested level, and brings the total funding for this very effective program to $51.32 million. The conference also provided $13 million to ATF for grants to State and local law enforcement to allow participation in the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program. The GREAT Program provides our youth with the tools they need to resist the powerful pull of gangs and has been highly successful as a deterrent to the growth of youth gangs. The conference report provides funding for the continued operation and growth of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. We are still very much committed to the consolidation of training for Federal law enforcement officers at FLETC. After completion of the five-year construction master plan, FLETC will be better able to serve the training demands of most Federal law enforcement agencies. For the Customs Service, the conference has provided $4.3 million for pre-hiring polygraph examinations and $2.5 million for the creation of the Office of Assistant Commissioner for Training to continue integrity efforts begun last year. The conference has funded the Customs Cyber-Smuggling Center at $4 million, which is a $1.6 million increase over last year. The conference has provided full funding for the Internal Revenue Service to allow them to fulfill the requirements of the Restructuring and Reform Act, to proceed with their much-needed organizational modernization plan, and to continue necessary improvements in customer service. This funding also provides $6 million for grants to low income taxpayer clinics. The conference has increased funding for the very critical technology transfer program under the Drug Czar's Office. This $13.25 million program provides drug interdiction technology to State and local law enforcement. For fiscal year 2000, the funding was increased by more than $10 million over the administration's request. The conference has provided $185 million for the continued operation of the national youth anti-drug media campaign, and $192 million for the popular and effective high intensity drug trafficking areas (HIDTA) Program. In addition, the conference has included funding for a management review of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) by an independent entity in an effort to strengthen the office's operations and programs. The conference included a combined total of $2 million for the model state drug law conferences and the National Drug Court Institute, programs which assist State and local enforcement in combating the end results of drug addiction and resulting crimes. Mr. President, again I say that everyone did not get everything, and certainly everybody doesn't agree with every provision of this bill. But I think it is a very worthy conference report, on balance, and I think we brought to the Senate an excellent product. It certainly deserves the support of the entire Senate and signature of the President. I again thank my friend and coworker, Senator Dorgan, for his hard work, and also the staff we depended very heavily on this time around, including Pat Raymond, Tammy Perrin, Lula Edwards, of the majority staff, Barbara Retzlaf, who left a couple weeks to go to the Commerce Department, Chip Walgren, and Dylan Presman. With that, I yield the floor.