John Chafee

Mr. CHAFEE

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Labor and Human Resources be authorized to meet for a hearing on the Nomination of David Satcher to be Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary of HHS during the Session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, at 10 a.m.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, to conduct a markup of the following nominees: Laura S. Unger, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Paul R. Carey, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Dennis Dollar, of Mississippi, to be a member of the National Credit Union Administration Board; Edward M. Gramlich, of Virginia, to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve; Roger Walton Ferguson, of Massachusetts, to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve; and Ellen Seidman, of the District of Columbia, to be a Director of Thrift Supervision.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a closed business meeting.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, immediately following the nomination hearing scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on pending committee business.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, at 9:30 a.m. on the nominations of George Black, James Hall, and John Hammerschmidt to be members of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, the Finance Committee requests unanimous consent to hold a hearing on S. 1195, the ``Promotion of Adoption, Safety, and Support for Abused and Neglected Children [PASS] Act'' on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, beginning at 10 a.m. in SD-215 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, at 10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. to hold a hearing and a business meeting.

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Business Rights, and Competition, of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 1997, at 2 p.m., to hold a hearing in room 226, Senate Dirksen Building, on: ``Competition in the cable and video markets.''

Mr. CHAFEE

Mr. CHAFEE. On behalf of the committee, I therefore now withdraw all of the other committee amendments, save the amendment I have just sent to the desk.

Mr. CHAFEE. I explain to the Senate this amendment was made necessary to correct certain provisions that are in technical violation of the Budget Act. The bill reported by the committee stays within the overall spending limitations imposed by the budget resolution, but not every dollar is in the right category. We have made adjustments in this substitute amendment that correct those deficiencies. The adjustments do not affect the allocation of the dollars to any State nor the certainty that those dollars will be delivered by the formula in the bill. The amendment does not affect the substantive provisions of the bill in any other respect, but puts some of the spending authorized by the bill under the obligation limitation to ensure that we meet the technical requirements of the Budget Act. It is my understanding the committee has a right to modify its amendments in this way. I polled the committee yesterday, and a majority of the members agreed to this modification. The substitute amendment now is the only committee amendment and is open to amendment by any Senator and will be the vehicle for conducting debate on this bill. Amendments Nos. 1310 and 1311, En Bloc

Mr. CHAFEE. The amendment I am submitting, Madam President, is a substitute for the text of the bill. Remaining Committee Amendments Withdrawn

Mr. CHAFEE. I send an amendment to the desk with a new amendment and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, it is my understanding that the unanimous-consent request I made is agreeable.

Mr. CHAFEE. Now, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent two amendments that I now send to the desk be considered as read and agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. I have discussed this with the ranking member.

Mr. CHAFEE. I send to the desk an amendment to the text to be stricken.

Mr. CHAFEE. I think, perhaps if we went into a brief quorum call. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, am I correct in assuming that the first committee amendment is the business pending before the Senate?

Mr. CHAFEE

Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. CHAFEE

Mr. CHAFEE. The House bill left it entirely up to Virginia and Maryland. So I would hope that the Senator would be somewhat grateful for what the Senate is doing.

Mr. CHAFEE. Could I make a correction? The Senator from Maryland was in error in a statement.

Mr. CHAFEE. What is the question?