Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished Senator from Indiana, Mr. Lugar.

Mr. COCHRAN. My question is, How long do you intend to hold the floor? I am curious--not critical at all--but curious, because I agreed to yield to the chairman of the Agriculture Committee time on the amendment. He has been on the floor now for almost 30 minutes. I was just curious to know when I might be able to yield some time to him.

Mr. COCHRAN. Would the distinguished Senator yield for a question?

Mr. COCHRAN. It was in the unanimous consent agreement. We can get the clerk to read it.

Mr. COCHRAN. It is in the order. We negotiated that last night.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, with some reluctance, I oppose the amendment offered by the distinguished Senator from Nebraska. I do so because the industry is not for this amendment. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has written a letter in opposition to the amendment. And just one word of that letter says the following. They refer to the Daschle amendment. This is the same amendment dealing with mandatory live cattle price reporting: These amendments are not fair and equitable to beef producers, and many of these provisions are counter to our producers' policies. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the total letter from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN. For clarification, the 8:45 time that the majority leader indicated for the vote will be this evening rather than in the morning?

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is now my intention to move to table the Bryan amendment. Before doing so, the Senator from California has asked for 1 minute to speak in opposition to the Bryan amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, Senator Lugar desires to make further remarks in support of his amendment, and we hope the Chair will recognize him for that purpose. Any other Senators who want to speak on that amendment should do so now, because there is the plan that has previously been announced that Senator Stevens will move to table the Lugar amendment at 6 o'clock. We will have a vote on that motion to table. But if Senators have completed their remarks on the Lugar amendment, then we could set that amendment aside, if the 6 o'clock hour has not yet arrived, and have other amendments debated. That would be our hope.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I think we are ready now to proceed to a vote on the Brownback amendment

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, and I do not want to object and will not, maybe the thing to do is put in a quorum for a second or two and see exactly what the questions are. Maybe they can be answered. If not, then I agree with you, we will set it aside and go to another amendment. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on behalf of the Senator from Kansas, Mr. Brownback, and other Senators, I send an amendment to the desk and ask that it be stated.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum, and I ask unanimous consent that the time run equally against both sides.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished Senator from Kansas, Mr. Roberts.

Mr. COCHRAN. It is not any reflection on anyone. It is certainly not personal.

Mr. COCHRAN. It was contemplated I would move to table the Daschle amendment. That is what the Democratic leader understood. We talked about it last night. It was in the order as entered last night--3 hours of debate on the amendment--and that is what we are operating under. I want to remind everybody that it is my intention to move to table and to have a vote.

Mr. COCHRAN

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

Mr. COCHRAN

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

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent to that effect.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be granted permission to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, July 14, for purposes of conducting a subcommittee hearing which is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on S. 1515, the Dakota Water Resources Act of 1997; S. 2111, a bill to establish the conditions under which the Bonneville Power Administration and certain Federal agencies may enter into a memorandum of agreement concerning management of the Columbia/Snake River Basin, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to appoint an advisory committee to make recommendations regarding activities under the memorandum of understanding, and for other purposes; and S. 2117, the Perkins County Rural Water System Act of 1997.