Kent Conrad

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Might I inquire how much time we have consumed?

Mr. CONRAD. I yield 15 minutes off the resolution to the Senator.

Mr. CONRAD. Might I inquire of the Senator from Virginia, would the Senator consider offering his amendment in the first degree with an understanding that he would get the first vote? If the Senator offers his amendment in the second degree----

Mr. CONRAD. Not as a substitute, as a first degree. I am suggesting this for this reason: We are going to want to get a vote on the amendment of the Senator from Louisiana. We can go through all kinds of parliamentary maneuvers to do that and ultimately succeed. We have found so far it works better if we handle both amendments in the first degree. You would get the first vote because you would have been offering it in the second degree.

Mr. CONRAD. Fair enough. We appreciate the chairman looking into that, and we appreciate the consideration of the chairman of the Armed Services Committee as well.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Louisiana, who is a distinguished Member of the Armed Services Committee, for her amendment. I think it is an important amendment, one of the most important amendments we will consider in the context of a budget resolution. On the Budget Committee we heard witness after witness tell us we needed to add $5 billion to $10 billion a year over the next 10 years to the defense budget to be responsible. The Senator from Louisiana has added that $10 billion. Let me say we had a hearing before the Budget Committee with four witnesses: two Republican witnesses, two Democrat witnesses. They were in agreement on the amount of money needed to be added to defense, given the stress on the defense budget, with the higher rate of operations, with the need for additional resources to meet demands we have put on the Defense Department. President Bush has called for a strategic review. We agree absolutely that is important and that is appropriate. We also believe there is no question that additional resources have to be provided to the Defense Department. We need to strengthen our national defense. If we do not provide the money in a budget resolution, it is not going to be available. So this amendment is critically important. I understand the Senator from Missouri, Mrs. Carnahan, would like to speak on the amendment as well.

Mr. CONRAD. The Senator from Missouri has requested 10 minutes? The Senator from Missouri is provided 10 minutes off the resolution.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, it is our intention that the two managers allocate time so there is a fair division. Reserving the right to object, since Senator Carnahan was previously recognized off the resolution, I assume this would follow her remarks. Would that be the intention?

Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object, I would hope that we could work this out so we have a firm understanding of what will occur so feelings are not bruised in the process. It is easy to have happen. Let's be clear. As I understand it, then, Senator Carnahan will proceed with 10 minutes off the budget resolution, and then there will be the 60 minutes between the two sides with respect to these amendments. Is that acceptable?

Mr. CONRAD. Good.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, how much time remains on the amendment on our side?

Mr. CONRAD. I have agreed that if Senator Domenici thinks he needs an additional 10 minutes, we will grant that in the interest of fairness. If I might briefly say, I am kind of surprised at what I am hearing tonight. I hear from the other side they are fully ready to make a 10- year commitment to a tax cut, but they don't want to make a 10-year commitment to defense. There is not a soul in this body who doesn't know when the President's strategic review is completed they will come back and ask for additional money. Does anybody believe they will not do that? When they come back, the cupboard will be bare; the money will be gone. What we are saying with this amendment is, let's put some money in the cupboard so when we are asked to fund defense with additional dollars, we have it. That is a responsible thing to do. I commend the Senator from Louisiana. I commend the Senator from Missouri. I commend the Senator from Rhode Island. This is responsible national defense policy. I understand the Senator from Connecticut is seeking time.

Mr. CONRAD. I am always glad to commend the Senator from Connecticut, and I yield 10 minutes to the Senator.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, how much time do we have remaining on this side?

Mr. CONRAD. I ask the time be charged to the Senator raising the question. We have additional time that we can grant to the Senator from New Mexico for that purpose.

Mr. CONRAD. The problem is we do not have the additional time on this side.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, how much time remains on the other side?

Mr. CONRAD. Six minutes on the Republican side?

Mr. CONRAD. And we have 6 minutes on our side. I should remind the Senator from Louisiana that I indicated we would be willing to provide another 10 minutes to the Senator from New Mexico in fairness. Would the Senator from New Mexico like that time at this point?

Mr. CONRAD. I think in fairness we should do that. And I so move that we provide an additional 10 minutes to the Republican side so that it is a fair distribution of time.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. CONRAD. And I will not object. This is in accordance with what we discussed?