Susan Collins

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I very much appreciate the fact that the Senator from Iowa has worked with us on it. The revised amendment, unlike the original, is one I support and I, too, urge adoption of the modified amendment.

Ms. COLLINS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I appreciate the Senator from Vermont working with Senator Lieberman and me. His amendment would require the Attorney General to submit annual reports to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the number of translators employed or contracted for by the FBI and other components of the Department of Justice, the needs of the FBI for translation services, a description of the implementation of quality control procedures, among other provisions. As we know, there is a serious backlog of translation in the FBI, and this sends a very strong message that Congress is going to be carefully monitoring the progress of this program. I urge support for the amendment.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I would be glad to amend the request to make it 2:15. I ask unanimous consent that be the order.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, for the information of my colleagues, I am going to ask unanimous consent that we go to Senator Leahy's amendment No. 3945. I anticipate that being accepted on a voice vote. Therefore, there will be no further rollcalls until 2 o'clock, for the information of my colleagues.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Roberts for offering this amendment. As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, his expertise and advice on this bill have been invaluable. As he indicates, this preserves a requirement in section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 that funds appropriated for an intelligence activity must also be specifically authorized before being obligated or expended. It is my understanding that other committees with interest in this matter have been consulted and there is no objection. I will ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we proceed to the consideration of the Roberts amendment, No. 3742, as modified.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank the two Senators. I understand their concern. This issue is going to be the subject of much discussion, I am sure, in the Senate-House conference. I very much appreciate the issues they have raised. I take them seriously, and I appreciate their cooperation in withdrawing the amendment. I thank my colleagues.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from West Virginia for his comments. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the Senator from Arizona and the Senator from Georgia to each have 2 minutes to discuss their amendment.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from West Virginia.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I have no objection.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I do intend to speak, so we need to reserve time. I am also concerned that the two Senators who specifically requested time have not had an opportunity to speak.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, how much time does the Senator need? I believe 30 minutes has been reserved for Senator Warner and Senator Levin of the hour and a half of debate that was available this morning.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank the senior Senator from Alaska for working with Senator Lieberman and me to resolve these three amendments. I very much appreciate the good-faith suggestions that were made on both sides, and I am grateful to him for working with us to address his concerns. I think we have come up with very good suggestions, and I am pleased that the amendments have been adopted.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Alaska. I then hope we can proceed to four pending amendments of the Senator from Alaska.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a special meeting of the committee to consider a resolution related to recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at 10 a.m., in SD-226.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet for a hearing entitled ``Reducing Childhood Obesity: Public- Private Partnerships to Improve Nutrition and Increase Physical Activity in Children'' during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 5, at 10 a.m., in SD-430.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at 10 a.m., in SD-342 to consider the nomination of Gregory Jackson to be an Associate Judge of Columbia Superior Court.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on the Millennium Challenge Corporation: A Progress Report.