Susan Collins

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Communications be authorized to meet on September 30, 2004, at 2:30 pm. on ICANN Oversight/Security of Internet Root Servers and the Domain Name System (DNS).

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 30, 2004, to consider the nominations of Mary J. Schoelen and William A. Moorman to be Judges, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims, and Robert Allen Pittman to be Assistant Secretary of Human Resources and Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs. The hearing will take place in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 2:00 p.m.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to continue its markup on Thursday, September 30, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226. Agenda I. Nominations Claude A. Allen, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Susan B. Neilson, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit; Micaela Alvarez, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; Keith Starrett, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi; Christopher Boyko, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio; Raymond L. Finch, to be Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a term of ten years, reappointment; David E. Nahmias, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; Richard B. Roper, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas for the term of four years; Lisa Wood, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia for the term of four years; Ricardo H. Hinojosa, to be Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission; Michael O'Neill, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; Ruben Castillo, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; Beryl Alaine Howell, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; and William Sanchez, to be Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practice. II. Legislation S. 1635, L-1 Visa (Intracompany Transferee) Reform Act of 2003, Chambliss; S. 2396, Federal Courts Improvement Act of 2004, Hatch, Leahy, Chambliss, Durbin, Schumer; S. 2204, A bill to provide criminal penalties for false information and hoaxes relating to terrorism Act of 2004, Hatch, Schumer, Cornyn, Feinstein, DeWine; S. 1860, A bill to reauthorize the Office of National Drug Control Policy Act of 2003, Hatch, Biden, Grassley; S. 2195, A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the definition of anabolic steroids and to provide for research and education activities relating to steroids and steroid precursors Act of 2004, Biden, Hatch, Grassely, Feinstein; S. 2560, A bill to amend chapter 5 of title 17, United States Code, relating to inducement of copyright infringement, and for other purposes Act of 2004, Hatch, Leahy, Graham; S.J. Res. 23, A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing for the event that one- fourth of the members of either the House of Representatives or the Senate are killed or incapacitated Act of 2003, Cornyn, Chambliss; S. 2373, A bill to modify the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names, Domenici, Graham, Sessions; S. 1784, A bill to eliminate the safe-harbor exception for certain packaged pseudoephedrine products used in the manufacture of methamphetamine Act of 2003, Feinstein, Grassley, Kohl, Biden, Kyl, Schumer; S. __, A bill to reauthorize the Department of Justice, Hatch; H.R. 2391, To amend title 35, United States Code, to promote cooperative research involving universities, the public sector, and private enterprises Act of 2003, Smith-TX; S. 2760, A bill to limit and expedite Federal collateral review of convictions for killing a public safety officer Act of 2004, Kyl, Hatch, Craig, Cornyn, Sessions, Chambliss; S. 115, Private Bill; A bill for the relief of Richi James Lesley Act of 2004, Cochran; S. 2331, A bill for the relief of Fereshteh Sani Act of 2004, Allen; S. 1042, Private Bill; A bill for the relief of Tchisou Tho Act of 2003, Coleman; S. 2314, A bill for the relief of Nabil Raja Dandan, Ketty Dandan, Souzi Dandan, Raja Nabil Dandan, and Sandra Dandan Act of 2004, Durbin; S. 353, Private Bill; A bill for the relief of Denes and Gyorgyi Fulop Act of 2003, Feinstein; H.R. 867, Private Bill; For the relief of Durreshahwar Durreshahwar, Nida Hasan, Asna Hasan, Anum Hasan, and Iqra Hasan Act of 2003, Holt- NJ; S. 989, A bill to provide death and disability benefits for aerial firefighters who work on a contract basis for a public agency and suffer death or disability in the line of duty, and for other purposes Act of 2003, Enzi, Reid; S. 1728, Terrorism Victim Compensation Equity Act of 2003, Specter, Leahy, Schumer; S. 549, A bill to amend the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note; Public Law 107-42) to provide compensation for victims killed in the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, and for other purposes Act of 2003, Schumer; S. 1740, Anthrax Victims Fund Fairness Act of 2003, Leahy, Feingold; and S. Res. 424, A resolution designating October 2004 as ``Protecting Older Americans From Fraud Month'' Act of 2004, Craig, DeWine, Feinstein, Kohl, Sessions, Hatch.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 30 at 10:30 a.m. to receive testimony regarding issues relating to low level radioactive waste. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on the judiciary

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent there be a period of morning business, with Senators speaking for up to 10 minutes each.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. The Senator is correct.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his comments on this important issue, and rise to add my own remarks on the critical importance of building a strong homeland security strategy. As members of the Governmental Affairs Committee labored over legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security, we became well acquainted with the daunting array of programs and policies that are part of our homeland security effort. In creating the Department, and through efforts we have undertaken since that time, the committee has worked to help supply the Department of Homeland Security with the tools it will need to be successful. Our oversight work has demonstrated the need to have a strong national strategy to guide our homeland efforts. I agree with my colleague that GAO and others have identified ways in which our homeland security strategy could be strengthened and updated. This legislation will facilitate improvements by requiring that the administration lay out its homeland security strategy anew, and coordinate this strategy with its annual budget requests. This should bring out strategic vision into sharper view, and ensure that adequate resources are sought and secured to carry out homeland priorities. financial accountability

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space be authorized to meet on September 29, 2004, at 2 pm, on Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Exploring the Controversy.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 29 at 2:30 p.m. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 2378, to provide for the conveyance of certain public land in Clark County, NV, for use as a heliport; S. 2410, to promote wildland firefighter safety; H.R. 1651, to provide for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest, California, and for other purposes; H.R. 2400, to amend the Organic Act of Guam for the purposes of clarifying the local judicial structure of Guam; H.R. 3874, to convey for public purposes certain Federal lands in Riverside County, CA, that have been identified for disposal; H.R. 4170, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to recruit volunteers to assist with, or facilitate, the activities of various agencies and offices of the Department of the Interior; and Senate Resolution 387, a resolution commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, September 29, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building to conduct a business meeting on pending Committee matters, to be followed immediately by an oversight hearing on Lobbying Practices Involving Indian Tribes regarding allegations of misconduct associated with lobbying and related activities.

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 Wednesday, September 29, 2004, at 3 p.m., to hold a hearing on Nominations.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 29, 2004, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``The 9/11 Commission and Efforts to Identify and Combat Terrorist Financing.''

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Dole, I ask unanimous consent that John Ulrich, a military fellow in her office, be granted floor privileges during the consideration of the intelligence reform bill.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that John Shuhart, a detailee of the Governmental Affairs Committee, be accorded the privilege of the floor for the duration of the debate on S. 2845.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Claude Berube, a legislative fellow in my office, be granted the privileges of the floor during the debate on S. 2845, the intelligence reform bill.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business, with Senators able to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Ms. COLLINS

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

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

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, the distinguished chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is always constructive in every way. I very much appreciate the thought and the knowledge he has and the depth with which he explores important issues.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee for coming forward this evening and laying down this amendment. He has explained very clearly the purpose. I very much appreciate that explanation. As the Senator is aware, the ranking member of the committee had a commitment for this evening. I would like to hold the amendment over until tomorrow morning. But I am very grateful to the Senator for laying down the amendment this evening so that we can continue to make progress on this bill. As always, he has given his proposal a great deal of thought. I appreciate the parallels that he is drawing to the provisions of the Goldwater-Nickles Act and the fact that the members of Joint Chiefs are allowed to present their views independently to Congress and to the President. I very much appreciate his laying down the amendment tonight. I look forward to having further consideration in the morning.

Ms. COLLINS. I move to reconsider the amendment and I move to lay it on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, this modification was debated earlier this evening. There is no further debate on the amendment as modified.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Wyden, I send a modification of the Wyden amendment No. 3704 to the desk. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be so modified.

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

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