Tom Daschle

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. For the interest of all Senators, there will be a debate on the resolution which I am about to propose on behalf of both leaders. I might say this is also a resolution verbatim that will be offered in the House of Representatives; the same resolution will be offered simultaneously in both the House and the Senate this morning. We will break for party conferences at 12:30. We will not break, but there will be a classified briefing at 2 o'clock this afternoon for all Senators. We will continue to have an opportunity for Senators to be heard on the resolution throughout the day. And at a time upon which we will agree later, there will be a vote on the resolution sometime this afternoon. It is my hope and expectation that there will also be a prayer service tonight. The time will be announced at a later time today subject to further discussions with the Speaker and, of course, the Republican leader. I would also ask, Mr. President, to accommodate schedules of certain Senators, that after the resolution is proposed and the four leaders have been recognized for their statements, the Senators from New York and the Senators from Virginia be given first recognition, and following the statements made by those Senators, that Senators be recognized on an alternatinh basis throughout the day.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I thank the Chaplain for his prayer. I know he speaks for us all. thanking the republican leader

Mr. DASCHLE. I ask unanimous consent that the Journal of proceedings be approved to date; that the morning hour be deemed expired; that the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; further, that the Senate recess from 12:30 to 2 p.m. for the weekly party conferences.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I also thank the distinguished Republican leader for the cooperation and leadership that he showed yesterday as we made decisions throughout the day with regard to the schedule.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. For the information of all Senators, this will be the only vote cast today. We will stand in recess until 3:30 this afternoon to accommodate the briefing that begins--now at 2:30, not 2 o'clock, in room 407. Tomorrow it is my hope to renew the deliberations and hopefully complete our work on the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill. That will be tomorrow. After 3:30 this afternoon, we invite Senators to come back to the floor to express themselves if they have not yet had the opportunity to do so. I yield the floor.

Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, if I may respond, under the previous unanimous consent request, two of our Republican colleagues had sought recognition and we had locked in time for those two speakers prior to the time we recess. That will still be the order.

Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the resolution.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I am so pleased tonight we were able to pass a measure that honors our heritage as a nation of immigrants, and provides American and immigrant families some relief from our outdated immigration laws. Today, immigrants who don't have the proper documentation to stay in the United States, but do have the legal right to become permanent residents because they are the spouses of US citizens can be stuck in a horrible catch-22 situation. If they return to their home country to get the immigrant visa to which they are entitled, they can be barred from re-entering the United States for up to 10 years. Take the example of a woman named Norma. Norma entered the U.S. from Mexico, and settled in North Carolina. She then married a U.S. citizen. They have been married over two years, have a child, are expecting another this fall, and recently bought a new home for their growing family. Norma and her husband are torn on what to do about her immigration status. As the wife of a citizen, she qualifies for an immigrant visa. However, if she returns to Mexico to obtain her visa, she would be barred from re-entering the U.S. for 10 years. Norma doesn't want to leave her husband, her children, or her home for 10 years--and she shouldn't have to. This action allows Norma's family--and hundreds of thousands of other families--to stay together. S. 778, introduced by Senators Hagel and Kennedy, extends the period of time for eligible people to file their petitions for relief with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Department of Labor for one year. By doing that, S. 778 would provide real and immediate relief for hundreds of thousands of eligible immigrants. With 30 Republican and Democratic cosponsors, this bill enjoyed broad bipartisan support: It passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee mark up by a unanimous voice vote. To satisfy critics, Senators Hagel and Kennedy compromised by accepting language that immigrants applying under the new 245(i) extension must show that their family or employment relationship existed prior to the enactment of the bill. I have talked to the President about this issue on more than one occasion, and I raised it again with him this week at the White House. He assured me he shares my concern that we need to take action on this important priority. Since April 30th of this year, when Section 245(i) last expired, immigrants have been waiting in limbo. INS statistics show that approximately seventy-five percent of the immigrants who apply for 245(i) relief are the spouses and children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Eight out of 10 legal immigrants come to the United States to join a family member. What message are we sending if our policies pry families apart? President Vicente Fox's historic visit has helped to focus attention on the need to re-craft our immigration policies in ways that better reflect our core values of family unity, fundamental fairness and economic opportunity. Passing the Section 245(i) Extension Act of 2001 sends a clear message that we are truly committed to providing real immigration reform. The Senate has taken the first step. I hope the House will soon follow. Let's put this bill on President Bush's desk, and let's do it this week. Norma's family, and thousands of families just like hers, are looking to us. Let's not let them down.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. I also ask unanimous consent that the following Senators be recognized: Senator Harkin for 20 minutes; Senator Clinton for 10 minutes, Senator Schumer for 10 minutes, Senator Lincoln for 5 minutes, Senator Dorgan for 15 minutes, and Senator Dayton for 5 minutes.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, with this unanimous consent request, there will be no more rollcall votes today. I thank all Senators for their cooperation.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I failed to add to the list Senator Leahy. I ask 5 minutes for Senator Leahy.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask that the Senators alternate, Republican and Democrat, as we acknowledge those who have requested time.

Mr. DASCHLE. I yield the floor.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I thank the chairman and share his concern for the fact we have not yet named conferees on the House side. We are ready to go to work, and we could have accomplished a good deal in the last several weeks were it not for the fact we are unable to go to conference until our House counterparts are prepared to work with us. I am hopeful when we come back we can make up for lost time because there certainly has been a great deal of lost time today. Nominations Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed to executive session. I stand corrected. Mr. President, I understand our Republican colleagues are not yet prepared to move to executive session. I will simply say we are prepared to move 58 additional nominees today. That is in addition to the 30 we have already done this week, making a total of 88 nominations we will have done should our Republican colleagues allow us to move forward with the unanimous consent request. That means since July 9, which is the first business day following the completion of the organizing resolution, we will have completed 168 nominations. That is some record. As I said all along, we want to be fair. We want to be responsive. We recognize many of these people need to know the outcome of their nominating process. Unlike so many occasions over the last 6 years, we are desirous of treating all nominees fairly and moving as quickly as we can. Until our Republican colleagues are prepared to provide us with the ability to move forward on this unanimous consent request, I will withhold the request. I yield the floor.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, many of our colleagues have indicated their strong support for H.R. 1088, the Investor and Capital Markets Fee Relief Act. I share the belief that the Senate should take action on this critical legislation promptly. A number of Senate leaders on securities matters have noted the importance of this bill, including the senior Senator from New York, Mr. Schumer, Chairman of the Banking Committee, Mr. Sarbanes, the Chairman of the Securities Subcommittee, Senator Dodd, the Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Reid, and many others. I want to take this opportunity to update the Senate on the status of H.R. 1088. The Senate approved the bill unanimously in March. After good-faith negotiations between both bodies, the House then approved an amended bill, which included agreed-upon improvements by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 404 to 22. It is now pending on the Senate calendar. This legislation is long overdue. The Securities Exchange Commission now collects fees from the investing public that are six times higher than needed to cover the costs of operating the Commission. Fee reductions can free up new investment capital that can help spur the economy at a time when it needs a boost. Equally important are provisions in the bill that provide the Commission staff pay parity with other Federal financial regulators, which can help the agency stem turnover and retain quality staff. Investors in our securities markets deserve the best quality regulators to protect them, and those fine public servants deserve proper compensation. This legislation should have been approved last year. It was unfortunate that, in the last Congress, even though the bill was approved by committees in both the House and Senate, it was never considered on the floor of either body. Efforts by many Senators to move the bill in the waning days of the last Congress were stymied. Under new leadership, the Senate will soon have an opportunity to make amends for that lapse by finalizing this legislation. When Congress returns from its August work period, I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure enactment of this key measure.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today Senator Johnson and I are introducing the Homestake Mine Conveyance Act of 2001 to enable the construction of a new, world-renowned science laboratory in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Last Year, the Homestake Mining Company announced it is closing its gold mine in Lead, SD after 125 years of operation. This mine has been an important part of the economy in the Black Hills, and its closure presented South Dakota with a serious challenge. New opportunities for Lead became possible, however, when we learned that a group of prominent scientists had identified the mine as a potential site to establish a national underground science laboratory. Composed of some of the foremost researchers in the country, the National Underground Science Laboratory Committee found that Homestake's unique combination of depth, geologic stability and outstanding infrastructure made it an ideal location for an underground laboratory that could support groundbreaking new scientific research. In just the last few months, a $281 million proposal to construct the laboratory has been submitted to the National Science Foundation. As I learned, tiny particles known as neutrinos hold the answer to fundamental questions about the nature of the universe. These particles cannot be detected on the surface of the Earth due to the immense amount of interference coming in from outer space. However, research laboratories located deep underground, where detectors are shielded by thousand of feet of rock, have been able to detect these particles and provide important new information to scientists. Because the Homestake mine in Lead is over 8,000 feet deep, it offers outstanding opportunities for such research. In fact one neutrino experiment has been operating there since the 1960s. I have never seen such excitement in Lead as I have seen in relation to this proposal. Banners welcoming visiting scientists to Lead have been hung over the streets. The local chamber of commerce held a ``Neutrino Day'' in February and reported the highest attendance for any even in recent memory. Students, teachers, miners, business owners, people from every walk of life, have contacted me to express their excitement about the possibility of building a laboratory. The support for this proposal is overwhelming. In order to make the mine available for research, it is necessary for the facility to be transferred to the State of South Dakota and for the United States to assume a portion of the liability currently associated with the property. The purpose of the legislation Senator Johnson and I are introducing today is to ensure that this transfer takes places in a way that is fair to taxpayers, that protects the environment, and that ensures this facility can ultimately become available for research. This legislation establishes a number of steps that must be taken to meet these goals. First it requires that an independent inspection of the property take place to identify any condition that could pose a threat to human health or the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency must review the report accompanying this inspection and ensure that any problematic conditions are mitigated before transfer may be allowed to take place. Second, it requires that the State of South Dakota purchase environmental insurance to protect the taxpayers against any issue that may arise as a result of acquiring the mine. Third, it establishes a trust fund to provide a permanent source of revenue to finance any clean-up that may be necessary. Finally, this bill would take effect only if the National Science Foundation approves the construction of the laboratory. To be clear, only a portion of Homestake's existing facilities that are required for the laboratory are being considered for transfer. These include the underground portion of the mine and a small ``footprint'' on the surface. The legislation specifically prohibits any tailings storage sites, waste rock dumps or other areas from being transferred, as these sites must be reclaimed by Homestake Mining Company. The final point I want to make is that this legislation is time- sensitive. Homestake's current plan to reclaim the underground mine is to let it slowly flood with water once the mine closes in January of 2001. If that happens, we will forever lose the opportunity to create this laboratory. This legislation has been developed over a period of months in close consultation with Homestake Mining Company, the environmental community, the scientific community, the State of South Dakota and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. I want to thank all the individuals involved with this effort for their help. In particular, I'd like to thank Governor Bill Janklow, whose help and support is this process have been invaluable. I believe the resulting legislation is fair to all involved, and that it will ensure the success of the laboratory while protecting the environment. Moreover, by enabling the construction of this laboratory, it ultimately will bring significant benefits to the United States and make an important contribution to human knowledge. I look forward to working with all interested parties to make additional improvements to this legislation when we return in September, and I am personally committed to passing this legislation in a timely manner this fall. I urge my colleagues to give this legislation their support. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I, too, come to the floor to publicly acknowledge and thank Elizabeth for the public service she has provided to her country. Public service is not easy. It requires many, many sacrifices. It is enough to provide the sacrifices, but to do it with grace, with intelligence, with a sense of humor, and with a real sense of dedication is another matter altogether. Elizabeth Letchworth did it just that way. She is a Republican. I am a Democrat. As Senator Bond and others have noted, there are times when Democrats and Republicans have it out in so many ways on the Senate floor politically and philosophically. But there are those times when, in spite of our deep differences of opinion, we recognize there is a higher calling, a higher responsibility, and a higher order. I must say in all the years I have known her, Elizabeth understood that and demonstrated that with her actions and with her words. She in many respects exemplifies the very finest of public service professionalism. She made our jobs easier. She made our jobs even more enjoyable, and certainly I think more rewarding. On this her last day, I know I speak for all of my colleagues on this side of the aisle in expressing to her our heartfelt thanks, our sincere congratulations, and our best wishes for what we know will be a very exciting future. I yield the floor.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent all the remarks made on the Senate floor regarding Elizabeth Letchworth appear in the Record immediately following the remarks of Senator Lott.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 208, just received from the House.

Mr. DASCHLE

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

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. I understand there is a bill due for a second reading.

Mr. DASCHLE. I object to any further proceedings at this time.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today Senator Johnson and I are introducing the Homestake Mine Conveyance Act of 2001 to enable the construction of a new, world-renowned science laboratory in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Last Year, the Homestake Mining Company announced it is closing its gold mine in Lead, SD after 125 years of operation. This mine has been an important part of the economy in the Black Hills, and its closure presented South Dakota with a serious challenge. New opportunities for Lead became possible, however, when we learned that a group of prominent scientists had identified the mine as a potential site to establish a national underground science laboratory. Composed of some of the foremost researchers in the country, the National Underground Science Laboratory Committee found that Homestake's unique combination of depth, geologic stability and outstanding infrastructure made it an ideal location for an underground laboratory that could support groundbreaking new scientific research. In just the last few months, a $281 million proposal to construct the laboratory has been submitted to the National Science Foundation. As I learned, tiny particles known as neutrinos hold the answer to fundamental questions about the nature of the universe. These particles cannot be detected on the surface of the Earth due to the immense amount of interference coming in from outer space. However, research laboratories located deep underground, where detectors are shielded by thousand of feet of rock, have been able to detect these particles and provide important new information to scientists. Because the Homestake mine in Lead is over 8,000 feet deep, it offers outstanding opportunities for such research. In fact one neutrino experiment has been operating there since the 1960s. I have never seen such excitement in Lead as I have seen in relation to this proposal. Banners welcoming visiting scientists to Lead have been hung over the streets. The local chamber of commerce held a ``Neutrino Day'' in February and reported the highest attendance for any even in recent memory. Students, teachers, miners, business owners, people from every walk of life, have contacted me to express their excitement about the possibility of building a laboratory. The support for this proposal is overwhelming. In order to make the mine available for research, it is necessary for the facility to be transferred to the State of South Dakota and for the United States to assume a portion of the liability currently associated with the property. The purpose of the legislation Senator Johnson and I are introducing today is to ensure that this transfer takes places in a way that is fair to taxpayers, that protects the environment, and that ensures this facility can ultimately become available for research. This legislation establishes a number of steps that must be taken to meet these goals. First it requires that an independent inspection of the property take place to identify any condition that could pose a threat to human health or the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency must review the report accompanying this inspection and ensure that any problematic conditions are mitigated before transfer may be allowed to take place. Second, it requires that the State of South Dakota purchase environmental insurance to protect the taxpayers against any issue that may arise as a result of acquiring the mine. Third, it establishes a trust fund to provide a permanent source of revenue to finance any clean-up that may be necessary. Finally, this bill would take effect only if the National Science Foundation approves the construction of the laboratory. To be clear, only a portion of Homestake's existing facilities that are required for the laboratory are being considered for transfer. These include the underground portion of the mine and a small ``footprint'' on the surface. The legislation specifically prohibits any tailings storage sites, waste rock dumps or other areas from being transferred, as these sites must be reclaimed by Homestake Mining Company. The final point I want to make is that this legislation is time- sensitive. Homestake's current plan to reclaim the underground mine is to let it slowly flood with water once the mine closes in January of 2001. If that happens, we will forever lose the opportunity to create this laboratory. This legislation has been developed over a period of months in close consultation with Homestake Mining Company, the environmental community, the scientific community, the State of South Dakota and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. I want to thank all the individuals involved with this effort for their help. In particular, I'd like to thank Governor Bill Janklow, whose help and support is this process have been invaluable. I believe the resulting legislation is fair to all involved, and that it will ensure the success of the laboratory while protecting the environment. Moreover, by enabling the construction of this laboratory, it ultimately will bring significant benefits to the United States and make an important contribution to human knowledge. I look forward to working with all interested parties to make additional improvements to this legislation when we return in September, and I am personally committed to passing this legislation in a timely manner this fall. I urge my colleagues to give this legislation their support. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.