Tom Daschle

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will be very brief because Senator Lott and I do have some other business to tend to, and then to call the President at 5 o'clock. Mr. President, I wanted to take just a moment to congratulate Senator Murkowski for his efforts on the omnibus parks bill just passed. As he has indicated, this has been one of the most difficult and contentious and complicated sets of negotiations I think we have had in the whole 104th Congress. That success we now have is only possible as a result of the extraordinary efforts made by a number of people. I want to cite, in particular, Senators Bradley and Boxer for their remarkable efforts over the last couple of days. They were instrumental in making this happen. Senator Boxer and Senator Bradley worked with Senator Murkowski and brought this about through cooperation and a tremendous amount of persistence. But, as Senator Murkowski has indicated, there are others as well who have been very much a part of this effort. Senator Bumpers and Senator Feinstein also have been very helpful; Senator Nickles and a number of Senators on both sides of the aisle have been committed to this bill. So this is an achievement of some magnitude affecting, as the Senator has indicated, perhaps 136 projects in 41 States. It is long overdue. This has been an effort that has been underway now for a long period of time. Let me also thank and congratulate the administration for their efforts over the last couple of days. As he tends to do in these moments of crisis, Leon Panetta, in particular, has made this work. He deserves special commendation, along with a number of other members of the administration staff. So we are very appreciative of the cooperation and the effort made. At long last we have passed a parks bill of great magnitude and great importance. And I appreciate the work done on all sides. I yield the floor. expanding the blackstone river valley national heritage corridor

Mr. DASCHLE. It is my understanding that the statement in the second paragraph of the Panetta letter to Senator Murkowski and the Glickman letter to Mark Suwyn, president of Louisiana-Pacific Corp.--October 3, 1996--regarding the provision of timber to southeast Alaska for 24 months will only apply if, due to a breach of contract, timber is no longer available to KPC under the contract and there is no mutual agreement on contract cancellation.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I want to congratulate Jeanie Bowles, Superintendent of Documents, upon her retirement and thank her for her 26 years of service to the U.S. Senate. Jeanie Bowles has been a familiar, friendly face in the Senate, and we have all benefited from our association with her. As the resolution states, she has ``discharged her responsibilities with efficiency, devotion, and grace.'' We will miss her and wish her well upon her retirement.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. If I could only add from this side of the aisle, I want to associate myself completely with the remarks made by the majority leader. Senator Thurmond has done the job of President pro tempore not only admirably but fairly, in a nonpartisan way. There are so many mornings when I have greeted him, and I know from what we all know to be Senator Thurmond's practice, he probably has been working out for at least an hour prior to the time he has come to the dais. Anybody who does that has respect on a bipartisan basis. We are privileged to have the opportunity to work with him.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. I thank the majority leader. I would only say the same. I have enjoyed the opportunity, in the last 3 months, to work with him. I think it has been a productive time. Obviously our disagreements preclude us from doing everything we would like. But there are times when we can overcome those disagreements and work in a way that I think can make this country quite proud.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. In that regard I have a resolution that I send to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I would like to thank Senator Ford, the ranking member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, and Senator McCain, the chairman of that committee, for all the time and effort that they have put into the FAA reauthorization bill. The fact that the Senate unanimously approved the bill last month is a testament to their ability to work together with the common goal of improving the safety and security of our air transportation system. Like many of my colleagues, I question whether the Federal Express provision should be included in the FAA reauthorization bill. I think this controversial issue merits further consideration at another time. When the 105th Congress convenes next year, I am hopeful that the Senate Labor Committee will hold hearings on this matter. But the facts are these: We cannot remove this provision without killing the FAA reauthorization bill. We must pass this bill before we adjourn for the year. And the FAA's ability to enhance safety and security at our Nation's airports is contingent upon enactment of this important legislation. The House has already passed the conference report to the FAA reauthorization bill as well as the omnibus appropriations bill. For all practical purposes, the other Chamber has closed its doors for the remainder of the year. There should be no misunderstanding. Our House colleagues have no intention of returning to Washington to consider additional legislation. Any change that we make to the FAA reauthorization bill at this point would most certainly require unanimous consent in the House. Needless to say, convincing the House to give unanimous consent to amending the conference report to the FAA reauthorization bill is simply not possible. Whether we agree with the Federal Express provision or not, we must pass the conference report to the FAA reauthorization bill. At the latest, the Senate should have been passed this legislation on Monday, and we cannot delay passage of this bill any longer. Our colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee have worked for more than 2 years on this bill. The committee cannot and should not be forced to start that process all over again in a new Congress. We must finish our work today and provide the FAA with the tools it needs to improve the safety and security of our air transportation system. The FAA reauthorization bill includes several safety provisions that should have been authorized earlier this week. Among those, the bill authorizes $2.28 billion in fiscal year 1997 and $2.3 billion in fiscal year 1998 for the Airport Improvement Program. As my colleagues well know, this critical funding allows airports throughout the country to make much-needed safety improvements. Without authorization, however, construction on these important projects will remain idle. The bill also allows the FAA to respond directly and more promptly to safety problems without needless bureaucratic delay or second-guessing. The bill also establishes a framework for airlines to obtain background information on a pilot's previous employer. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended these background checks as a result of a number of airplane accidents that were caused in part by pilots with poor performance records. Again, without authorization, these important safety provisions will not be implemented. The FAA reauthorization bill also includes a number of important security provisions proposed by the Senate Commerce Committee, Vice President Al Gore's commission on aviation safety, and many other Members of the Senate. For instance, the bill gives the FAA the authority to permit criminal background checks on baggage screeners at our Nation's airports. The bill also gives the FAA the authority to facilitate the interim deployment of advance aviation security technology including explosives detection equipment. And the legislation calls for an evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences on explosives detection and aircraft hardening technology. Furthermore, the bill would authorize the FAA to conduct vulnerability assessments of individual airports and permit airlines to conduct improved passenger profiling. Again, without authorization, these critical security measures will not be implemented. Mr. President, this bill also includes several provisions that are particularly important to rural America. Perhaps most importantly, the bill authorizes the FAA to tax foreign airlines that fly over the United States and designates half of that revenue, estimated at $100 million annually for the Essential Air Service [EAS] program. EAS is crucial to the economic stability of small communities in South Dakota and across the country. Unfortunately, EAS funding has been reduced in recent years, and service to EAS recipients has suffered accordingly. Enactment of the overflight tax will provide a much-needed new funding mechanism for the EAS program. The bill also requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study of fares charged by commercial air carriers traveling into non- hub airports in small communities. This study is critical to determining whether passengers in rural areas pay a disproportionately greater price for air service than passengers who fly between urban areas. Like my colleague, Senator Dorgan, I believe they do, and I look forward to the results of that study so we can focus on ways to improve airline service to rural communities. Again, without authorization, neither the EAS provision or the rural air fare study will move forward. Mr. President, the bottom line is that we must pass the conference report to the FAA reauthorization bill. Whether we agree with the Federal Express provision or not, we must pass this important bill today. We cannot wait any longer. We must pass this bill so that the FAA has the ability to enhance safety and security at our nation's airports. We must pass this bill to ensure that rural America receives the kind of air service it rightfully deserves. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of the conference report on the FAA reauthorization bill.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I object.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I object.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the majority leader has spoken, I think, well for all of us. This was a major undertaking. I applaud the leadership of the distinguished chairman of the committee, the Senator from Florida, and so many others who have had a part to play in making this happen. This was the first of a series of bills that we are able to pass this afternoon. It is passing in large measure because of the extraordinary work and cooperation on both sides of the aisle. This is a good bill. It is important that we pass it today. I am delighted that one of the last things we are doing is passing H.R. 1776.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Regrettably, Mr. President, I am compelled to object.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me just make a couple of remarks prior to the time we finish our work today. Let me first begin by again congratulating the majority leader on his first few months in his new position. I would not characterize this Congress quite as he has, but I think we need to end on as positive and as bipartisan a note as we can. I congratulate him on many of his efforts over the last several months. I do believe this has become a more bipartisan and more cooperative and a more productive session in part because of the leadership that Senator Lott has demonstrated. I hope that we can work as successfully together in the new Congress.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today I want to pay special tribute to the outstanding career of the senior Senator from Wyoming, Alan Simpson. Over the past 18 years, I have had the privilege of working with Senator Simpson in many different roles. His wit is unequaled. His passion for public life is inspiring. His commitment to the causes in which he believes--often regardless of their political implications--is unshakable. Of course, during our shared 18 years in Congress, Alan Simpson and I have sometimes disagreed. Neither of us has ever shied away from a healthy debate, so some of those disagreements have been relatively spirited. But I have always respected his skill and determination, and I have always considered him a friend. Senator Simpson has won many legislative battles. He's also lost a few. But he has never allowed the odds against victory to discourage him from a battle he believed to be worth fighting, and he has never lost his sense of humor. Senator Simpson's special blend of humor and policy interests is exemplified in the book he is about to publish: ``Right in the Old Gazoo: Observations From a Lifetime of Scrapping With the Press.'' Alan Simpson was born in Cody, WY, to a family with a long tradition of public service. His grandfather, William, was a successful and respected attorney. His father, Mildred, was elected Governor and later served Wyoming in the U.S. Senate. Alan followed that tradition well. In 1958, he graduated from the University of Wyoming Law School. In 1966, he was elected to the Wyoming State Legislature, and, in 1978, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he will long be remembered as one of the most influential and effective Senators in Wyoming history. After 30 years of public service, Senator Simpson will be remembered by many for countless different reasons. Some will remember his legislative accomplishments. Some will remember the eloquence of his words or the unique nature of his wit. Others will remember his friendship and the love that he and his wife, Ann, share for their family. I will remember Alan Simpson for all of those things. The Senate will be a very different place without him, but I am confident that his influence on national affairs will continue through his next challenge as a visiting professor at Harvard. Senator Simpson will assume the Lombard Chair at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. We know he will bring all of the talents he brought to this body as Senator to that responsibility as well. And all of those who are going to share the good fortune of having the opportunity to listen to him, to experience his wit, to experience his intellect, to experience his great vision about this country and the way he sees it today, will clearly be the beneficiaries. Linda and I wish him and Ann the very best. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DASCHLE

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

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I had another engagement. I apologize for not being here a couple minutes earlier, but I also want to join with our colleagues in saluting Gary Sisco as our new Secretary of the Senate. We are delighted with his appointment, and we look forward to working with him. I have had the opportunity to talk to the majority leader on a number of occasions about his qualifications, and the great respect and admiration that is held for him. I must say, it is with great enthusiasm that I welcome him to the Senate, and look forward to working with him. We will have many opportunities to work together, and I look forward to those. I know that all of my colleagues share in our welcome and our enthusiasm for him this morning, and our congratulations. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DASCHLE

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

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I have had the good fortune to know Senator Hank Brown for some time. Since being elected to the Senate in 1990, he has been a tenacious advocate for the principles he holds, especially on matters of fiscal restraint. His service on the Senate Judiciary, Veterans' Affairs, and Budget committees were all marked by his consistent support of conservative-Republican causes. But, I point out, Mr. President, that while few people can be as vigorously partisan in pursuit of the causes in which they believe, even fewer people could be more respectful or more polite in their opposition. Senator Brown is genuinely liked and admired by Members on this side of the aisle, many of whom he has worked with during his service on the Senate Budget, Judiciary, Foreign Relations, and Veterans' Affairs committees. This also includes those he worked with under difficult, strenuous circumstances like the Clarence Thomas hearings and the BCCI scandal. Furthermore, he has worked with Democrats to help preserve our precious, but limited environment, through efforts like getting the Rocky Mountain Arsenal declared a national wildlife refuge. Working with Hank Brown has been a pleasure. Although he is leaving us after only one term, this worthy adversary, and the qualities he brought with him to the Senate, will be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike. In announcing his retirement, Senator Brown said that he was looking ``forward to being full time in Colorado.'' I can understand and appreciate that. Colorado is a beautiful State filled with wonderful people. I wish him the best. Mr. HATCH addressed the Chair.

Mr. DASCHLE

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

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, for much of her life and political career, Nancy Kassebaum has been in the company of political giants. There was her father, Alf Landon, who had served as Governor of Kansas and was the Republican nominee for President in 1936. And there is that other Senator from Kansas, Bob Dole, who happens to be this year's Republican nominee for President. Entering the U.S. Senate is intimidating enough--but to be following a path forged by two such powerful figures must have been truly overwhelming. Nancy Landon Kassebaum was more than equal to the challenge. She quickly emerged as a thoughtful, powerful, and highly respected force in this Chamber. In fact, she was elected to the Senate by defeating her opponent by a larger margin than had Senator Dole when he squared off against the same person. In office, she established herself as a moderate, centrist force in her party and in the Senate, which she is. But Senator Kassebaum's moderation was never mistaken for lack of fortitude. No one can be more determined or more tenacious in pursuit of a cause or a principle. Again, her service as chair of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee has been characterized by fairness, tolerance, and moderation. It has been characterized by her efforts to make America a better place to live and work, as witnessed by her recent cooperation with Senator Kennedy in securing passage of the Kennedy-Kassebaum legislation to improve access to decent health care for millions of Americans. Indeed, Senator Kassebaum has worked to make life better for all people in all lands. As chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on African Affairs of the Foreign Relations Committee, she has worked to improve the lives of the young and the impoverished on that continent. There is an infectious optimism about her, as she has always found the glass half-full, and she has that wonderful ability to make others feel the same way. There is a basic decency about her as she always seeks the high road. In announcing her retirement from the Senate, she did not disparage politics or politicians. There were no cheap jokes or cheap shots. Instead, she announced her retirement by encouraging young Americans to choose politics as a future endeavor. ``Politics is the lifeblood of democracy,'' she explained. ``We have become a great nation because so many Americans before us chose to be involved in shaping our public life, focusing our national priorities, and forging consensus to move forward.'' Now, as Nancy Kassebaum moves forward to the next phase in her life-- as she says, ``to pursue other challenges, including the challenge of being a grandmother''--I, and every Member of this Chamber, wish her the best.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I thank the chairman, my colleague from Pennsylvania. I appreciate his efforts to work with us on this initiative. If welfare reform is truly to occur, then we need to enable more single parents to work. I know that's not easy, particularly for parents with young children. But, I believe that enhancing transportation assistance may be one key to enabling these parents to make it on their own. chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome [cfids]

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I understand that the omnibus appropriations bill includes report language instructing the Labor Department to follow the recommendations for demonstration projects contained in Senate Report No. 104-368. The Senate report instructs the Department of Labor to give full and fair consideration to the Joblinks Employment Transportation Center. This Joblinks Center is an important initiative because it will help States to meet the work requirements of welfare reform by coordinating job referral and creation activities with available transportation resources. This will include development of a data base and technical materials, and onsite technical assistance. Second, the center will conduct demonstrations in 10 States--of which at least 4 are predominately rural--on coordination of transportation and job referral and creation programs. Third, to take advantage of the employment opportunities available in transportation, the Joblinks Center will create a training institute to train and certify skills in driving, dispatching, and operating transit systems. This make it possible for individuals to leave welfare and become employees in the Nation's transit industry or in a related field. My colleague, Senator Harkin, and I developed this initiative because, in many rural areas like in South Dakota and Iowa as well as in inner-city neighborhoods, unemployed and low-income people are stranded. Transportation is the vital link that connects people to jobs and can help them gain independence. Yet, in many communities, transportation assistance has not kept pace with shifting population patterns, changing communities and employment opportunities. In many instances, people simply cannot get to jobs.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. If the majority leader will yield, I announce to our colleagues, just so there is no confusion, the Democratic caucus will not be meeting. It will just be the Republican caucus.

Mr. DASCHLE

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

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, in the time that we have, prior to the time the majority leader comes back to the floor, I have a couple of statements that I would like to make with regard to two very respected colleagues. Mr. President, in the study of political courage, ``Profiles in Courage'', Senator John F. Kennedy observed that ``in the United States of America, where brother once fought against brother, we do not judge a man's bravery under fire by examining the banner under which he fought.'' With this in mind, I say farewell to a Senator who has been a study in political courage, the Senior Senator from Oregon, Mark Hatfield. His has, indeed, been a career of bold stands. From his early days in the Senate, when he cosponsored legislation to limit American's involvement in the war in Vietnam, to his votes on the Persian Gulf war, to his recent vote against the balance budget constitutional amendment, Senator Hatfield has consistently taken independent, courageous stands. I have not always with him. But that is not the issue. The issue is the courage each Senator shows in taking a stand for a principle he or she holds dear. The willingness to place principle above politics. The country over one individual career. Indeed, Mr. President, Senator Hatfield's entire life has been one of courage, responsibility, devotion to country. As a young naval officer in World War II, he saw battle at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and was one of the first Americans to enter the rubble of what was left of Hiroshima following the atomic bombing. His deep aversion to weaponry and war following World War II led him to cast the lone dissenting vote on resolution at the 1965 and 1966 National Governor's Conferences supporting President Johnson's policies in Vietnam. And it lead him to sponsor legislation, like the Nuclear Freeze Resolution, to half the nuclear arms race. He became the youngest Secretary of State in Oregon's history, the State's first two-term Governor in the 20th century, and the longest serving Senator in the history of his State. While serving in the Senate for nearly three decades, Senator Hatfield has never allowed himself to be confined to or consumed by institutional duties, as he has maintained a life outside this Chamber. As a former political science professor and dean of students, for example, he has retained his intellectual interests and pursuits. This includes authoring three books and authoring four others. But I also point out that Senator Hatfield's career in public service has been one of cooperation and reconciliation, as well as hard, tenacious work. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has earned the respect and admiration of Senate Democrats and Senate gains like Senator Robert Byrd. He has struggled to maintain that delicate balance between protecting the precious, beautiful environment of his home State, while preserving the economic viability of Oregon's industries. His efforts have obviously been recognized and appreciated by the people of his home State. In four decades in Oregon politics, he has never lost an election. In announcing his retirement, Senator Hatfield spoke of the one great sacrifice of having served five terms in the Senate--``30 years of voluntary separation from the State'' he loves. Now, as he says, it is ``time to come home to Oregon.'' I wish him and his wife, Antoinette, peace and prosperity in returning home. I can only say that the Senate's loss is Oregon's gain.