Robert Dole

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation, along with the Senator from Arizona, Senator Kyl, the Senator from Hawaii, Senator Inouye, the Senator from New York, Senator D'Amato, and others, to move the United States Embassy in Israel to the capital of Jerusalem. I am pleased to be joined by a number of my colleagues, and I ask unanimous consent at this time that when I send the bill to the desk, it be held at the desk until noon tomorrow for additional cosponsors. Mr. President, I know the interest in this legislation is considerable, and that is why I have asked it be held at the desk. The issue of Jerusalem has many elements--emotional, religious, cultural, spiritual, historical, and political. Jerusalem may be the most remarkable city in the world. Three of the world's great religions have roots in Jerusalem. No other city has been the capital of the same country, inhabited by the same people speaking the same language worshipping the same God today as it was 3,000 years ago. And yet the United States does not maintain its Embassy in Jerusalem. This issue of where to place the American Embassy in Israel has a long history in the United States Congress. Successive Congresses and successive administrations have been on opposite sides. At the outset, I want to commend the leadership of some of my colleagues on this issue, in particular Senator Moynihan and Senator D'Amato. They have led congressional efforts to relocate the U.S. Embassy for many years. Years ago, I was one of those who expressed concerns about the timing of proposals to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I felt that doing so could have undermined our efforts and ability to act as a peacemaker. However, much has changed since those earlier efforts. The Soviet Union is gone. We successfully waged war--with Arab allies-- to liberate Kuwait. Jordan and the PLO have joined Egypt in beginning a formal peace process with Israel. The peace process has made great strides and our commitment to that process is unchallengeable. Delaying the process of moving the Embassy now only sends a signal of false hopes. I was proud to join with 92 of my colleagues--Republican and Democratic--in signing the D'Amato-Moynihan letter last March urging the administration to move our Embassy no later than May 1999. As the letter pointed out to Secretary Christopher, the United States enjoys diplomatic relations with 184 countries--but Israel is the only country in which our Embassy is not located in the functioning capital. Yesterday, I met with Prime Minister Rabin, and we discussed this legislation. As Prime Minister Rabin said after our meeting, the people of Israel ``would welcome recognition of the fact that Jerusalem is the capital'' of Israel, and ``we will welcome embassies that will come.'' The time has come to move beyond letters, expressions of support and sense of the Congress resolutions. The time has come to enact legislation that will get the job done--to move the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by May 1999. The Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of 1995 is that legislation. This is not a partisan effort, and this is not an effort to undermine the peace process. Democrats have historically supported efforts to move the Embassy. In fact, as the Democratic leader Tom Daschle pointed out in a speech last night, support for moving the Embassy to Jerusalem has been in the Democratic Party's platform since 1968. It has been in the Republican platform for many years as well. Placing the American Embassy in Jerusalem is an idea whose time has come. Construction will take time, but we should begin soon. The fact is that Jerusalem has been and should remain the undivided capital of Israel. Let me close by quoting from a speech I gave 18 years ago in Jerusalem: In the search for a solution to the dilemma which Israel's first President called ``a conflict of right with right,'' whatever else may be negotiable, the capital of Israel clearly is not. Let me also thank my colleague from Arizona, Senator Kyl, who has actually been in the forefront of this legislation, who had the initial idea. We have been working with him and now put together, I believe, legislation that can be sponsored or cosponsored by nearly all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We certainly welcome cosponsors. The legislation will be held at the desk under the previous consent agreement until noon tomorrow. So anybody wishing to cosponsor the legislation just notify the clerk. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a summary of the legislation be printed in the Record.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I further ask that following third reading, the following Members be recognized for the following allotted times, to be followed immediately by a vote on H.R. 956, as amended: Senator Heflin, followed by Senator Rockefeller, 15 minutes each; followed by Senator Gorton, 15 minutes; followed by Senator Hollings, 15 minutes; and followed by Senator Levin, 10 minutes.

Mr. DOLE. I further ask that following the disposition of the above listed votes, if no other Senator on the list is seeking recognition to offer their amendment, the Senate proceed to the adoption of the Coverdell-Dole substitute, as amended, the Gorton substitute, and the bill be advanced to third reading without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I think Senator Harkin plans to offer his amendment in about 20 minutes, at 7 o'clock. I am not certain whether the amendments by Senator Boxer or Dorgan will be offered. We have the agreement, in any event. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. This means no more votes tonight. We can alert our colleagues but there will be debate on the Harkin amendment, and I assume other amendments if they want to be called up. I thank the Chair. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, and this has been cleared by the Democratic leader, at 12 noon on Wednesday, May 10, the Senate proceed to calendar 74, S. 534, the Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE. Madam President, I am a cosponsor of the resolution. I thank my distinguished colleague from West Virginia for adding me as a cosponsor of the resolution. I think it is very timely support the efforts of Senator Byrd in this area. This resolution is not an example of Japan-bashing. The United States has now negotiated in good faith for 2 years in this administration. Previous administrations tried to pry open the Japanese auto market through serious negotiation. The results have been disappointing, at best. Congress has passed market-opening trade laws because U.S. negotiators have needed effective tools. They are there to be used, if negotiations fail. They are not empty threats. Section 301 is not a threat, it is an effective tool. I happen to believe Ambassador Kantor has wielded this tool responsibly. That is why, if a negotiated solution cannot be found, I support the use of section 301 to impose appropriate sanctions. Madam President, this would be strong medicine. Some people might not like it. Some people might think it disruptive. But there has always been bipartisan agreement that the United States must pursue more open markets. We have always provided leadership on this issue, and we will continue to do so. There comes a time in every trade negotiation, when all other means have been exhausted, to take strong, decisive action. That time may have come, Madam President, if a last minute solution cannot be found. I urge my colleagues to support this sense-of-the-Senate and stand up for American commercial interests abroad. In my view, if nothing else, a strong vote on this resolution will send an urgent message to the negotiators, more particularly the Japanese negotiators, that we are serious, we mean business, we stand behind the administration and their efforts to break the logjam. So I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the sense-of-the-Senate resolution. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Specter be added as a cosponsor.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOLE. I thank the Chair. (The remarks of Mr. Dole pertaining to the introduction of S. 770 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed as in morning business for the next 15 minutes.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, that will give everybody interested in the product liability bill an opportunity to discuss what their remaining strategy or plans may be. We would like to complete action on the bill today. And then, if possible, we would like to move to the trash bill sometime this afternoon and try to complete action on that bill this week. Mr. MURKOWSKI addressed the Chair.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period for the transaction of routine morning business until the hour of 12:30 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for 5 minutes each.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Madam President, this matter has been cleared with the Democratic leader. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider the vote by which the Deutch nomination was confirmed be tabled and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, are we still in morning business?

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, it is a very brief resolution. I have taken the liberty of adding World War II veterans as cosponsors. If some do not want to--I have Senator Exon, Senator Hollings, Senator Glenn, Senator Inouye, Senator Stevens, Senator Helms--I think there are a couple of others--Senator Heflin.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, today is a very important day for a number of people on this Senate floor. It is V-E Day. May 8, 1945, was a very important day. We have a V-E Day resolution that I think deserves a rollcall. I hope my colleagues would agree that, immediately after the cloture vote, we would have a vote on the V-E Day resolution. I send that resolution to the desk and ask that it be read.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, first let me thank the Chaplain for his prayer today. This is a very important day for millions of Americans. It seems to me that it is time for reflection, to think about America, and to think about 55-plus million people who lost their lives in World War II. That includes civilians, innocent women and children, combatants on all sides, plus about 6 million Jews who suffered death in the Holocaust. This is a very important day. And later today I hope to submit a resolution about V-E Day, which I am certain the Senate will adopt. I will be looking for sponsors on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me suggest the absence of a quorum unless someone would like to speak. There are 8 minutes before the cloture vote occurs. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate we were trying to clear up a procedural problem. The Senator certainly has every right to object. It may mean that this will be corrected tomorrow, if cloture is not invoked today. I hope cloture will be invoked today.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I would also ask unanimous consent that the pending Gorton substitute be modified to reflect to ``Strike all after the first word, and insert,'' and on page 20, line 6, strike ``or (2)'' and on line 14, strike ``or (2)''.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, it is my understanding that a couple of our colleagues, one on each side of the aisle, may not be available until 4:15 or 4:20. I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote scheduled for 4 p.m. today be postponed to occur at 4:20 p.m.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, 50 years ago today, the guns were silenced in Europe, and that continent was at last freed from the tyrants who had plunged it into war. And across the world on May 8, 1954, there were moments that are remembered today, and will be remembered for generations yet to come. Here in Washington, at the White House, President Truman spoke to the American people by radio, with these dramatic words: This is a solemn and glorious hour. I only wish that Franklin Roosevelt had lived to witness this day. General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly all over Europe. In New York City, a half a million people crowded into Times Square, and in main streets and town squares across America, smaller crowds gathered to celebrate. In Paris, the boulevards that Hitler and his armies had once controlled were free again, and the French people rallied under the Arc de Triomphe. And in London, Winston Churchill spoke before a large crowd, telling the people of Britain, ``This is your victory.'' And many in the crowd shouted back that the victory was his. Later that night, the floodlights illuminated Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and St. Paul's Cathedral for the first time in 6 years. Anniversary celebrations are a time for remembering the past, but they are also a time for looking to the future. And as we celebrate this 50th anniversary of the Allied victory, let us remember the lessons that World War II taught us--lessons that hold for us still. We learned that we cannot turn our backs on what happens in the rest of the world. We learned that we can never again allow our military to reach low levels of readiness and supplies. We learned that we cannot appease tyrants and despots, and perhaps above all, we learned the critical importance of American leadership. Yes, before our involvement, Britain courageously fought on against the odds. And, yes, Russia, after initially siding with the Axis Powers, helped to turn the tide when the Nazis turned against them. But, the war could not have been won and would not have been won without the commitment, the manpower, and the leadership of the United States. It is that simple. It was American leadership that built the arsenal of democracy which made victory possible. It was American leadership that held the Allies together through the darkest days of the war. And it was American leadership which conquered the forces of tyranny and restored liberty and democracy to Europe. And when I talk about leadership, I do not mean just the famous names of Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Marshall, Churchill, and de Gaulle. And I do not just mean the soldiers who fought their way across Europe and the Pacific. For we must also thank those who served at home--the Gold Star moms, the factory workers, and the farmers. Without their contribution and their sacrifice, the war effort could not have been successful. So, today is a day for all of us to celebrate the triumph of democracy, and to honor those who served and those who paid the ultimate price on behalf of their country. And the best way we can do that is to rededicate ourselves to the promise that President Reagan made on behalf of America on the beaches of Normandy 11 years ago: We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I indicated earlier, I will have a resolution concerning V-E Day, which I hope we will be able to submit to the Democratic leader in the next few moments and have a discussion on that and, hopefully, have a vote on that about 4 o'clock. We still, as I understand it, have a cloture vote at 4 o'clock, plus votes on any amendments that may occur prior to 4 o'clock. Following that, it is our intention to take up the Deutch nomination to be CIA Director, and have that debate this evening and then have the vote tomorrow morning on the nomination. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.