Robert Dole

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Did we get the yeas and nays?

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, the Pittston Coal Group has brought a civil lawsuit against the United Mine Workers of America alleging that the union breached an agreement by supporting provisions enacted in the Coal Act of 1992. The coal company has subpoenaed a former employee on Senator Rockefeller's staff to testify at a deposition as part of its effort to develop its case about enactment of the Coal Act. The plaintiff wishes to ask the employee about two documents appearing to be from Senator Rockefeller's office relating to enactment of the Coal Act. Senator Rockefeller is concerned that questioning of a former Senate employee about her Senate employment will abridge legislative privilege. This resolution would authorize the former employee to testify only about matters that do not trigger privilege concerns and would authorize the Senate Legal Counsel to represent Senator Rockefeller, the former employee, and any other Member or employee of the Senate from whom testimony or documents may be sought, in order to protect the Senate's privileges.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. And it is offset?

Mr. DOLE. I further ask that the following amendments be the only remaining amendments in order and limited to the following time restraints where noted, all in the usual form. And I have been advised by Senator Levin he will not offer the one amendment--he does have an amendment that has been worked out; an amendment by Senator Wellstone relating to seniors; a managers' amendment, a Hatfield/Byrd amendment; and a Harkin handback for CPB, and on that there be an up-or-down vote.

Mr. DOLE. What is the total of the amendment?

Mr. DOLE. Twenty minutes and we will take 10 minutes.

Mr. DOLE. I am coming to the Senator's.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of myself, Senator Daschle, and others, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me advise my colleagues I think we may have an agreement here if we can have everybody's cooperation, and we may be able to finish this bill tonight and we may be able to finish all other business by voice votes including the defense supplemental, the district board, kiddie porn and whatever else might be remaining. So it would mean that my colleagues will be able to tend to other business tomorrow either here or somewhere else. Amendment No. 577

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. We thought we had narrowed it down to about four on each side. We thought some of those were acceptable. Some who had problems with the CPB, said, ``Well, give us $20 million somewhere else in spending restraints.'' So they have to be ``this or nothing.'' I think, as has been the attitude certainly of the Democratic leader, Senator Daschle, as we both know, it can still come together, and I hope it would because we could finish late afternoon and that would be probably the last vote until we come back from recess.

Mr. DOLE. Only with respect to the adoption of the Jordan amendment.

Mr. DOLE. Certainly. I yield.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, we had hoped that we might have an agreement reached on the rescissions bill. But apparently that will not be possible. So there will be a cloture vote at 2 o'clock. We will file cloture again today for a vote on Saturday because we intend to finish this bill before we leave for the Easter recess; spring recess. I would hope that our colleagues on the other side would understand that we, this Senator and the Democratic leader, worked in good faith most of yesterday into the evening until 9 or 10 o'clock. So did other Members on our side of the aisle, the Senator from Pennsylvania, and both Senators from Arizona. And we believe we gave up a great deal to get an agreement. I thought there was an agreement until I read it in the morning paper. So I was surprised when I later learned that our colleagues on the other side did not agree to the agreement we thought we had agreed to. Having said that, I hope we can invoke cloture. If we do that, a lot of these amendments will disappear. I do not know how we can deal with 100-and-some amendments that are out there. But if cloture is obtained, that will shorten the process a great deal. I do not know where the hot buttons are on the other side. I maybe know of one or two of them. But it seems to me many of the so-called ``cuts'' were in effect funny money and many of the add-ons are not going to be spent either. But if both sides felt they had a good position, I fail to understand what may have derailed the whole process. But there will be a cloture vote at 2 o'clock. The second-degree amendments must have been filed by 1 o'clock. So it is too late to file second-degree amendments. It is still my hope that Senator Daschle and I can bring everybody together here. I think we are pretty much together on this side. What we want is an agreement with no amendments. We do not want an agreement and then have everybody say we have 10 amendments here and 10 amendments there. If you have an agreement, you have an agreement. Right now we do not have an agreement. So I just urge my colleagues to be patient, to take two aspirins, take a nap, whatever. If we finish this today, we will be in session tomorrow but no votes. If we do not finish today, we will be in session tomorrow with votes and we will be in session on Saturday with votes.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Is that satisfactory?

Mr. DOLE. Why do we not agree to have the time between now and 3 o'clock equally divided and then vote at 3 o'clock? I think the Senator from West Virginia also wants to speak on some other issue.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, if I could proceed for 1 moment--1 minute?

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I further ask that the cloture vote scheduled for Thursday occur at 2 p.m. and the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I further ask that following the disposition of the Dole amendment, the Senate proceed to vote on the Wellstone amendment, as amended, without further debate.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume the pending bill, H.R. 1158, and immediately proceed to a vote on the pending Dole amendment, as modified, without any further debate.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in recess until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 6; that following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date and the two leaders' time be reserved for their use later in the day; and that the Senate then immediately resume consideration of H.R. 1158.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I understand the distinguished Senator from Hawaii wants to speak for 5 minutes. Let me indicate there are some negotiations going on back and forth between the leadership, myself, Senator Daschle, members of our staff, the presiding officer, and others. I think it is going to be at least, probably, another 45 minutes before we have any response. They presented us an offer, we presented a counteroffer. Hopefully, we can reach some agreement. If not, it will probably slow things down a bit. My view is those who have not yet filed--I guess there is a 1 o'clock deadline for filing amendments--even though we may be in recess they be permitted to file their amendments.