Robert Dole

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess between the hours of 12:30 and 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday in order for the weekly party caucuses to meet.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, if there be no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent the Senate stand in adjournment until 10:30 a.m, Wednesday, February 22nd, under the provisions of H. Con. Res. 30.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send the list to the desk, and also ask that it be printed in the Record.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following be the only amendments or motions in order to House Joint Resolution 1 and that all amendments or motions be subject to relevant first and second degree amendments and all first-degree amendments or motions on the list must be filed at the desk with the bill clerk by 12 noon Wednesday with the exception of first-degree amendments to motions. I will submit the list. I will not read the list. I think both the distinguished Democrat leader and I have the same list. I will submit that list. I further ask that no further amendments be in order to the joint resolution after 3 p.m. on Friday February 24, and that any amendments, motions, or motions pending at that time be disposed of without debate in a stacked sequence beginning at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28. I further ask that the time on Monday, February 27 and on Tuesday, February 28, prior to 12:30 p.m. be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, and a vote on final disposition of House Joint Resolution 1 occur following the stacked votes beginning at 2:15 on February 28, 1995. I further ask that no votes occur during the session of the Senate on Friday, February 24, and on Monday, February 27, 1995.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Madam President, in a move that defies principle and logic, the Clinton administration has proposed lifting the sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro, while it maintains an illegal and unjust arms embargo on Bosnia and Herzegovina. As the Washington Post editorial page put it today, ``the United States and its partners in dealing with the old Yugoslavia have got it upside down.'' For 7 months, the Bosnian Serbs have said ``no'' to the contact group peace plan. Despite their promises last summer of tough measures, the contact group countries have pursued a concessions only approach. And so, instead of putting on more pressure on Serbia and its allies in Bosnia and Croatia, the contact group is now ready to offer an enormous concession to Serbia by agreeing to remove the only real leverage we still have, that is, sanctions. Sanctions provide leverage not only on the situation in Bosnia, and in Croatia, but in Kosova--where Albanians are the latest victims of ethnic cleansing. Sure, the administration says that Serbian President Milosevic will have to make promises in return. We have seen what his promises are worth. Last August Milosevic promised to cut off the Bosnian Serbs, but what really happened is that support was reduced, not ended. Yes, the administration has managed to see that conditions are attached to this lifting of sanctions, noting that the Europeans and Russians would make such a deal even sweeter for Milosevic. But the bottom line is that this is an ill-conceived policy and any tinkering by the administration on the margins does not change that fact. The message this action sends is that the contact group countries are incapable of pressuring anyone but the victims of this brutal aggression. That message is a green light to the Bosnian Serbs and to the Krajina Serbs. There are warnings of a wider war, but now we see how the contact group hopes to avoid such a scenario, namely by withholding the Bosnians' right to self-defense. Anyone outside the contact group can see clearly that this is a formula for wider war, not a formula for preventing wider war. As the Washington Post concluded, ``seeking a phony peace, the United States and its partners may be stoking a greater war.'' Madam President, this is a policy of desperation. This is a policy that highlights the lack of American leadership. This is a policy that puts the United States on the side of rewarding aggression and against the forces of freedom and democracy. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the Washington Post editorial be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be deemed read a third time, passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Indian Affairs Committee be discharged from consideration of S. 377, a bill relating to Indian education and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask that the two cloture votes scheduled for Wednesday, February 22, be vitiated.

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, it is my hope that we will be able to complete our business in the next few minutes. We are trying to reach some agreement. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, again, I thank the democratic leaders and all others on both sides of the aisle who have been involved in working on the agreement.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, 50 years ago tomorrow, the legendary 10th Mountain Division successfully assaulted Riva Ridge in northern Italy's Appennine Mountains. Tomorrow, 12 of my World War II comrades from the 10th Mountain Division will stage a 50th anniversary climb of Riva Ridge to reenact the division's historic capture of this heavily fortified German stronghold. Using ropes, pitons, and other mountaineering equipment to scale the cliffs, and wearing replicas of our World War II white camouflage suits, this team of ski troop veterans will follow the same route used by 10th Mountain Division units in seizing the strategic 4,500-foot peak a half century earlier. This assault group of World War II combat veterans--all of whom are now in their early seventies--will be joined in the commemorative operation by mountain soldier veterans of the German gebirgstruppe and the Italian Alpini. This peaceful ascent of Riva Ridge reflects the founding purposes of the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers, an eight-nation organization which represents more than 500,000 mountain soldier veterans, many of whom fought on opposing sides during World War II. Tomorrow's climb is actually a coming together of wartime foes on a rugged mountain summit in Italy. In addition, these climbers will be joined by today's soldiers. During recent years, we veterans of the wartime 10th Mountain Division have established close bonds of friendship with our young counterparts of today's 10th Mountain Division --light. Following their recent return from Haiti, 10 young soldiers of the 10th Mountain--light--from Fort Drum, NY, will be participating in the reenactment climb. Joining these active duty soldiers will be two climbing experts from the 172d Mountain Battalion, Vermont National Guard. The reenactment teams are headquartered in the small mountain village of Lizzano, which was the scene of intense fighting during my division's breakthrough from the Apennines northward into the Po River Valley and the Dolomite Mountains. During the 10th Mountain Division's decisive combat operations in northern Italy, nearly 1,000 of my fellow soldiers lost their lives to enemy action, another 4,000 were wounded. As our Nation observes the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II during 1995, I am tremendously proud to know that a handful of my fellow 10th Mountain Division veterans have undertaken such a meaningful way of commemorating one of their victories in the final months of the war. I salute them for their endeavor, and I am sure that all other Members of the Congress will do the same. Mr. PRESSLER addressed the Chair.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I suggest the absence of a quorum

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I want to commend the House of Representatives for completing action on one of the key elements in the Contract With America--the Taking Back Our Streets Act. As a result of yesterday's vote, we are now one step closer to enacting the kind of tough-on-crime legislation the American people deserve: Mandatory restitution for the victims of Federal crimes. The swift deportation of illegal aliens who have broken our criminal laws. More funds for prison construction so that Governors like George Allen can abolish parole and make truth in sentencing a reality in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Comprehensive reform of the habeas corpus rules to prevent convicted criminals from exploiting the system, with more frivolous appeals, more unnecessary delays, and yes, more grief for the victims of crime and their families. Reform of the exclusionary rule to ensure that relevant evidence is not tossed out at trial simply because a police officer made an honest mistake. And, finally, a rewrite of last year's police-hiring program to give States and localities more flexibility in determining what best suits their own unique law enforcement needs. Is it more cops? Or is it more squad cars? Better technology? Training? Perhaps even computers? Unfortunately, this last provision has raised President Clinton's political hackles. He is now out on the stump, threatening a veto, and arguing that the law enforcement block grants will somehow jeopardize his pledge to put 100,000 more cops on the street. Of course, last year's crime bill was one of the most politically oversold pieces of legislation in recent memory. As most experts will tell you, the 1994 crime bill barely contains enough funding to hire 25,000 more cops, never mind 100,000. So, President Clinton's complaints may make for good rhetoric, but when all is said and done, rhetoric has never put a single cop on the beat. The President's veto-threat also raises a more fundamental question: Who knows best how to fight crime? Is it Congress? The bureaucrats in Washington? Or is it the people on the frontlines: the sheriffs, the mayors, the county commissioners, the Governors? Does President Clinton not trust our State and local officials to make the right decisions, to do the right thing, or does he think they cannot be trusted and that, if given the flexibility, they will somehow squander the block-grant funds? As the Washington Post editorialized yesterday, and I quote: ``One hundred thousand cops'' sounds good, but congressional failure to include that mandate is not worth a Presidential veto ***. The world won't end if local authorities are given more flexibility. So, Mr. President, I commend the House of Representatives for toughening up last year's crime bill and giving the States and cities the flexibility they need. It is now up to the Senate to finish the job, and I hope we can do that in the next 60 days. Mr. PELL addressed the Chair.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I move to table the Johnston amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry; is there any time remaining?

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, as I understand it, we will be unable to find any additional amendments to be offered this evening. The Senator from West Virginia plans to lay down an amendment, as I understand it, tomorrow morning?

Mr. DOLE. I would like to have another amendment or two tonight. I cannot force Members to offer amendments, so this will be the last vote of the day. I am not certain how long we will be in session tomorrow, but probably most of the day. I am still prepared, as I have indicated before, if we can get some agreement to bring this to a conclusion, to go out Friday and all next week. We await some response from the Democratic leader, Senator Daschle. So we are prepared to entertain an agreement that might bring this to a conclusion. There will be a cloture vote tomorrow. I will file two cloture motions tonight, so there will be two cloture votes when we return on next Wednesday. So Members will know that there will be votes on Wednesday--probably a goodly number of votes Wednesday. It is my understanding there are 30-some amendments filed at the desk. I do not know how many of those Members intend to call up. I thought the other day I was informed it would only be three major amendments. Then we were told maybe it will be 8 or 10. Now we are told it is 36. That would mean we have still a long, long time on this balanced budget amendment. I understand how important it is. I understand you do not amend the Constitution lightly. I think we have now exceeded by a couple of days the longest time we have spent on this issue. I think we passed the balanced budget amendment--in the 97th Congress we passed a balanced budget amendment after 11 days of floor action. There were 31 amendments offered. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 69 to 31. We have not been able to repeat that performance so far on the number of days or the number of amendments. But, hopefully, on the number of votes. And we would settle for that. This will be the last vote today. Mr. President, I move to table the motion. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, as indicated by the Senator from Kentucky in his unanimous-consent request, regardless of the outcome of the cloture vote, following the vote, Senator Byrd will be recognized to offer filed amendment No. 252. That consent has already been obtained. I just say for the information of all Senators, votes are expected to occur throughout Thursday's session of the Senate, with the first vote occurring at 10:30 a.m. Unless there is some other agreement, we are out tomorrow and we are back next Wednesday. I filed two cloture motions. Votes will occur on next Wednesday, after the reading of Washington's Farewell Address, and we will try to establish that so all Senators will be on notice before we leave here tomorrow.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it stand in recess until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 16, 1995; that following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be deemed approved to date; that following the time allocated to the two leaders, the remaining time prior to 10:30 a.m. be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees for debate on the balanced budget constitutional amendment; and that at the hour of 10:30 a.m. the Senate proceed to the cloture vote, and the mandatory quorum call under rule XXII be waived.