Robert Dole

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. What is the pending business now?

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I do reserve the right to object and I shall object, because it does not seem to me this will serve any constructive purpose at this time. We are going back tomorrow. The principals are going to meet on a balanced budget in 7 years. I am not certain what action the House will take on this this evening, in any event. As I indicated to the Senator from Massachusetts, and I will again state to the Democratic leader, it is my hope we can make enough progress tomorrow that we can do precisely what he recommends. Maybe the date will not be January 5. I do not know about that date. It does seem to me we have made progress today. If we make some in the morning, perhaps we cannot only do some other legislative business, but also pass a continuing resolution. Therefore, I object.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I thank my colleague from Massachusetts. I certainly will make every effort. I am not certain I will be successful, but I share many of the views he has expressed.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I say to the Senator from Massachusetts, there is a meeting with the President tomorrow morning with the leadership in the Senate and the House. It is my hope that after the meeting is concluded we may be in a position to do something under the CR. I can only speak for myself. I am prepared to do that now, but the House has not sent us one. I think there will be an effort by the Democratic leader to call up and amend the bill that is now pending, which I would be constrained to object to. But there are others that will be affected in addition to veterans. I think there are four or five groups. It seems to me, if nothing else is successful, we ought to amend the one that the House sent over dealing with veterans and put all the other groups on so they will not be deprived of any benefits or delay in their checks, if everything else fails, as far as the CR is concerned.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following Senator Reid's remarks, the veto message be laid aside, and the Senate turn to the conference report to accompany H.R. 4, the welfare bill, that it be considered under the following time restraints: 3 hours to be equally divided in the usual form. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that at 10:15 a.m., on Friday, there be 30 minutes for closing remarks on securities, to be equally divided in the usual form, and that at 10:45 a.m., there be 30 minutes for closing remarks on welfare, to be equally divided in the usual form. Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 11:15 a.m., the Senate proceed to vote on the question shall H.R. 1058 pass, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding, to be followed immediately by a vote on adoption of the Welfare conference report.

Mr. DOLE. It is my understanding--I would have to check--but what happened in the House was simply to give the Speaker authority to recess for 3-day periods in accordance with their rules. I do not believe the recess takes effect at 2:30 tomorrow. It is my understanding our meeting at the White House should end about 11:15, 11:30. If we can accomplish something tomorrow morning, which I believe we can, then it would be my hope that the House would then--either we amend the bill that is over here with a CR or they send us a CR. I am not an advocate of shutting down the Government. I never have been. We have indicated in a letter to Senator Warner and others that we would support on this side and the House side paying all those who were furloughed. But I think we have a larger problem, as pointed out by the Senator from Massachusetts. If everything else fails, I think the least we should do is take up the bill that is now here concerning veterans and add to it the other categories that might be affected.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I learned in my absence my colleague from West Virginia, Senator Byrd, revealed that I had tied the record for service as the Republican leader. I had no idea that was a fact. If Senator Byrd says it, I know it is a fact because I know he checked it very carefully. I want to thank him for his gracious comments and thank all of my colleagues who have tolerated me during that--what is it--10 years.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that immediately following the two votes, the Senate proceed to executive session to begin consideration of the START II Treaty. Let me indicate with reference to that, there has been ongoing work that I have been indirectly involved in, in the past several days, to reach some agreement on START II. As I understand, there were seven or eight different issues that have been resolved. They are very close to getting agreement. If that happens, it should not take too long to dispose of the START II treaty.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Obviously, I share the concern expressed by the Senator from North Dakota. Let me first indicate, there will be no more votes today, because I have had inquiries. It is my understanding that at 3:30 or 4 o'clock this afternoon, there was a discussion of the so-called farm bill with different representatives from the White House and others who were there. I would like to see it part of this package that I hope we can agree on that will give us a balanced budget but still include the agriculture legislation. It is important not only to the Midwest where we are from, but very important to consumers in America and other farmers across this country. A 1-year extension, if everything else fails, might be an option. As the Senator knows, if that does not happen, we go back to, what is it, 1948, 1949, which would not be very productive, in my view. It would be very high price supports. So I am hopeful that we can work--we are working in a bipartisan way. I say to the Democratic leader, talking about when we get to agriculture, it must be one of the areas we must agree on if we are going to come together and pass a package.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Nevada, Senator Reid.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, we will immediately go to House Joint Resolution 132 regarding the use of the CBO economic assumptions. There will be 60 minutes of debate equally divided with an amendment ordered to the resolution. There should be a rollcall vote around 10:30, 10:35. Also, this morning we will take up the veto message to accompany H.R. 1058, the securities litigation. It may also be that we will take up the welfare reform conference report today. It just arrived. There is objection to taking up the resolution concerning application for veterans' benefits unless we can add to it a CR to open up the Government. So that may or may not come up today. There are other time lines that we need to address concerning AFDC recipients, and other groups, that unless we have a CR, we will take specific action on. I will try to determine what that is during the day. I have not had a report on the meeting this morning between Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, Senator Domenici, chairman of our Budget Committee, and Chairman John Kasich of the House Budget Committee. I understand there was some progress made. It is my hope that sometime today we can meet again with the President of the United States and see if we can resolve some of the major differences still outstanding. There really are not that many big ones, but there is Medicare and Medicaid and tax cuts. I mean there are some very, very important provisions that need to be addressed. Whether or not that meeting will occur, I think it is too early to tell. I know the Speaker and I are prepared to meet with the President at any time during the day.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I object to further consideration at this time.

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, for the information of my colleagues, immediately we will begin consideration of Senate Resolution 199, regarding the Whitewater subpoena. That will start as soon as we can. There is no time limit on the resolution; however, we hope we will be able to dispose of this resolution after a reasonable amount of debate. Following the disposition of Senate Resolution 199, there are a number of possible items for consideration. We would like to complete action on House Joint Resolution 132. The Democratic leader objected to its consideration last night but indicated in a positive way that, if we could make one change and clear one other bill, we could probably pass that today. I assume there will be a request for a rollcall. It will have to go back to the House where I assume they would take the Senate amendment and send it on to the President. A cloture vote could occur on the motion to proceed to Labor-HHS appropriations. It is my hope we will get a continuing resolution today from the House. I am not certain what the length would be, but it could go until Friday, or it could go until next Tuesday or Wednesday-- probably until Friday. We still have three appropriations bills: D.C. appropriations, foreign ops, and Labor-HHS, which we are unable to bring to the floor because of opposition on the other side. So, there could be rollcall votes throughout the day. Let me indicate that it seems to me we ought to make a decision here that we stop the legislative business no later than Friday of this week. It is going to be difficult for those of us involved in budget negotiations if there is legislation every day in the next week. It is my hope we can complete action on a budget agreement Friday or Saturday of this week and that only the principals might have to return next week. In any event, I ask staff and others to determine if that is a possibility, to say--of course, we are at a point now where any one Senator can object to anything and it will not come up unless you have unanimous consent or unless it is privileged. So I hope we could take a look at that. I would just say, one thing we have agreed to--I think it is fair to state this--is if we do reach an agreement on sort of the format, framework, and scheduling, there will not be press conferences. There will be a news blackout, unless there is an agreement at the end of each day to issue a joint press statement. I think that has been part of the problem. There have been so many press conferences, so many people reacting to other people that it makes it difficult to proceed. So, hopefully we can work that out.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. If the Senator will withhold, let me indicate that there will be no more votes this evening. We do hope we can get an agreement on House Joint Resolution 132.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Madam President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar No. 261, S. 1340; further, that the Hatch amendment No. 3105, which is at the desk be considered agreed to, the committee amendment be agreed to, the bill be deemed read the third time, and passed, as amended, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be placed in the Record.

Mr. DOLE. I thank my colleague from Minnesota. There will be no more votes this evening.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Could we do wrap-up first?

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, this has been cleared on each side. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be immediately discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2481, and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be deemed read a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be placed at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the majority leader, after consultation with the minority leader, may turn to the consideration of calendar No. 293, House Joint Resolution 132, regarding use of CBO assumptions and that it be considered under the following limitation: One hour of time for debate, to be equally divided in the usual form, with one amendment in order relative to the original continuing resolution budget agreement language; that following the conclusion or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to adopt the amendment and proceed to third reading and final passage of House Joint Resolution 132, all without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I think we can work it out because we have already passed those priorities once, talking about veterans, Medicare, agriculture. There are I think six or seven. So let us see what we can do, or if the minority would like to propose an amendment, we could modify it. I think there are some who would like to speak even though there has been objection, if that is satisfactory.

Mr. DOLE. Let me indicate to my colleagues who are in the Chamber and those who may be in their offices that we have had, as I have said earlier, a very constructive discussion with the President and Vice President and Chief of Staff with reference to achieving a balanced budget over the next 7 years. There will be a meeting going on tonight with Mr. Panetta, Senator Domenici, Congressman Kasich, and others, and then, depending on what happens in that agreement, there may be another agreement of the principals either tomorrow morning or early afternoon, depending on everyone's schedule. I think it is fair to say that at least I am optimistic about getting something done here that will satisfy a great majority of Americans and probably most people on both sides of the aisle--not everyone but most of my colleagues on each side of the aisle. There are certainly areas of difference, and we will not go into those at this time, but I think there was an agreement that there are at least five or six or seven categories where the leaders are going to have to be directly involved and the President is going to be directly involved, and he has agreed to be directly involved. We hope to give you more detailed information as soon as it is available and as soon as we have something that we can really say this is it; we are serious; we are going to go to work; we are going to stay here today, tomorrow, whatever. It is our hope--and we have not worked out the schedule because I know some have some difficulties with it, but hopefully if we have, if we put it together tomorrow morning, then there will be a CR passed that would extend at least until December 27 or December 28 and perhaps an adjournment resolution to extend from this Friday until December 27. We have not worked out those details. But in any event, I think the important point I should make is that I really believe we are going to start the process. Now, will we finish the process and when will we finish the process? We would like to say we could put together the framework this year, by the end of the year, and then take some days for drafting, come back a couple days in January and finish the product. Some would like to do it all before New Year's Eve. I am not certain that is possible. But in any event, I think there is reason for optimism, bipartisan optimism and I hope it continues. Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me advise there will be no more votes today because the weather is lousy out there and the roads are going to be difficult if you live in the suburbs. But I would propound a unanimous-consent request. I assume there will be an objection, and there might be someone, a couple on this side who would like to speak briefly. Yesterday, the House passed by an overwhelming vote House Joint Resolution 132, which relates to balancing the budget, and so forth, over 7 years. So I would ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of House Joint Resolution 132, a resolution affirming that budget negotiations be based on the most recent technical and economic assumptions of the Congressional Budget Office, and shall achieve a balanced budget by fiscal 2002 based on those assumptions.

Mr. DOLE. I thank the Democratic leader.