Pete Domenici

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to morning business.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I ask unanimous consent that the request be modified so that all after the enacting clause of H.R. 1308 be stricken, and the text of the Grassley amendment regarding the child tax credit be inserted in lieu thereof; provided further that the bill then be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider laid upon the table.

Mr. DOMENICI. I object.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, it is my understanding that a vote will occur at 4:30; that there are 10 minutes prior thereto for debate on the first amendment equally divided into 5 minutes each for those proponents and opponents of that amendment. Is that correct?

Mr. DOMENICI. Parliamentary inquiry: What is the title of the first amendment?

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I trust the Senator from California will be here if she desires to debate it. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I am prepared to vote. Do I have to yield back time?

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield back any time I have in opposition.

Mr. DOMENICI. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 844

Mr. DOMENICI. Can we have order, Mr. President? I understand the Senator from California has 2 minutes. Is that correct?

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, can we have order?

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, might I say, if you are for an ethanol program for the Nation, then you can't vote for this amendment. If this amendment passes, there is no American ethanol program as we have been speaking of it in terms of reducing the American dependence on foreign oil. It becomes something different and not an American program to accomplish that purpose. I yield the remainder of my time.

Mr. DOMENICI. I am happy to yield.

Mr. DOMENICI. I certainly concur. The alliance should be an inclusive but well-defined group of companies active in the research, development and implementation of solid-state lighting technologies in the United States. The DOE should select the alliance as quickly as possible, so as not to delay the program's implementation.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, again I completely agree with the Senator. I would also add that the intellectual property in section 914 is patterned after the Department of Energy's Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance, or SECA. Under the SECA model, research and development qualifies for the ``exceptional circumstances'' provision of the Bayh-Dole Act. Inventors still retain rights to their intellectual property. Those alliance participants who are active in solid-state lighting research and development will receive the first option to negotiate non-exclusive licenses and royalty payments to use the invention.

Mr. DOMENICI. I fully agree. The Senator serves as our ranking member and was instrumental in the adoption of this provision by our committee. I think we both expect that quick action by the Department of Energy will stimulate the private sector.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I would like to state what the Grassley proposal is. It would make permanent the increase in the child tax credit. The bill signed by the President last week increases the credit from $600 to $1,000 for the next 2 years. The Grassley amendment would make the increase permanent. Second, it would eliminate the marriage penalty built into the current child tax credit. The Grassley amendment increases the income phaseout for married couples filing jointly to twist the limit for single individuals filing alone. The Lincoln amendment fails to address this inequity in the current formulation of the child tax credit. Third, the amendment would create a uniform definition of a ``child.'' This language is identical to the legislation introduced by Senators Grassley and Baucus. This change reduces from five to one the number of definitions of a ``child'' in the Tax Code, which will simplify part of the code that will directly affect working families. I might say to my good friend that I think she understands. I have the greatest respect for her. And, obviously, she makes a case today not only for herself but for many Senators and for many who voted with her in the days preceding as this legislation worked its way through here and through the conference in the House. It is the responsibility of the Senator from New Mexico to respond in behalf of the majority, and I have done so. In doing so, I have offered a counterproposal. Obviously, it is significantly different than the one the distinguished Senator from Arkansas offered; nonetheless, a very significant proposal. I thank her for her generosity. I yield the floor.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 3 at 2:30 p.m. to receive testimony regarding S. 268, authorizes the Pyramid of Remembrance Foundation to establish a memorial in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor members of the armed forces of the Untied States who have lost their lives during peacekeeping operations, humanitarian efforts, training, terrorist attacks, or covert operations; S. 296, to require the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress regarding the requirements applicable to the inscription of veterans' names on the memorial wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; S. 470, to extend the authority for the construction of a memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr.; and S. 1076, to authorize construction of an education center at or near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 3, 2003, at 2:30 p.m. on Space Propulsion in SR-253.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in Dirksen 628 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 at 10:00 a.m. to hold a Hearing on Nominations.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct an Oversight Hearing on the Status of Tribal Fish and Wildlife Management Programs.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the privilege of the floor be granted to Julie Nichole Bostick and Rick Feger of my office during the remainder of today's session.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Madam President, I know the distinguished minority leader is disappointed, but not as much as the Senator from New Mexico. Obviously, we have worked very hard on what we think is a very good Energy bill. I think the United States deserves an Energy bill. I know there are other issues. I have no quibble with other Senators who have issues that they think are of great importance, including tax issues, but it is quite a surprise to see an issue of tax significance being applied to an Energy bill for the United States, although technically one might call it a tax bill. Nonetheless, where there is a will there is a way. If I understand it, there seems to be a will tonight that we will proceed to try to iron out the difficulties between the parties as to the tax matters and then tomorrow proceed with dispatch to get the ethanol amendment back on board, and hopefully not have to go through the same amendments on ethanol that we have already had, and proceed with the lining up of some amendments on the Energy bill with which I understand the minority has indicated a willingness to help. We will work on our side to do the same. Whatever time I had remaining under my 10 minutes, I yield back.