Pete Domenici

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. I am pleased to yield.

Mr. DOMENICI. Could I make a parliamentary inquiry? Are we scheduled by unanimous consent to vote at 5:30 on the conference report?

Mr. DOMENICI. I only need about 6 minutes. I will yield the rest to the Senator.

Mr. DOMENICI. Thank you.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. I am delighted to accommodate my friend from Idaho.

Mr. DOMENICI. I see no conditions under which I or the Committee would support any effort by the Administration to withhhold this authority from any laboratory, including the EM lead laboratory in Idaho.

Mr. DOMENICI. Yes, that is my view and the view of the Committee.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I submit a report of the committee of conference on H.R. 4733 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DOMENICI. I would agree that funding for this important study would be appropriate.

Mr. DOMENICI. That would be an accurate assumption.

Mr. DOMENICI. That is correct. That has been a factor in the Conference Committee's considerations.

Mr. DOMENICI. The gentleman from Idaho is correct.

Mr. DOMENICI. I am happy to oblige my friend from Idaho, a valuable member of the Energy and Water appropriations subcommittee.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask that the Senate now turn to consideration of the conference report accompanying the fiscal year 2001 Energy and Water Development Act. Earlier today, the House passed the conference report by a vote of 301 to 118, and I hope the Senate will also overwhelmingly support the conference report. I am very pleased that we are able to get this very important conference report to the floor, given the difficulties affecting more appropriations bills this time of year. Senator Reid and I, along with Chairman Stevens and Senator Byrd, have worked hard to prepare an outstanding bill that meets the needs of the country and addresses many of the Senators' top priorities. The Senate and House full committee chairman were very supportive and have provided the additional resources at conference that were necessary to address many priority issues for Members. They have allowed the House to come up $630 million to the Senate number on the defense allocation $13.484 billion, and the Senate non-defense allocation has increased by $1.1 billion. I would now like to highlight some of the great things we have been able to do in this bill. The conference report provides $4.5 for Army Corps of Engineers water projects, an increase of $400 million over the Senate and $383 over the President's Request. The increased resources have allowed us to get started on the very highest priority new starts in 2001--something we were not able to do under our original allocation. The conference report provides $3.20 billion for DOE Science, an increase of $330 million over the Senate and $420 million over last year. We heard from many members over the last few months about providing more money for science and I am pleased we were able to heed their concerns and make significant investments in our future. On the defense side, the conference report provides $5 billion for nuclear weapons activities, an increase of $150 million over Senate and $600 million over last year. On clean-up, we have been able to continue to provide the environmental clean-up money that is so important to many of our members across the country. The conference report provides $6.1 billion, and increase of $390 million over last year. We do have a few controversial provisions in this bill. The conference report includes a provision that we have carried for several years that would prohibit the use of funds to revise the Missouri River Master Manual if such would result in increased springtime flood risk on the lower Missouri River. I know the administration has threatened a veto on this issue, and I take that seriously. But, we have been unable to forge an acceptable compromise and have insisted that the provision remain in the conference report just as it passed the Senate floor. Although there are other issues the administration has raised, we have made a good faith effort to address their concerns were possible. I believe we have a good bill that the President will sign. laboratory directed research and development

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOMENICI. I now ask unanimous consent the vote occur on the adoption of the conference report at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, our country has very important needs that many hope NIF can solve. The credibility of outside experts will be crucial as we consider the future of this program.

Mr. DOMENICI. The Senator from Idaho is correct in his understanding. I would add that committee saw fit to support the International Nuclear Safety Program at the President's requested level of funding. This includes funding for the Russian and U.S. centers.

Mr. DOMENICI. That is my understanding.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, on H-1B, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now resume S. 2045, the H-1B bill, and the managers' amendment be agreed to, which is at the desk, and all other provisions of the consent be in order.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent the Senate now lay aside S. 2045 until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to H.R. 3767, the visa waiver bill, and that the substitute amendment, on behalf of Senators Abraham and Kennedy, which is at the desk, be agreed to, no further amendments or motions be in order, the bill be advanced to third reading, and passage occur immediately following the passage vote on S. 2045.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. Majority Leader, might I ask a question? Did you get some time for the Senator from New Mexico?

Mr. DOMENICI. I will yield back my time to the Chair. I have a statement I will submit shortly.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I have two unanimous consents that have been agreed to on the other side. I will make them as expeditiously as I can.