Pete Domenici

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield 1 minute.

Mr. DOMENICI. We are ready for the next amendment, Mr. President. Amendment No. 2170

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

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask that the yeas and nays be vitiated.

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

Mr. DOMENICI. I move to table the second-degree amendment that is pending and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent that on the remaining stacked amendments there be no second-degree amendments in order.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, has all time expired?

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield to the Senator from Arkansas.

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

Mr. DOMENICI. No, it did not.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I compliment the occupant of the Chair, the distinguished Senator from Kansas, and I compliment the distinguished Senator from Arkansas, Senator Hutchinson. They have given us an opportunity to see to it that we reform the Tax Code of the United States. It has been talked about for so long and nothing ever happens. They have devised a way where they are saying to the committees of the U.S. Congress, and to the President, let us get on with it. And here is the leverage: If you do not, we will not have a Tax Code in the year 2001. I believe this is the only way you are going to get tax reform when those who are in charge of the job--with all the special interests gobbling them up not wanting any change. I think the only way it will occur is if this sense-of-the-Senate proposal becomes law. It is not law today when we approve of it. It will become law when a committee sends a bill to the President. But we ought to go on record saying we want reform, we want major reform of a broken down code, and we want it soon, not 15 more years of debate. If I have any additional time, I yield it.

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

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. I move to table the Bumpers amendment, and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, many of us have heard people say, ``Kick them when they're down.'' I guess we all recall when we were in high school. If you went to a high school football game, the cheerleaders would say, ``Hit them again. Hit them again, harder, harder.'' Mr. President, the mining industry in the United States led by the copper industry is in a deplorable economic state. As a matter of fact, copper is down 30 percent. Already in America, copper mines have been closed. All mineral resources in the world are down substantially. Oil production in the United States is down. Stripper wells are going out of business rapidly. We are more and more dependent upon foreign sources for our mineral resources, and for our oil. Frankly, the GAO tells us that the mining industry pays an enormously high tax. In fact, the study says on average they pay 32 percent of the income. They already contribute $14 billion to the Federal Government in revenues. Mr. President, it is obvious that this amendment will cause more disrepair in the industry, fewer jobs, laying off people. In fact, we might call it the ``Unemployed Miner Act.'' Second, in terms of money for disabled young people, let me first say the budget before us has $2.35 billion in new money for IDEA, for the disabled young people of our country. We think that is a very, very significant add-on when the President only put a few million dollars in his. We think it is the right place to put the money. But we have already put it in our budget. We don't need to destroy the mining industry in order to live up to our responsibility under IDEA and to disabled children. We found the money to do it in our budget. It seems to me that to pick one tax, one deduction, the depletion allowance, and from that assume that the mining industry, coal mining and all the others, are not paying any Federal taxes is an absolute gross exaggeration, if not an untruth. As far as environmental degradation, since we have had environmental laws, our mining companies are not causing environmental degradation. They are bound by every single environmental law of this land. And a statement that they are polluting today is also a gross exaggeration, if not truly an untruth. When time is all yielded, I will move to table and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield 3 minutes to the chairman of the Energy Committee, Senator Murkowski.

Mr. DOMENICI. Would Senator Thomas like to speak for 1 minute?

Mr. DOMENICI. I pose that question.

Mr. DOMENICI. I wonder if Senator Bumpers might not object to a request that we each have 1 additional minute.

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield 3 minutes to Senator Reid of Nevada.

Mr. DOMENICI. I yield to the Senator from Nevada, Senator Bryan.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, we have five Senators who will split time, 3 minutes each. We will not use all of our time, but we will start with Senator Craig, 3 minutes.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will resume consideration of S. Con. Res. 86, the budget resolution, with the time until 9 a.m. equally divided on the Bumpers amendment relating to mines. At 9 a.m., by previous agreement, the Senate will proceed to a series of seven consecutive rollcall votes. The first two are in relation to two judicial nominations, the nominations of G. Patrick Murphy to be a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Illinois and Michael P. McCuskey, of Illinois, to be U.S. district judge for the Central District of Illinois. The remaining five votes are on or in relationship to amendment No. 2218, Senator Dorgan's amendment relating to the Tax Code; amendment No. 2170, an Allard amendment regarding Federal debt; amendment No. 2195, a Lautenberg amendment on environmental programs; amendment No. 2213, a Bond amendment on housing; and then amendment No. 2228, a Bumpers amendment relating to mines. It is hoped that during all of these votes Senators will contact the managers to inquire as to if their respective amendments may be accepted or if they require a vote on their amendment or perhaps indicate that they have decided to withdraw their amendment. It is the intention of the majority leader to complete action on this measure as soon as possible. We ask all Senators to cooperate in that regard. Senators should be aware that today will be a busy schedule. Rollcall votes will be occurring throughout the day and into the evening, as necessary. In addition, Members are reminded that all consecutive rollcall votes are limited to 10 minutes in length. All Members' cooperation is requested with reference to the timely manner of the disposition of each vote. As a reminder to all Members, the first rollcall vote will occur at 9 a.m. this morning.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Yes.

Mr. DOMENICI. I thank the Chair.