Wendell Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Akaka] and the Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Inouye] are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Akaka] would vote ``nay.''

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Inouye] and the Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Johnston], are necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I did not know it was all left up to me.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, a prime example of what could happen is chlorine. Chlorine, according to a recent newspaper article: * * * is found in such diverse products as Teflon, compact discs, photographic film, sofa cushions, linoleum and lawn chemicals. It is used in 85 percent of all pesticides, purifies 98 percent of all U.S. drinking water, and directly affects 1.3 million American jobs. Chlorine is so important, in fact, that it is used in 60 percent of all chemical transactions--which amounts to 40 percent of our total gross national product. Guess which product is likely to get on EPA's unofficial group A list? Chlorine. The EPA stated last year that it should ``develop a national strategy for subjecting, reducing, or prohibiting the use of chlorine and chlorinated compounds.'' Mr. President, to me this proves we should not give the EPA this new authority, and should not by our actions condone its behavior. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FORD. That is probably twice what I will need. I usually like to work and not talk. Mr. President, the amendment offered by my colleague from New Jersey is unwise. Since the proposed amendment would give the Environmental worthy of exemption from this bill, I feel it deserves closer attention than could be afforded a floor amendment on an unrelated bill. The amendment before the Senate is a powerful amendment. It adds to a list of special exemptions for items that are so important to the fabric of our Nation that they should receive preferential treatment. I question why we should give an agency whose credibility is in such question. I am not the first to raise the issue of the EPA falling down on the job. By some people's judgment, if it was not for rash and politically motivated regulations and decisions by the EPA, we might not even need the unfunded mandates bill. I have a report here that outlines the problems at the EPA. It is called ``Safeguarding the Future: Credible Science, Credible Decisions.'' It was produced by an expert panel on the role of science at EPA. The reason that the EPA needed such a report was simple: The agency has been unable to base its actions on unpoliticized science. Its findings are nothing short of startling. Furthermore, the EPA is not even sure what is a class A carcinogen. I submit a letter from the EPA that states that putting an ``exact number of chemicals on this unofficial `A' list is tricky * * *.'' Some chemicals are grouped with others, some don't appear on EPA's risk hotline called IRIS, with this kind of information coming out of the EPA, we have no idea what this amendment could lead to down the road. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency dated June 21, 1994, to my office, be included in the Record at this point.

Mr. FORD. At 10 o'clock, or a minute or two after that. After the prayer and so forth, there will be an hour, which will take us to a few minutes after 10, when the first vote will occur.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, will the distinguished Senator from Idaho yield me at least 5 minutes?

Mr. FORD. But you will go to the immigration amendment?

Mr. FORD. Then morning business?

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, may I ask the distinguished majority leader, are we coming in at 9?

Mr. FORD. That would suit me fine, but I am trying to be--like my daddy told me, ``When you sell it and they ask you when do you want to be paid for it, say right now is fine.'' I have tried to accommodate the leader. Now you are trying to stick me over to tomorrow and divide me up. Let us debate it tonight and put the vote off until tomorrow. But do not have it too early. Those fellows over at the press dinner probably are going to have such a good time they will want to sleep in the morning.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I say to the majority leader that I understand the problem that he got into, and he probably will not get in this deep again for awhile. The Senator from New Jersey has an amendment. I am willing to debate him tonight and stack the votes until tomorrow. I would prefer that we have 40 minutes tomorrow in the morning, that we debate it tomorrow, and then have the motion as proposed by the distinguished Senator from Idaho. That is my preference. In order to accommodate the leader, I am perfectly willing to debate it tonight. However, we can vote on it tomorrow, and the votes apparently are going to be stacked. Two or three votes will be stacked, and I will be part of that. I am willing to acquiesce to that.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, may I answer that question from the distinguished Senator from California without her losing the right to the floor. I have an amendment, I say to my friend from California, we are now attempting to work it out. It may be acceptable. So I thank the Senator for her courtesy, as always, but we may have to ask at some point, but not now.

Mr. FORD. I thank the Chair, I thank the Senator from California. I am very pleased to have this amendment accepted.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, S. 1 contains an entire section, section 102, on enforcement of this legislation under the House rules which create specific points of order under the House rules. This section directly amends also rule XXIII of House rules. Therefore, my amendment strikes the balance of section 102, and that relieves the Senate of the responsibility of directing the House as to what they should or should not do. It is my understanding that the distinguished manager and ranking member have agreed to this amendment. I hope that it can be accepted. I yield the floor. Mr. KEMPTHORNE addressed the Chair.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, will the distinguished Senator from California allow me to make a unanimous-consent request, that I might be recognized without the Senator losing her right to the floor?

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Alabama [Mr. Heflin] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] is absent because of a death in the family. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] would vote ``nay.''

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Alabama [Mr. Heflin] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] is absent because of a death in the family. On this vote, the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is paired with the Senator from Wyoming [Mr. Simpson]. If present and voting, the Senator from Wyoming would vote ``yea'' and the Senator from New Jersey would vote ``nay.'' I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] would vote ``nay.''

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Alabama [Mr. Heflin] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] is absent because of a death in the family. I further announce that if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] would vote ``nay.'' the Chamber who desire to vote?

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Alabama [Mr. Heflin] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] is absent because of death in the family. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] would vote ``nay.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Alabama [Mr. Heflin] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] is absent because of a death in the family. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] would vote ``yea.''