Wendell Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. We hope we can do that, I am sure. But there is one amendment that we will have to wait until into July, so we are not going to finish. We could be very close. I hope we could find out how many amendments are out there and maybe get some kind of resolution to how many we might have. I will be glad to help the majority leader with that.

Mr. FORD. No comments, Mr. President. I appreciate the courtesy that the majority leader has shown me in the absence of the Democratic leader. I am trying to fill in as best I can, and hopefully we can be accommodating. And I am sure the majority leader will be accommodating to us. We both have to work together. I think Monday we can work out something that would be amenable to both sides. Hopefully, tomorrow we might look at the DOD authorization bill with amazement.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, we have been working back and forth all day. I think the water is calm. So, on Monday, we will debate reconciliation. There will be amendments offered. Votes will be stacked until 9:30 on Tuesday, and there will be votes--a minimum of four, probably, back to back.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I yield back whatever time is on this side.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, there will be other amendments, at least one other amendment, before final passage. So that will take us well beyond that. If the Senator would not object, we would probably like to stack his vote, if that would be agreeable?

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, reserving the right to object--and I will not object--there is no objection on this side. I would like to note that the distinguished Democratic leader, Senator Daschle, who is unable to be here this evening, is a cosponsor of this legislation and endorses it highly. I have no objection.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] and the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] are necessarily absent. I further announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] is absent attending a funeral. I further announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. The leader knows and we all know at some point it will.

Mr. FORD. It is the will that will move it.

Mr. FORD. Once the statements are made by those who have objected to bringing up the Department of Defense authorization bill, how long will they go, and what kind of schedule would we have? How soon will we get to the so-called veterans bill?

Mr. FORD. Put us in morning business?

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, will the majority leader yield just for a question?

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I want to take just one moment, if I may. Yesterday, the Chaplain very eloquently asked for God's blessing on our Democratic leader in the loss of his father. It indicates that all of us are human, and we are here just attempting to do the best we can with God's guidance. Today, the Democratic leader's father will be laid to rest in his home of South Dakota. I hope that all of us will give some thought to the leader and his family as they gather to mourn the loss of his father. I do thank the Chair for allowing me to express my concern for our leader, and I know all of us feel basically the same way. I yield the floor.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, if the Senator from Iowa will yield without losing the right to the floor, let me also join him and the Senator from Idaho, and compliment the distinguished Chair, and my friend from West Virginia, on what is attempted here. I just watched the statement today that, if this Tokyo plan goes through, all of our energy generating facilities just go right across the border to Mexico. They are excluded. So all our jobs will go down there. All our electricity will come from there because they are excluded and to the detriment of our people. So I couldn't compliment the Senator from West Virginia more. He has been diligent in this, and I compliment him. And I just hope I can follow his lead. So whatever he needs from me, let me know. I yield the floor.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, we agree to the amendment.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle], the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin], the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] are necessarily absent. I further announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] is absent to attend a funeral. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD. Does the manager want to pass this amendment?

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] and the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] are necessarily absent. I further announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] is absent attending a funeral. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] and the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] are necessarily absent. I further announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Johnson] is absent attending a funeral. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD. If the Senator will withhold that, Mr. President, I understand there are basically no amendments on this side, maybe a technical amendment or two. So we are very close to being ready to move forward with third reading and final passage. So anything we can do to encourage others to do that or anything we can do to help, please let us know.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] and the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin] are necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] and the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin] are necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Daschle] is absent due to a death in the family.