Wendell Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings) and the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun) are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun) would vote ``aye.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings) and the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun) are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun) would vote ``aye.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings), and the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun) are necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, may we have order.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun), the Senator from Nevada (Mr. Reid), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Torricelli), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Nevada (Mr. Reid) would vote ``no.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Thank you, John. I appreciate it very much.

Mr. FORD. Thanks.

Mr. FORD. No, we lost then.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for all their hard work in putting this bill together. It was a tough task. But we have been able to work out just about every issue that was of concern to Members on both sides of the aisle. The FAA in the future years must be able to have the funding that it needs to modernize. The new Administrator has a very difficult job. She has been working with the industry and with Congress to move forward on many tough issues. Some have described the modernization of the air traffic control system like this: It is sort of like needing to rebuild your entire house, but you have to live there at the same time. Modernization is a critical issue. We included in this bill a section on tourism, and because of its importance to each of us and without an aviation system that can grow, tourism will also be affected. In leaving, let me mention a few areas of concern. In the next year the FAA and the aviation community, airports, airlines, manufacturers, and our international partners, all must address the year 2000 computer problem. The FAA must also move forward on the STARS and WASS programs. Think about that. We need to yank out all of the controller workstations across the country and put in new computers. All of us have had new systems put in our offices, and we know it is a mess. The FAA has to do it while planes are still flying and people's lives are at stake. We may fault the FAA at times for not moving as quickly as we want, but keep in mind how tough the task is. With respect to the Wide Area Augmentation System, the industry is beginning to equip its fleet to be able to take advantage of a satellite-based tracking system. The FAA, Congress and the industry have got to move forward with this new program. We have committed hundreds of millions of dollars to this effort, and we cannot turn back now. The Administrator knows all this, but this body has to give her the resources to do the job. Next year, you will debate and argue over how to fund the FAA. It is a critical matter. We know that traffic will increase by 35 percent over the next several years. We know that our airports need to be expanded. Gridlock cannot occur because the FAA does not have the ability to meet the industry's needs. I also want to mention the small communities program in this bill. There are many segments of the country that have not received all the benefits of deregulation. We are going to try to help those areas, but not by merely giving them money. The communities will need to work hard to develop their markets and work with carriers to provide the needed service. I thank the chairman, Senator McCain. I know that he will continue to fight for FAA's needs next year. I also hope that we can quickly conclude the conference on this bill. There are a few tough issues that will need to be decided by the Members, and I hope that we can come to closure soon. Mr. President, in this life in the Senate, you come across some very, very fine people, and those are the ones who make this place run and are not recognized. We get all the publicity, good or bad. We have to face the voters, good or bad. But the staff who support us, the staff who support the committee, the staff who support us on the floor, they are the ones who need to have the accolades. They work hard--all night, they work 24 hours, around the clock--and we never seem to thank them as we should. I know my life in the Senate would have been made a lot tougher, and I probably would not have succeeded had it not been for staff. You find a lot of excellent staff, on both sides now. Don't think I am just talking about one side of the aisle. Ann--I hope I pronounce her last name right--Choiniere. Getting close? This is the first time I have worked with her, and I found out how tough she can be but how thorough and fair she is representing the chairman; she has done an excellent job. Mike Reynolds and others on Senator McCain's side have all done well. Senator Gorton's staff. He was fairly bright and smart when he brought Brett Hale from Kentucky on his staff. He is one of the people around here who definitely understands Kentucky Wildcat basketball, and we can talk together about that on occasion. And Jeanne Bumpus on Senator Gorton's staff; Jim Drewry and Carl Bentzel, Dave Regan and others on my side. But there is one you have to depend on, one who is the leader, one who comes and sits down and we work through the problems and then get the challenge to go and get it settled and come back and see where we are and keep you informed and keep you moving. Sam Whitehorn is that kind of fellow, and I am going to miss him. He and I have become good friends. I don't look at him as a staff person. I look at him as a member of the family, because he is. He is dedicated, and wants to get the job done. And sometimes he has to do maybe what he didn't exactly like to do, but I made the decision. Sam has been a good soldier through the whole thing, and I am grateful to him. Mr. President, as we end this part of the aviation bill, I again thank my colleagues, and I look forward to being down in Kentucky to see some of this work I have done, to watch it grow there, because we need as much help as any other State. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had, and I thank the chairman again. Some people think he is tough and rough and that sort of thing, but he really has a soft spot. Now, if you can find that soft spot, you can get along with him. Sometimes it is difficult to find it. But you see him laughing. That is the kind of association we have had. I look forward to working with him to complete this bill, working in conference, so that when we leave here sometime mid-October we can leave knowing we have done the best we could, that we have tried to be responsible to the people we represent in this great country of ours. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Mr. McCAIN addressed the Chair.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, it is difficult for me to respond because it is somewhat melancholy, as this is my last effort at developing an aviation package, to have such kind remarks come from my learned friend who also has worked tirelessly in an attempt to make the aviation industry safer, more accessible, helping it expand, and giving it the opportunity to grow. He comes from a unique State. He sits down with you and explains the problem. It isn't ``I am Ted Stevens, vote with me.'' He sits down and explains the problem and what is needed to improve the problems of his fine State. It is very difficult for anyone to not help once they understand what Alaska has. We have a great mix in this country. You go all the way from the cold in the north in the 49th State to the south where it is hot, and to Hawaii, the 50th State. We have a great mix. The people who represent those States are great. My friend from Alaska is really and truly my friend. One of the things I will miss around here is my association with him. He has helped me on more than one occasion to do some things maybe that he would rather not do. But I found, as my dad taught me, that you pay your debts whether you sign the paper or shake a man's hand. Ted Stevens' word is his bond. And I respect him for that. I respect what he does as a Member of this institution. I will feel comfortable when I leave here that Senator Stevens is head of appropriations. He is still on the Commerce Committee. And when the new aviation bill comes forth, he will be sure that those things that we fought for so long will be improved. I thank my friend very, very much.

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 California (Mrs. Boxer), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Glenn), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings), the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Moseley-Braun), and the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Wellstone) are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Wellstone) would vote ``aye.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Maybe it is the best time to say it.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I will have a few additional remarks tomorrow. I made a speech one night and read it, and going home that evening Mrs. Ford said, ``Did you ever think about just speaking from notes and off the cuff? It seems more sincere.'' So the next time we went out, I made this speech from just three or four notes, and I thought I did very well. We were going home, and I said, ``Well, how did I do tonight?'' There was a hesitation, and she said, ``I believe I'd go back to reading.'' And so I will be off the cuff tomorrow, with probably some prepared remarks. As you all know, this is probably the last piece of aviation legislation I will have any input into as a Senator. I appreciate all the cooperation and good humor that has been displayed as we have moved along the way. I have been impressed by the staff that Senator McCain has assembled to assist him. I have been amazed at the staff that we have, and how they work together and ultimately get it done. One of the things we worried about was having all the amendments maybe worked out before we got on the floor. And that came close. But I remember something that Senator Robert Byrd told me a long time ago: If you cannot get an agreement, start, and it will create a vacuum. So I think that is exactly what has occurred here, along with the hard work on both sides of the aisle. It has been a good ride, and I look forward to the vote in the morning at 9:50, and then I will make some comments after that. I am grateful to my colleague for his patience with me. We look forward to several more weeks of working together and accomplishing many things that he and I want to do. We are going to try. Whether we accomplish those things or not, only time will tell. But if there is anything in trying to get it done, Senator McCain and I will accomplish our end purpose. I yield the floor.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. A red letter day.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I will be more than willing to agree to a unanimous consent agreement to proceed to the bill without any other reservations or any time agreements or agreements to amendments. I would be more than willing to do that. But under the circumstances, I doubt if that would be acceptable so we will just have to work overnight and tomorrow on the legislation and see if we can't come to some kind of agreement. And I am hopeful, because we were close tonight, and I think if we had waited until morning I would not have been placed in a position to object. You do a lot of things around here sometimes you don't really like to do, but then I always like to be ``Senator No.''

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, if the acting leader would take the first paragraph and use that as his unanimous consent request, this side is willing to accept that. The one I cannot agree to is: ``I further ask that during the Senate's consideration of S. 442 or the House companion measure, only relevant amendments be in order.'' I would object to that. But I would accept the upper part if the Senator is willing to make that unanimous consent request.

Mr. FORD. I object.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I object to that right now, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. FORD. I don't doubt your word.

Mr. FORD. My friend and colleague is not here, the manager of the bill from the majority side. We have discussed this between us and the Senator's statement, as far as I am concerned, is absolutely true. He has worked hard on it, done a lot of hard work on it. I think it is absolutely necessary we have it in for his protection and others. I would not want to speak for my colleague.

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

Mr. FORD. Prior to that, we have a pending amendment that is agreed to.

Mr. FORD. There he goes, talking out of school again.