Wendell Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD. We all recognize the value of appliance efficiency standards, the cost and energy savings that have been achieved with the existing standards. However, the manufacturers have raised concerns about the methodology and assumptions in the Department's current cost- benefit analysis. For example, the burden on firms with small market shares need to be addressed. We expect the Department to analyze the impact of any modifications to standards for both small and large manufacturers. The cumulative impact of regulations across product lines should also be incorporated into the analysis.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Breaux] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of family illness.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Nebraska [Mr. Kerrey] is necessarily absent. I also announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] is absent because of illness in the family.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Breaux] is necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD

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

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, this is a sense of the Senate that the Senate should not recede to the House provision that would abolish DOD Director of Operational Test and Evaluations. I believe it has been cleared on the other side. Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I rise today to offer an amendment with my friend the Senator from Delaware, Senator Roth, that would express the sense of the Senate regarding the function of operational weapons testing in the U.S. Department of Defense. In 1983, Senator Roth and I passed legislation in Congress creating the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation in the Pentagon. This office was designed to be an independent and objective voice in the acquisition process, making sure that new weapons were tested in strong, realistic operational conditions before they were built and sent into combat. Before the creation of this office, the tests on new weapons overseen strictly by those who were responsible for the development and production of these systems. Their strong financial and emotional attachment to the weapons being tested often compromised the integrity of the entire military acquisition process, and led to the fielding of weapons that simply did not work. So the independent operational testing office was created to eliminate the practice where ``the students were grading their own exams.'' Since its creation, this office has worked hard to restore integrity and objectivity to DOD procurement. Our operational testers currently provide valuable information on the reliability and effectiveness of new weapons being developed and produced. Mr. President, I was shocked to learn that the House version of the DOD authorization bill for fiscal year 1996 contained a provision to eliminate the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation and its important testing oversight function. The House legislation is dangerously misguided. In their apparent effort to streamline the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the House National Defense Committee has attempted to eliminate this important office and the responsibility of operationally testing new weapons. I am pleased that the Senate Armed Services Committee's bill does not contain a similar provision. However, I am fully aware that this issue must still be resolved in the House/Senate conference on this particular legislation. As a result, Senator Roth and I, as co-authors of the legislation creating the testing office, feel strongly that the U.S. Senate must respond strongly to the provisions passed by our friends in the House of Representatives. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Thurmond, and the ranking member, Senator Nunn, for accepting this amendment.

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

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

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, we have no objection.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further 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. I move to reconsider the vote.

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

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, the minority side has no objections to this amendment.

Mr. FORD. I will be assisting the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee at the request of the ranking member, Senator Nunn. He is in negotiations at the present time. He asked that, until he is available, I assist the distinguished chairman. So I will be scrutinizing the amendments as they are reported. I think most of them are cleared. We will have no problems. Mr. THURMOND addressed the Chair.

Mr. FORD. This amendment would prohibit the Army from reorganizing regional headquarters of the ROTC Program until 6 months after they submit studies justifying the reorganizational cost-benefit. I urge its acceptance.

Mr. FORD. We have no objection.

Mr. FORD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2269 (Purpose: To clarify the use of existing technologies under the requirements relating to national missile defense system architecture)

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

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Arkansas [Mr. Bumpers] and the Senator from Arkansas [Mr. Pryor] are necessarily absent.