Wendell Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, would the distinguished Senator from Colorado take a question?

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. FORD. Mr. President, would the Senator allow us to do this and then we will give her what time she might desire, then we will close out. I do not think we will be over 5 or 6 minutes.

Mr. FORD. I thank the Senator.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Nebraska [Mr. Exon] is necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Delaware [Mr. Biden], the Senator from Arkansas [Mr. Bumpers], the Senator from Nebraska [Mr. Exon], the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy], and the Senator from Arkansas [Mr. Pryor] are necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I would like to take a few moments to express my sadness over the passing of Mary Bingham, philanthropist and former owner of the Louisville Courier-Journal. It has been said that ``we are defined by those we have lost,'' and this could not be more true than with Mary Bingham and the city she called home for over 60 years. Her husband, Barry Bingham Sr., brought her to Louisville, and though they forged a partnership that gave the city a spark it had not known before, her personal contributions both to the newspaper and to the community at large, stood alone. The Louisville Courier-Journal wrote that ``for those who understood the remarkable partnership that shaped this region's intellectual, political and cultural climate for a century, Mary Bingham's own stature and contributions were never in doubt.'' And while Mary Bingham was not a native Kentuckian, she quickly embraced the place she would live out her life and we were proud to call her our own. Throughout the years, she was always the picture of grace and loveliness, a charming hostess and much-in-demand guest. But Mary Bingham was not afraid to reveal the fierce fighter within, when it came to battles on issues most important to her from the environment to high education standards. And if those passionate beliefs placed her at odds with the powers that be, than so be it--whether they were foes But mostly, a woman who had experienced so much personal loss in her own life, wanted simply to care for others. So much so, that I am sure that upon hearing the news of her death, an entire city grieved not only for the loss of a great philanthropist, but also for a close friend. In the days following her death, you often heard those describe her as being of a different era. Let us hope not. Her grace, her intellect, her sharp wit, and perhaps most important, her deep sense of compassion, are qualities desperately needed in these confusing times. I know her life of accomplishment, commitment, and kindness will set a standard for generations of leaders to come in a city she led so well.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing our outrage at the senseless, brutal murders and injuries sustained by defenseless citizens and children in Oklahoma City last week. We all know that Oklahoma City, and indeed our Nation, will never be the same again. We all know that we will never have all the answers as to why something this tragic can happen. But one thing we can know is that we will not rest until the perpetrators of this heinous act are brought to justice. The resolution we will approve overwhelmingly today is just the first step Congress will take in attempting to address this tragedy. We will work with the administration to pass legislation expanding the FBI's powers to combat such acts of terrorism. We will work to do all we can to see that no one has to go through this experience again. Mr. President, there are not words to express the sorrow we feel for the families who have lost loved ones. No one can prepare themselves for a tragedy of this magnitude. No one can prepare themselves to see innocent infants robbed of their futures. And no one can prepare themselves for the grief and loss we know those personally affected by this tragedy will experience for the rest of their lives. One thing we can do is reach out to them, offer our prayers, our comfort and support. As the President recently said, ``you have lost so much, but you have not lost everything. And you certainly have not lost America, for we will stand with you for as many tomorrows as it takes.'' In closing, Mr. President, I want to personally express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the tireless efforts of this administration, the Oklahoma officials, the rescuers, investigators, police officers, and firemen, our clergy, and so many thousands of others who have given of themselves in this tragedy. They are all heroes and their work will never be forgotten, just as we as a nation will never forget April 19, 1995. militia groups and the oklahoma city bombing

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, Saturday, April 29 marks the 30th anniversary of Col. Charles Shelton's capture in Southeast Asia. Colonel Shelton grew up in my hometown, Owensboro, KY, where you could find him playing football for the high school team, courting his wife, and developing the values that would later serve him so well as he served his country. Like so many other dedicated American soldiers, the day he left the United States to fly secret reconnaissance missions over Laos, he put his life on hold, whether that meant the dreams and ambitions of an individual life, or the simple pleasure of watching his five children grow into adults. But, when he was shot down on April 29 and captured, the notion of putting a life on hold took on a new and horrible dimension for Colonel Shelton and his family. That's because for the next 29 years, Colonel Shelton remained an official prisoner of war--the final U.S. military personnel to be so listed by the American Government. Because of numerous reports of sightings and escape attempts well into the 1980's, it wasn't until 1994 that his children requested the Pentagon to change his status to presumed killed in action. While we can't begin to imagine what this wait was like for Colonel Shelton or his family, we can pay tribute to his service and to the ordeal he and his enjoy in this country. Mr. President, let me close by saying to the children of Colonel Shelton that we can never replace the years you lost with your father, but his marker in Arlington National Cemetery will serve as a reminder for generations to come of his heroism, his courage, and his unyielding love for this country.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin] is necessarily absent.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. The only amendment left now will be the managers' amendment. When will that amendment be prepared to be offered and how much time will it take for that amendment, could I ask the good Senator?

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, will the distinguished chairman yield for a question?

Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from Maryland [Ms. Mikulski] is necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Maryland [Ms. Mikulski] would vote ``nay''.

Mr. FORD. I announce [Ms. Mikulski] as necessarily absent. I further announce that if present and voting. [Ms. Mikulski] would vote ``nay'',

Mr. FORD. On our side. We are trying to put it together where we can get that agreement. It becomes very difficult. We understand that there is no budget out here. We are trying to get rescissions in this year's allowances. That cuts off a lot of money for people that already started work. It does make it a little bit difficult. I wanted to assure the majority leader that we are working. We are sweating trying to agree to what he is offering here. I just wanted to assure him. There was not anyone else out here to take it up.

Mr. FORD. We are doing our best to try to put things together. I understand the push. I understand getting out in 30 minutes and coming back tomorrow. But then you have a cloture petition filed. That ripens Saturday. So we are trying to put it together, and people understand that. The amendments that we have there, the new entrants, are the ones that are the amendments that basically have been agreed to. We have been trying to put--

Mr. FORD. Will the majority leader yield for just a moment?

Mr. FORD

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

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

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, I do not believe they can even hear you.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 108, a resolution submitted by Senator Wellstone and others earlier today designating July 16, 1995 as ``National Atomic Veterans Day''; that the resolution and preamble be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements on this measure appear in the Record at the appropriate place.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. May I say to the Senator that you go through the Chair.

Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I hear all this blame put on us. In the last 2 years, all the blame has been the other way. I wish some of the leadership on the other side would give me an hour gridlock in the last session so I would be better at gridlock this session. You are now 6 days late on the budget. In the last 2 years, we have had the budget on time. It was due April 1. It is due out here, by both Houses, on April 15. We hear all this moaning and groaning and crocodile tears as it relates to we will not do that; we want to start saving; we want to start saving--but we have a budget that is due to put us on the track to 2002 and you are 5 days late, and we are not going to get it probably until May. I say to my friend, let us get a budget out here. Let us really start doing things.

Mr. FORD

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