T. Gorton

Mr. GORTON

Mr. GORTON. I send a further amendment to the desk.

Mr. GORTON. I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this corrects a figure in the bill to bring it into conformance with the committee report and the intention of the committee in passing a bill. In other words, it was simply a drafting error.

Mr. GORTON. I move to reconsider the vote on all three amendments.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, that is all I can deal with at the present time. I repeat--and I know my friend from Nevada is with me on this--we do have a very substantial number of additional amendments. It looks as if somewhere between 6 and 10 may require rollcalls. I particularly urge we start the debate on significant policy amendments to this bill. This is a request to Members who were eager to list amendments for debate to come to the floor and present those amendments.

Mr. GORTON. We are going to the tax bill tomorrow with 20 amendments or so in order for it. Members desiring to deal with this Interior appropriations bill need to present themselves on the floor with those amendments as promptly as possible. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk for Mr. Grams and Mr. Wellstone, and I ask that it be immediately considered.

Mr. GORTON. I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, the Senator is eloquent and persistent and has had great successes, and I am sure he will have great successes in the future. I thank him for his comments and his support. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GORTON. The Senator from New Mexico, in this instance, as in the earlier instance, is correct.

Mr. GORTON. The Indian schools.

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

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, we are finally back on the appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior. We will be on it from now until 6:30 this evening, when I understand we go back to the Defense authorization bill. We have made some very real progress in the last 24 hours in the sense that we have a finite list of amendments that can be brought up on this bill. The difficulty is that, as I count them, there are 112 of those amendments that are in order at this point. The distinguished Senator from West Virginia and I both hope and believe that many of them will not be brought up, but this is notification to Members that if they are interested in having their amendments discussed, if they want to get the views of the managers of the bill on those amendments, they should be prompt. We want to hear from everyone this afternoon because we want to finish the bill today or, more likely, tomorrow. One amendment that is ready to go is the amendment proposed by the senior Senator from Minnesota, together with the junior Senator from Minnesota, that is technically, I believe, the business of the Senate at the present time. I now see both Senators from Minnesota here, prepared to deal with that amendment.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I think we want to let the other Senator from Minnesota speak.

Mr. GORTON. The managers are prepared to accept the amendment.

Mr. GORTON. I believe we are ready to take a voice vote on this amendment.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I am grateful to the Senator from Michigan on two fronts: One, that we will not have to deal with the amendment on this bill--at least not on the subject of the bill itself--and substantively for bringing up a vitally important issue; and for his dedication, which I am certain was key to giving him the ability to bring this amendment to the floor of the Senate on a bill for which it is relevant and in a way that Members of the Senate will be able to vote on it. I wish him good fortune in that quest. His case was persuasively stated. Amendment No. 3773

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3773.

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

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this is a technical amendment. It is to correct an improper citation to public law referenced in the bill.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, on behalf of my colleague from West Virginia, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. GORTON

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

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, in the presence of the assistant Democratic leader, I ask unanimous consent that, with the exception of the Byrd amendment on bilateral trade, which will be disposed of this evening, votes occur on the other amendments listed in that order beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2000. I further ask unanimous consent that, upon final passage of H.R. 4205, the Senate amendment, be printed as passed. I further ask unanimous consent that, following disposition of H.R. 4205 and the appointment of conferees the Senate proceed immediately to the consideration en bloc of S. 2550, S. 2551, and S. 2552, Calendar Order Nos. 544, 545, and 546; that all after the enacting clause of these bills be stricken and that the appropriate portion of S. 2549, as amended, be inserted in lieu thereof, as follows: S. 2550: Insert Division A of S. 2549, as passed; S. 2551: Insert Division B of S. 2549, as passed; S. 2552: Insert Division C of S. 2549, as passed; that these bills be advanced to third reading and passed; that the motion to reconsider en bloc be laid upon the table; and that the above actions occur without intervening action or debate. Finally, I ask unanimous consent with respect to S. 2549, S. 2550, S. 2551, and S. 2552, as just passed by the Senate, that if the Senate receives a message with respect to any of these bills from the House of Representatives, the Senate disagree with the House on its amendment or amendments to the Senate-passed bill and agree to or request a conference, as appropriate, with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two houses; that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees; and that the foregoing occur without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. GORTON. I believe the Senator is correct.