Judd Gregg

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Reclaiming my time.

Mr. GREGG. Did the Senator from Kentucky get his 30 seconds?

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, we are going to have a lot of time to debate health care. I suspect the Senator from Kentucky may want to respond to the Senator.

Mr. GREGG. I withdraw the unanimous consent request. Mr. HATCH addressed the Chair.

Mr. GREGG. I yield the floor.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. No. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I think the Senator from Illinois has proposed a strong amendment here, and it has been strengthened further by the Senator from Idaho. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

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

Mr. GREGG. Funding for this program was at $2.75 million for several years in the past but it declined to $2.4 million and has been at or below that level in recent years. The current bill does not include any funding for the Congress-Bundestag Program but it does not prohibit any funding either. We suggest in the report language that there are other competing priorities which make it difficult to fund all requests for cultural and educational exchanges.

Mr. GREGG. Yes. The President has announced his intention to request an increase for this program in the year following the current fiscal year. I will look forward to that request.

Mr. GREGG. In light of this agreement, there will be no further votes this evening, and the next votes will be in a stacked sequence beginning at 9:40 a.m.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to debate the following amendments--one which we are now debating--with votes in relation to the issues to be postponed to occur on Wednesday, July 22, at 9:40 a.m. I further ask unanimous consent that no second-degree amendments be in order, and that all debate be concluded this evening; that there be 2 minutes for debate for closing remarks prior to each vote in the stacked sequence, with the exception of the vote in relation to the Bumpers amendment, on which there will be 10 minutes for closing remarks. The amendments to be debated are as follows: Moseley-Braun, an Internet prevention amendment; Graham of Florida, sheriff's auction; and Bumpers amendment on grand juries, which we are presently debating.

Mr. GREGG. Will the Senator from Arkansas yield for a unanimous consent request?

Mr. GREGG. I thank the Senator.

Mr. GREGG. We would look forward to a vote on the Senator's amendment, but we do want to reserve the right to a second degree.

Mr. GREGG. That is why we are meditating on the yeas and nays.

Mr. GREGG. We were working on a unanimous consent agreement that would allow a second degree to be offered to the Senator's amendment, which would be reserved to the majority. Does the Senator object to such an option? It would be a relative second degree.

Mr. GREGG. Will the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I understand there is a bill at the desk awaiting its second reading.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. That is correct, and I appreciate my colleague from North Carolina bringing this matter to my attention. I look forward to working with him until this worthy project is completed.

Mr. GREGG. No, quite the contrary. ONDCP is to continue in its important work, and the Department of Justice is to provide ONDCP with such assistance as it may need to develop and implement the National Drug Control Strategy and the Performance Measures of Effectiveness System.

Mr. GREGG. I appreciate both Senators' concerns on this subject. Although I see how it might be possible to read this into the Committee's Report, this is not the Committee's intent. The Department of Justice, like all Executive Agencies, is to develop a meaningful strategic plan and performance measures under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). In so doing, the Committee wants to be certain that these GPRA efforts are consistent with the National Drug Control Strategy and the ONDCP's Performance Measures of Effectiveness System (PME). The Department of Justice must demonstrate how its own drug programs contribute to the achievement of outcomes articulated in the ONDCP's PME system. To ensure this, the Attorney General must work closely with ONDCP on the further implementation of the National Drug Control Strategy and PME system, particularly by linking its drug control budget resources to the outcomes articulated by the PME system. The Justice Department should also consult with other departments with expertise in particular drug control areas, to the extent that it needs assistance in meeting PME system goals.

Mr. GREGG. Yes, I would agree that the NTIA should give the same consideration to the UI's proposal as to the listed proposals. coordinated drug strategy

Mr. GREGG. Yes, that is true. In fact, in the report, the Committee identified several projects in rural states around the country and encouraged the NTIA to give particular attention to these requests for funding assistance under the IIG program.