Orrin Hatch

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. We have on the LIFE Act. It is part of the bill.

Mr. HATCH. I don't think it is. We have held a number of hearings. The Subcommittee on Immigration holds hearings, which is chaired by Senator Abraham and the ranking member, Senator Kennedy. We have been trying to do an agricultural bill, H-1B, H-1A. There are a whole raft of things we have been trying to do. We have also worked consistently on the committee with the INS, the administration, and the Justice Department to resolve problems. I work on them all the time.

Mr. HATCH. The visa waiver bill was brought to the floor. As I understands, we have had 8 years of this administration and they haven't brought anything to the floor either, nor have they asked us to do anything here.

Mr. HATCH. Here is the problem. This was never faced by the administration until the spring of last year.

Mr. HATCH. If the Senator will allow me to respond, yes, there is another side of the story. I work on it all the time. A high percentage of people who come to my office have immigration problems. I work very hard to try to resolve them. But for 7\1/2\ years the administration has not raised this. We have had hearings on restructuring INS and straightening out some of the problems. But for 7\1/2\ years, the INS has fought against the 1982 people who we resolved in this bill called the LIFE Act that is in this bill. The Clinton administration INS has fought the 1982 class' efforts to get due process every year since I have been here. It is one of the things that I wanted resolved, we have resolved it with the LIFE Act. With regard to 245(i), I would like to do more, to be honest with you. But that is a minor problem compared to bringing in before them people who basically are illegal and who haven't played by the rules.

Mr. HATCH. If you would let me finish my thought.

Mr. HATCH. Especially under these circumstances.

Mr. HATCH. One reason why it is difficult to do so is because of the wide disparity of different beliefs, and if one House or the other won't let it come to the floor.

Mr. HATCH. That is not my point. In this climate, any single Senator can stop anything. In the House of Representatives, any block of Members can stop anything. These are hot-button issues, and I think it is pretty amazing what we have been able to get done.

Mr. HATCH. Can I make one last comment with the indulgence of my friend?

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. I am happy to.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President I rise again today to urge President Clinton not to veto the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill that the Senate passed yesterday. President Clinton has threatened a veto because we did not include his so-called Latino fairness act. But have included something much better--the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act, the LIFE Act. This act reunites families and restores due process to those who have played by the rules. Our proposal does not pit one nationality against another, nor does it pit one race against another. Our legislation provides relief to immigrants from all countries. A veto of CJS would be a blow against immigrant fairness. But a veto would do far more than that. A veto would cut off funding for some of our most important programs. CJS appropriations allocates: $4.8 billion for the INS and an additional $15.7 million for Border Patrol equipment upgrades, $3.3 billion for the FBI, and $221 million for training, equipment, and research and development programs to combat domestic terrorism, $4.3 billion for the federal prison system; $1.3 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration; and $288 million for the Violence Against Women Act program--legislation that I have strongly supported and that provides assistance to battered women and children. Actions have consequences. If President Clinton vetoes this bill, he's putting the public's safety and well-being at risk both at home and abroad. and he's doing this all in an effort to play wedge politics. the President's veto threats ring especially hollow because this appropriations bill provides many proposals to help immigrants. The President himself has stated that he wants ``to keep families together and to make our immigration policies more equitable.'' Well, this is exactly what the LIFE Act does. So, please, I ask Mr. Clinton, sign CJS appropriations so we can keep all of these programs funded for the American people.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, the Bible says in Ecclesiastes, ``To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.'' And, now, as the 106th Congress is coming to a close, the hour has come to pay tribute to five distinguished colleagues--Senators with whom I have had the honor and pleasure of working. These gentlemen of the Senate have decided that it is now time to embark on a new chapter in their lives. Each in his own way has left behind a part of their vision for America and has influenced the course of our country. The Senate Finance Committee is seeing a great exodus as four of the five Senators retiring served this Committee. I will certainly miss their participation on this committee and the leadership on key issues. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and I were elected to the Senate from our respective states in the same year--1976. So we two freshman learned the ways of this august body at the same time. And, I have to say to my colleagues who have more recently been elected to this body, that was no minor education. We began our Senate service with giants like James O. Eastland, Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, and Howard Baker. The difference was that Pat Moynihan had already had a distinguished career in public service having served as urban affairs advisor to President Nixon and as Ambassador to India and the United Nations. I have always had great admiration for his strong character, great intellect and exceptional diplomacy--particularly on those occasions when it was between warring political parties, not countries. Senator Moynihan is famous for spotting emerging issues long before anyone else. He has been warning for years that Social Security needs reform. He has urged reform of the alternative minimum tax, and worked tirelessly in the effort to reform a broken welfare system. On the candor scale, Senator Robert Kerrey would rank near the top. That is a commodity sadly lacking in many circles--and not just in government, but in business and academia as well. Bob Kerrey has been as courageous about sharing his opinions as he was when serving in the Vietnam war, during which he was awarded a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and our nation's highest honor, the Congressional of Medal of Honor. He left the governorship of Nebraska with a 70 percent approval rating, which tells us something about his record of employing common sense and exercising integrity in governance. Nebraskans are no nonsense, hard-working people. They would not have tolerated any less. Bob Kerrey has put those same virtues to work in the Senate, particularly in our bipartisan efforts to reform Social Security and Medicare as well as the IRS. I am going to miss my colleague from the West, Senator Richard Bryan. Though we have not agreed on every issue--who does?--we have a common appreciation for the impact of federal policy on the western states. I was also most appreciative and grateful for his honest, straightforward, and thorough leadership of the Senate Ethics Committee--no doubt one of the more thankless jobs in the Senate. But, every senator, regardless of political party, could be assured that, if wrongs had been committed, they would certainly be found out. If allegations were false, the verdict would be made clear to all. Senator Frank Lautenberg, like me, is living proof that the American dream can come true. His hard work, determination, and ingenuity brought him from humble beginnings to build with two partners the Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Company, which became the world's largest computing services company. I was pleased to work with Senator Lautenberg on legislation to prohibit smoking on public transportation. He has been a tireless worker in the war to prevent teenage smoking. To my Democratic colleagues, Senators Lautenberg, Moynihan, Bryan and Kerrey: We have battled through many issues, each of us committed to doing what we believed was best for America and for our respective states. There has never been a dull moment. It has been a privilege to work with you. Last but not least, I have to bid farewell to my fellow Republican and Finance Committee member, Senator Connie Mack. His friendship, leadership, and dedication to furthering the causes of fiscal responsibility, governmental accountability, and medical research will be greatly missed. Senator Mack has successfully fought for Florida's concerns and kept his campaign promise of ``less taxing, less spending, less government and more freedom,'' which resulted in 70 percent of the vote in 1994, more than any other Republican Senatorial candidate in the Nation. The Roman politician Cicero states, ``It is the character of a brave and resolute man not to be ruffled by adversity and not to desert his post.'' I believe Senator Mack has been this exemplary leader; and, instead of faltering like most men, Senator Mack had the ability to rise above not one, but three, personal battles with cancer--his wife's, his daughter's and his own. Senator Mack lost his mother, father and younger brother to cancer. This history makes the Mack's the poster family for early detection, a role they have indefatigably played. Drawing from this experience, Senator Mack has fought to double the funding for National Institute of Health (NIH) in order to step up the search for a cure for cancer as well as other diseases that plague our families and society today. This is a goal I will continue to support not as a legacy for Connie Mack, but inspired by him and his family. It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve with these men, and I want to take this opportunity to bid farewell and best wishes to our colleagues as they begin what I hope will be a very rewarding retirement.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will vote on the continuing resolution at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. Further, the Senate will convene on Sunday at 4 p.m., for those Senators who want to make statements, and we will vote on another continuing resolution at 7 p.m. As a reminder, votes on continuing resolutions will be necessary each day prior to adjournment. The appropriations negotiations are ongoing, and it is hoped that the Senate can adjourn by early next week.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask that the Senate stand in recess under the previous order following the remarks of Senator Byrd, Senator Reid of Nevada, Senator Reed of Rhode Island, and Senator Graham of Florida.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. HATCH. Senator Cochran has an amendment at the desk, and I ask for its consideration.

Mr. HATCH. I ask unanimous consent that the Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 2789, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it recess until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 29. I further ask consent that on Saturday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then proceed to a vote on the continuing resolution, as under a previous order.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consider the following bills en bloc: H.R. 4794 and H.R. 5478.

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record, with the above occurring en bloc.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. I ask consent that the Senate agree to the amendments of the House for each bill, en bloc.

Mr. HATCH

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment numbered 4352 to S. 1761 be agreed to, the bills be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record, with the above occurring en bloc.

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Energy Committee be discharged from the following bill and the Senate proceed to its consideration and the consideration of the following bill on the calendar: S. 1761 from the Energy Committee; Calendar No. 855, H.R. 1235.