Mark Hatfield

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. I thank the Senator from New Jersey for his inquiry. My response is that, he is correct in his reading of this language. The intent is to ensure that academic, tutorial, or work and entrepreneurship programs constitute the primary feature of any local initiative funded through the Community Schools Program. I appreciate that there may be other activities or methods, such as mentoring, that are necessary as part of a more comprehensive program for youth. Community organizations that have already developed applications under the original authorization language should not be required to rewrite their applications to eliminate all mention of such incidental activities.

Mr. HATFIELD. This is my view also, and I believe it will help to make this program successful. center for ecology research and training

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to share with my colleagues my understanding of subsection (i) of section 2001 of H.R. 1944. This subsection contains references to several specific Federal statutes as well as general references to Federal laws, including treaties, compacts, and international agreements. It is my understanding that the reference to treaties is made in response to allegations that passage and implementation of section 2001 would result in violation of the North American Free-Trade Agreement or the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. forest health

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter addressed to the Democratic leader, which is identical to the letter sent to the Republican leader, from Alice Rivlin indicating the administration's full support for the bill as it was passed by the House, be printed in the Record.

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on final passage.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, first of all, I would like to take this occasion to thank Senators Wellstone and Moseley-Braun, the minority leader, the majority leader, the White House, and all the participants who have sought to resolve this issue and bring this to a vote on the rescissions package. I also thank Senator Byrd, as our ranking member of this subcommittee, for giving leadership in every instance of this committee's activity. And I especially want to thank Senator Byrd for his participation, as well. Mr. President, the Wellstone amendment adds back $651 million into the rescissions package, or reduces rescissions by that figure; $332 million for 8 education and job training programs; and $319 million for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program. These add-backs are over and above the levels for these programs negotiated with the President of the United States, the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well, and this includes the Democratic leadership of both the House and Senate. In the case of youth training, education technology, and the Eisenhower Professional Development Programs, the add-backs in the Wellstone amendment exceed the levels agreed to in the so-called Dole- Daschle compromise. That was back when the rescissions package was being acted upon by the Senate. And the Dole-Daschle compromise became our point of reference, our guidelines in the conference with the House of Representatives. That was the original rescissions package. Let me emphasize again that in those areas, the Wellstone amendment exceeds those levels that this Senate passed. The provisions of H.R. 1944 are the product of extensive negotiations over several months. To add back funding for these programs at this time jeopardizes the enactment of this bill. I say that because of the fact that if we change this bill, it goes back to the House of Representatives again for an action, and if the House of Representatives refuses to adopt any changes that we have made in this rescissions package at this time, they can demand a conference, and we would be back into that process of a conference. Notwithstanding that, we would be thrown back in the situation of negotiating again with the White House, who vetoed the first bill. To add back funding for these programs at this particular time jeopardizes the enactment of this bill, which is an emergency supplement to assist in providing for disaster assistance, for antiterrorism initiatives, for assistance in the recovery of the tragedy that occurred in Oklahoma City, and for making rescissions. Additionally, the Wellstone amendment jeopardizes funding for fiscal year 1996 for the very programs he seeks to protect. Without enactment of H.R. 1944, the Labor-HHS and Education subcommittee alone will be forced to absorb an additional $3 billion in budget authority and $1.3 billion in outlays within its already reduced allocations for 1996, because of the reduced budget resolution. The committee already has a tough job ahead. Adoption of the Wellstone amendment would make that job even more difficult by putting off until another day on reducing the growth of Federal spending. Mr. President, how many minutes did I use?

Mr. HATFIELD. I yield to the Senator from West Virginia.

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I will have to object to that.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I will propound a unanimous-consent agreement on the legislative appropriations bill that we passed last night. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate insist on its amendments to H.R. 1854, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and that the Chair appoint conferees.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I wish to take just a couple minutes to indicate my congratulations and my commendation to the Subcommittee on Military Construction. I would like to remind the Senate that this is the first action of the Appropriations Committee in the Chamber under the new majority rule. We came to the floor with very great efficiency considering that we were required to wait until the conference committee had completed work on the Budget Committee budget resolution. We were only able to issue our 602(b) allocations at the first of the week. We have now completed two appropriations bills on the floor. We will report four more out next week. I wish to also acknowledge the efficiency and smooth operation that has thus far characterized these two bills. In great part, it is because of the professional staff. I raise that first instead of the normal way of talking about the Members. I wish to make that a point because our staff has been so focused on professionalism on our committee and a nonpartisan approach. You can note very little disturbance or confusion in the readjustment of moving from the majority to the minority or the minority to the majority; our staffs have that continuity and expertise. I refer specifically to Jim Morhard on our side and Dick D'Amato on the minority side. Not only are they experts and have the continuity of service, but they really provide us with stability and efficiency within this committee. Needless to say, the leadership of the committee is in the hands of very capable people, Senator Burns of Montana and Senator Reid of Nevada. Both of them are veterans on that committee and both of them have provided leadership as they have been on that committee, Senator Reid first as a part of the majority and now the minority, Senator Burns in the minority and now the majority. If you see these two gentlemen work in their committee, you would have no way to detect any difference of performance, any less dedication or any less efficiency. So I wish to commend the leaders for providing that kind of virus that infects our staff and creates a harmonious committee. Senator Byrd, the ranking member of our committee, certainly has become again a part of that overall philosophy and that kind of performance of our committee, and I wish to take this time to thank Senator Byrd as well, the ranking member of the full committee.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 144, S. 1023.

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered and deemed read a third time, passed, and that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be placed at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, the broadcasting and cable industry will honor an Oregon legend this fall, when television pioneer Bill Smullin will be inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. Bill's life is remembered for his contributions and achievements, including the establishment of broadcast and cable television in southern Oregon and northern California. In 1930, Bill Smullin founded Oregon-California Broadcasting, Inc., and later began the fist VHF television station in Oregon. His company provided cable television in the region by transmitting signals via microwave from Portland and San Francisco to southern Oregon. Those of us who had the honor of knowing Bill have fond personal memories. He was as giving to the community as to his friends. I know his family is pleased that he is being afforded this prestigious professional honor and send my congratulations to them.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, under the previous order, the Senate will resume consideration of the MILCON appropriations bill at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Also, under the unanimous consent agreement entered into earlier this evening, the Senate will resume consideration of the rescissions bill at 10:20 tomorrow morning. Under that agreement, there will be approximately 40 minutes of debate remaining on the bill. Following that debate, at approximately 11 a.m. the Senate will proceed to vote on a motion to table the first Wellstone amendment. That vote may be followed by an immediate vote on the motion to table the second Wellstone amendment to be followed by a vote on passage of the rescissions bill. All Senators should, therefore, be aware that rollcall votes will occur throughout Friday's session of the Senate.

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask that the Senate stand in recess under the previous order.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now turn to the consideration of Calendar No. 134, S. 638, regarding the insular areas, that the committee substitute be agreed to, that the bill be read for a third time, and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, what is the parliamentary situation?

Mr. HATFIELD. I have 30 minutes.

Mr. HATFIELD. The proponents?

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it stand in recess until the hour of 9 a.m. on Friday, July 21, 1995; that following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be deemed approved to date, that the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and that the Senate then immediately begin consideration of H.R. 1817, the military construction appropriations bill.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period for the transaction of routine morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I would like to propound a unanimous- consent agreement relating to a rescission package that has been here before the Senate. I understand that it has been agreed to by the parties involved and the leadership on both sides of the aisle. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the legislative appropriations bill, the Senate turn to the consideration of H.R. 1944 and it be considered under the following agreement: One amendment in order to be offered by Senators Wellstone and Moseley-Braun regarding education funding, job training, and low-income energy assistance, on which there be a division, and each of the two divisions be limited to 1 hour each, to be equally divided in the usual form and with all time being used tonight except for 30 minutes under the control of Senators Wellstone and Moseley-Braun; and that at 10:10 a.m. the managers be recognized to utilize 20 minutes for debate to be followed by Senators Wellstone and Moseley-Braun to be recognized for their 30 minutes of debate, to be followed by a vote on a motion to table the first Wellstone division, and that following that vote, the majority leader be recognized to place the bill on the calendar, and if that action is not exercised, the Senate then proceed immediately to a vote on a motion to table the second Wellstone division, and that following that vote, the majority leader be recognized to exercise the same right with respect to placing the bill on the calendar, and if that action is not utilized, the Senate proceed immediately to a vote on passage of H.R. 1944.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I will take this opportunity to congratulate the managers of the first appropriations bill to come to the floor, Senator Mack of Florida and Senator Murray of Washington State. We started them off here on the trail to sort of get a feel of the body in terms of acting on these appropriations measures. They have not only demonstrated the skill in putting the bill together in the committee framework, but certainly here managing on the floor. Mr. President, this is a very tough year for the Appropriations Committee. It is a tough year for all Members, but especially the Appropriations Committee, because in effect we are playing the implementer, the mortician, the executioner, and many other roles in terms of the budget resolution and all the other various forces that are forcing Members to face up to some of these fiscal problems. I hope that at an appropriate time we reconsider an action that would permit legislation on appropriations, because this type of legislation attracts all kinds of policy issues. It should not be on this bill or on any other appropriations bill. We must resist that effort on the floor and on the part of the committee. Since we found the test case, we will bring some more appropriations bills. But I want to thank these managers. I have one further point to make, and that is when I visited Antarctica and was introduced to the culture of penguins, and one of the things about the culture was that there are seals, giants seals under the ice. The penguins go along the edge of the ice looking into the water to see if there are any seals there, and they are not certain by their vision. So pretty soon they nudge one into the water, and if they swim away, there are no seals and the others jump in. So to speak, an analogy can be drawn here tonight. We have had the seal test and it has passed well. I congratulate my colleagues.

Mr. HATFIELD

Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress, I am introducing legislation today to reauthorize the Library's American Folklife Center for fiscal years 1996 though 1999. I am pleased to have all the members of the Joint Committee on the Library and Senator Reid join me in this effort as cosponsors. The American Folklife Preservation Act of 1976 established the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress with a mandate to ``preserve and present American folklife.'' This remarkable institution contains the nation's foremost collection of folklife materials, including over 1 million manuscripts, sound recordings, photographs, films, videos, periodicals, and other printed information which chronicle the grassroots cultural traditions of the American people. No other public or private establishment can compare to the Folklife Center's extensive accumulation of American folklife. In addition to maintaining a comprehensive record of our Nation's diverse culture, the Folklife Center is also an interactive and widely used institution. The folklife reading room is the largest reading room in the nation with public access to folklife collections and publications. During 1994 the folklife reading room assisted nearly 9,000 researchers. Additionally, the Folklife Center is well known for its popular public exhibitions and presentations, such as the summer folklife music concert series in front of the Jefferson Building. This year the series opened with a performance of cajun zydeco and will close with the Argentine tango. The Folklife Center is also well known for its programs which have traveled throughout the United States. For instance, the Folklife Center's photographic exhibit ``Generation to Generation: Sharing the Intangible,'' which depicts grassroots culture bridging the differences between older and younger individuals, had a brief stay at the Hood River County Historical Museum in Hood River, OR. Mr. President, the American Folklife Center accomplishes its broad mandate with minimal funding and through the efforts of creative individuals. The Folklife Center has a staff of only 15 and their authorization level has been frozen since 1992. However, in 1994 they raised $330,000--3 times the amount raised in 1990--in private funding and they have a multi-year plan to increase private funding. Consequently, the legislation I am introducing today provides a modest increase in their annual authorization from the current level of $1,120,000 to $1,187,000 for the next 4 fiscal years. The American Folklife Center is an important investment in preserving our Nation's cultural background that will serve future generations as a historical reference and educational guide. I hope my colleagues will continue to support the Folklife Center by approving this legislation.