Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. How much time does the sponsor have remaining?

Mr. LEVIN. How much time does each side have?

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I support the Lautenberg-Jeffords-Akaka amendment. It has been said earlier in the debate that the DOD spokesperson said all the Department wants to do is codify the Clinton administration approach to this issue of endangered species on military lands. That is precisely what the Lautenberg amendment does. If we want to codify--as the opponents of the amendment say they want--what the Clinton administration did relative to this issue, this is the way to codify it. If we don't adopt this amendment, it is not in our code. It is not codified. I support the amendment and hope it can be adopted.

Mr. LEVIN. Will the Senator yield for a unanimous consent agreement which I believe the Senator is interested in.

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

Mr. LEVIN. Yes.

Mr. LEVIN. I commend the Senator from Texas for this amendment. I have, as recently as last weekend been reminded about the role of families as I joined hundreds of families and family members in welcoming home the National Guardsmen and Reserve officers from their tour of duty in Iraq. I was in Battle Creek, MI, to receive back the 110th Tactical Fighter Wing. The contribution of our Guard and Reserve is more and more relied upon, I agree with the Senator, to too great an extent. We have to do something about that. In the meantime, families are at the center of this effort and we must do more for families. I know the chairman of our committee will seek to protect the language we are adding and enhance it in conference, and I will join him in that effort.

Mr. LEVIN. It may be later than 2.

Mr. LEVIN. Will the Senator be able to go immediately after the disposition of the Lautenberg amendment, which would be about 2 o'clock, or 1:30 or 2?

Mr. LEVIN. That is correct.

Mr. LEVIN. We are not invited.

Mr. LEVIN. What dinner would we also be missing?

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

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

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I hate to interrupt our dear friend and mentor from West Virginia but I must do so just to tell him that those remarks of our dear friend from Virginia were merited, indeed.

Mr. LEVIN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I very much support the amendment for the reasons given by the Senator from Virginia. I commend our good friend from Florida for his initiative.

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

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

Mr. LEVIN. A great sigh of relief.

Mr. LEVIN. Something to look forward to.

Mr. LEVIN. I thank my good friend from Virginia. We are both in the debt of the Presiding Officer, who has been patient through some long delays. They have been essential.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Dodd, I offer an amendment which requires the Army to study the use of a second source of production for gears incorporated into CH-47 helicopter transmissions.