Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, the amendment is cleared on this side.

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

Mr. LEVIN. If the Senator from Nevada will yield for an additional question, there are a number of amendments which I understand may be worked out between now and 2 o'clock.

Mr. LEVIN. If the Senator will yield on that point, we do mandate end strength. It is called the floor.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I congratulate the Senator from Rhode Island on his amendment. I think he may want to take a minute to describe it. I will yield the floor for that purpose, and then I would like to add a comment on it of my own. I yield the floor.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Nelson for his determination and passion on this issue. It will benefit the veterans who may have been affected. We are happy to work with him. Hopefully, his leadership will produce the critically necessary information we need to help with their medical situation. They are all in his debt and this body is as well.

Mr. LEVIN

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

Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent Senator Nelson be recognized as in morning business and that we then return immediately to the pending amendment.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the proceedings under the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LEVIN. I move to lay that motion on the table. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on behalf Senator Reid, I offer an amendment which would revise the language in section 2841 of the bill authorizing transfer of funds from the Air Force to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out the terms of a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000 relative to a land withdrawal at Nellis Air Force Base, NV.

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been cleared.

Mr. LEVIN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. If it is 5 minutes each, that is fine.

Mr. LEVIN. I would like some indication of approximately how long each Senator plans on speaking. I have no desire to limit them, but I would like to get an idea.

Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to object, was that a unanimous consent request?

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Yes, you are correct. The committee believes that innovative partnerships, better business practices, and the continuation and expansion of the innovative personnel demonstrations authorized in this and other programs are all important for the revitalization of the Department's labs and test centers.

Mr. LEVIN. A competitive process will be used to select participants in any of the partnerships established by the legislation.

Mr. LEVIN. I am familiar with the Aberdeen proposal and this legislation could be used to implement their plans, if the Secretary of Defense designates it.

Mr. LEVIN. If he choose to establish an LLC as part of the program, the Secretary of Defense will designate its location from among the DoD organizations participating in the pilot program.

Mr. LEVIN. Section 241 is part of the Senate's continuing efforts to improve the Department's labs and test centers. This pilot program expands and authorizes a number of innovative business practice and personnel demonstrations that are very important to developing the technological superiority that our military needs. The legislation will extend the time period for the pilot program authority for three years. This extension is consistent with the Department of Defense's legislative proposals that the Armed Services Committee received. I would like to thank Senator Landrieu, chair of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, for taking the lead in developing this legislation.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, the second degree amendment which I have offered expresses the determination and decision of Congress that the war on terrorism should be ``the top priority'' for spending the additional funds identified by the pending Warner amendment. The Warner amendment specifies two possible purposes for the expected additional funds following the inflation recalculation in the midsession review. The first specified purpose is ballistic missile defense programs. The second specified purpose is combating terrorism at home and abroad. My amendment is based on the large number of unmet needs in our war against terrorism, including those identified by the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We should put additional resources where the greatest threats exist, and the terrorist threat is clearly the number one threat that we face. There have been a number of efforts in the last twenty-four hours to persuade me to weaken my amendment or to dilute its intention away from focusing resources on combatting terrorism. I, along with my colleagues, including Senators Harry Reid and Jack Reed, have resisted these efforts. We will soon determine whether my amendment is adopted by voice vote or whether there will be a rollcall on it. But whichever way we decide to proceed, one thing needs to be clear, which is that the express language and intent of my amendment is that Congress speak clearly as to what it views as the top priority for the expenditure of any additional funds from the inflation recalculation. That priority is ``combating terrorism at home and abroad.'' I urge my colleagues to support my second-degree amendment.