Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been cleared on this side.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to make a few remarks about the amendment my friend, Senator Warner, has offered concerning an open season for enrollment in the military Survivor Benefit Program. I understand my colleague's views that it is time to offer the possibility of enrollment in this plan to retirees who have, under different circumstances, chosen not to enroll. I have been told that the Department of Defense has determined that the amendment, as written, is actuarially sound. As I understand it, that means that this amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to set premiums for those who enroll during the proposed open season so that these individuals pay back amounts equal to the amounts they would have paid had they enrolled upon retirement. According to DOD, this amendment is not unfair in a monetary sense to those who enrolled upon retirement and have been paying premiums into this program since that time. Nonetheless, I still have several concerns. This amendment would allow all retirees, regardless of the state of their health, to buy into the program and, in effect, purchase annuities for their spouses that could cover any number of years. Even though the Department believes the amendment to be actuarially sound, this could, in my view, work to the detriment of the military retirement fund from which survivors' annuities are paid. What if all the new enrollees were terminally ill? A 90-year old retiree could conceivably enroll under the Warner amendment, pay premiums for two years and then leave an annuity for his survivors that would be paid from the retirement funds for a long time. I also remain concerned about the effect this open season would have on the tendency of younger military personnel to enroll in the program upon retirement. I am concerned that an open season like this would serve as a disincentive to enrollment by encouraging service men and women not to enroll at the time they retire and, instead, gamble that Congress will authorize another open season at some point before they die. If this is the case, it would not be in the best interests of the program or the service members. Because of these concerns and the Department's objections, I look forward to working with Senator Warner between now and the end of conference to address these concerns.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Lieberman, I offer an amendment that provides authority for the Department of Defense to set aside funds for a NATO alliance ground surveillance concept definition.

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

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been cleared on this side.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the amendment has been cleared on this side.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I believe the amendment has been cleared.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I offer an amendment that would change the name of the Director, Defense Research and Engineering, DDR&E, to Director, Defense Technology and Counter-proliferation, and would also abolish the position of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological matters and move the Nuclear Weapons Council responsibilities now carried out by that position to the renamed Director, Defense Technology and Counterproliferation.

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

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

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been cleared. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the amendment is agreed to.

Mr. LEVIN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2745 (Purpose: To reduce the authority in section 1012 to enter into long- term charters for three vessels in support of submarine rescue, escort, and towing)

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been cleared by this side. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the amendment is agreed to.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I believe the amendment has been cleared by the other side.

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

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Feinstein, I offer an amendment that would prohibit members of the Armed Forces from presenting a military award to any person in prisons or correctional facilities.

Mr. LEVIN. The amendment has been 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. Amendment No. 2741 (Purpose: To establish additional requirements relating to the relocation of Federal frequencies)

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I believe the other side has cleared this amendment.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I believe this amendment has been cleared by the other side.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Where does that leave Chuck?