Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move that the Senate stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, a constituent of mine, Vivian Dubreuil from Jackson, MS, passed away this morning. Vivian worked for Senator Jim Eastland for more than 22 years. She also worked for the Secretary for the Majority's Office and the Secretary of the Senate. After a long and successful career in the Senate, she retired to care for her mother in Jackson. She was very much a lady who performed many kindnesses for all who came in contact with her. She will be missed by her friends here in Washington and her family and friends in Jackson.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move to instruct the Sergeant at Arms to request the attendance of absent Senators. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the Senate has been on this Interior bill now for 6 session days and has not really scratched the surface of the bill. This is the 11th appropriations bill that the Senate has considered in preparation for the end of the fiscal year, which is September 30. Members will recall last week we spent most of our time on the campaign finance reform issue. This week there have been farm amendments as well as other amendments that are unrelated to Interior that are waiting in the wings. It looks like it will be very hard to keep focused on the Interior appropriations bill itself and get it completed. And, of course, that will affect the next two appropriations bills. Amendment No. 3581 I offered a consent agreement to debate the pending amendment for 2 hours. That is the amendment that Senator Daschle offered, with no action occurring, and then lay aside the amendment to consider a Kempthorne amendment relative to the Endangered Species Act. I understand some discussions are still going back and forth on the ESA amendment. That agreement has not been worked out and there are various reasons that it has been objected to. Therefore, I ask for the yeas and nays on the pending amendment, 3581.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, today I have the pleasure to announce that Senator Coats is the latest recipient of the prestigious Golden Gavel Award, marking his 100th hour as Presiding Officer over the U.S. Senate. The awarding of this Golden Gavel is particularly special, as Senator Coats is retiring at the end of this Congress. It was Senator Coats' desire to win a Golden Gavel before his departure. He has achieved this honor through dedication and the willingness to assist with presiding whenever possible. It is with sincere appreciation that I announce to the Senate the latest recipient of the Golden Gavel Award--Senator Dan Coats of Indiana.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the majority leader, after consultation with the Democratic leader, to proceed to the consideration of S. 2279, the Wendell Ford National Air Transportation System Improvement Act. I further ask that during the pendency of S. 2279 only relevant amendments be in order to the bill.

Mr. LOTT. Madam President, on this subject, this is a very important Federal Aviation Administration bill. It is critical and is must-pass legislation. I discussed it briefly with Senator Daschle and he indicates that he will work to see if we can clear any objections or holds that we might have on it. It involves billions of dollars in airport improvement grants, which cannot be distributed without the authorization bill that has been named the Wendell Ford bill, since he has been a member of the committee and has worked on this particular bill and its authorization for many years. It would provide funding for projects at nearly every airport in the Nation and for work that is really essential. I hope we can come to an agreement on this and get it up for consideration within the next 2 weeks so it won't get caught up and lost at the end of the session. So I will be talking further to Senator Daschle about this and any Senator that might have any problems. I know Senator McCain wishes to speak on this. I yield the floor. Mr. McCAIN addressed the Chair.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. From my leader time, I yield such time as he may consume to the Senator from Idaho, Senator Craig.

Mr. LOTT. I yield the remainder of my time to Senator Roberts. I understand we have one other Senator who would like to speak briefly, Senator Breaux. But first I yield that time to Senator Roberts.

Mr. LOTT. Do I have any time remaining?

Mr. LOTT. How much time is left?

Mr. LOTT. This is unusual. But in the hope that he will be brief, I yield the balance of that time to Senator Breaux. I am sure he will speak against this amendment in that time.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will begin debate in relation to the motion to proceed to S. 1981, the Truth in Employment Act, with the time between now and 1 p.m. equally divided between Senators Hutchinson and Kennedy or their designees. I see that Senator Hutchinson is on the floor and prepared to go forward and already has his charts on display here. I appreciate the work that he has done in this area. At 1 p.m. the Senate will resume consideration of the Interior appropriations bill. It is the majority leader's hope that the Interior bill will be finished the first part of this week. Last week there were other issues that were debated, that were attached to the Interior appropriations bill, and cloture votes that were also voted on. But I think this week it is important that we stay focused on the Interior appropriations bill, this afternoon and Tuesday and Wednesday, if necessary, to try to get it completed. That is an important part of us doing the people's business. Yes, there are a lot of distractions, but in the meantime the Senate must continue to go forward with the things that have to be done before we can go out at the end of this session so that our Members can go home and be with their constituents. So the Interior bill will be our principal focus this week. Senators who have amendments are encouraged to come to the floor. Don't keep shoving them off and saying, ``I will offer them later,'' ``I will offer them Tuesday,'' ``I will offer them Wednesday.'' You will wind up being here at 10 o'clock Wednesday night having to offer and debate your amendments. I hope that Senators will come forward and offer amendments if they have them. At 5 p.m., under a previous order, the Senate will resume debate in relation to the Truth in Employment Act until 5:30. At that time the Senate will proceed to a vote on cloture on a motion to proceed to the employment bill. Also at that time there could be a vote or votes on or in relation to amendments on the Interior appropriations bill. We do not have that locked in yet, but we would like to get some work done, and there is a likelihood that there will be a second vote following the vote that is already scheduled at 5:30. Further votes could occur, as I said, during this evening. And Members should expect that we will have to go into the evening almost every night this week. In addition, on Friday we did get a unanimous consent agreement with regard to how we would bring up and debate and vote on the bankruptcy reform bill. I thank Senators on both sides for working late into the night Thursday night and during the morning Friday, that allowed us to craft this unanimous consent agreement. We will bring that up the first opportunity we have--certainly only after consultation with the Democratic leader. But if we could finish the Interior bill at a reasonable time Wednesday, we could very well go to the bankruptcy bill either Wednesday night or Thursday, but it will depend on how things go between now and then. Also, I understand that the Banking Committee did report out, by a wide margin, the Financial Services Act last week. I had indicated to the chairman, Chairman D'Amato, that if they reported it out on a broad bipartisan vote, we would look for an opportunity to have a vote on that also. I don't know if that would come before next week or even the next week, but bankruptcy reform and the Financial Services Act would be two very large accomplishments, if we could get these done before we go out at the end of the session. So, again, I hope Senators will be prepared to work hard, offer their amendments, let us have our votes, and let us make some progress so we can show the American people, despite the distractions, we are doing our work. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Just to inform Members, we will have a second vote momentarily, but it will not be very long, I don't think. I believe the Democratic leader is going to have some brief remarks and then I have one Member who wants to have remarks printed in the Record, and Senator Craig wishes to make closing remarks on our side. So after a relatively brief period of time we will have another vote, and then that will be the last vote for tonight. Again, I am going to talk to Senator Daschle, but I believe the next vote will be at 2:15 tomorrow afternoon, after the luncheon. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, let me say, first, that this agreement has been worked out. I appreciate the cooperation of all Senators with regard to bankruptcy, and I think it is fair and everybody is comfortable with it. I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote scheduled today be vitiated. I further ask that the following amendments be the only second-degree amendments in order, and following the conclusion of the listed amendments the Senate proceed immediately to a vote on the committee substitute, as amended, and the Senate then proceed to the House companion bill, H.R. 3150, and all after the enacting clause be stricken, the text of S. 1301 be inserted, the bill be advanced to third reading and passage occur, all without further action or debate. I further ask that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House, and the Chair be authorized to appoint the following conferees on the part of the Senate. And they are Senators Hatch, Grassley, Sessions, Leahy, and Durbin. I further ask that the Senate proceed to S. 1301, under the agreement, at a time to be determined by the majority leader after consultation with the Democratic leader. I further ask that during the consideration of S. 1301, but not before Tuesday, September 15, the majority leader be recognized to lay aside the pending business and proceed to S. 1301 and Senator Kennedy be recognized to offer his second-degree amendment relative to the minimum wage and there be 2 hours equally divided prior to the motion to table and no further amendments be in order to the motion to table. I further ask that if the amendment is not tabled, this agreement be null and void.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 11 a.m. on Monday, September 14. I further ask that when the Senate reconvenes on Monday, immediately following the prayer, the routine requests through the morning hour be granted and the time until 1 p.m. be equally divided for debate relating to the motion to proceed to S. 1981, the Truth In Employment Act, with the time divided between Senator Hutchinson and Senator Kennedy or his designee. I further ask consent that at 1 p.m. the Senate resume consideration of the Interior appropriations bill. And I want to emphasize at this point that it would be my intent, the early part of next week, to be on the Interior appropriations bill Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Wednesday-- until we complete action. I know there have been other issues that have necessarily been offered this week on the Interior bill, and cloture votes, but I think next week it is important that we do get a focus on the Interior appropriations and complete action on that so that we can go to the remaining two appropriations bills. I further ask consent that at 5 p.m. there be 30 minutes of debate equally divided, again related to S. 1981, with the vote occurring on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 1981 at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

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

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could respond, that would mean that the routine business such as the reading of the Journal, things of that nature, would be deemed to have expired.

Mr. LOTT. I believe in the past, if I might respond to the Senator, that perhaps there had been a longer explanation as to what was included. Perhaps that is the way the Senator from West Virginia did it when he was majority leader. I think probably I may have caused this by indicating or asking if we couldn't do that in a little shorter phraseology. But I will go back and take a look at the best way to say that, so that Members' rights are protected and so that they will understand what is being asked for there.

Mr. LOTT. It does.

Mr. LOTT. Sure.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be a period for the transaction of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from West Virginia for yielding.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor. I thank Senator Byrd very much for his courtesy.