Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 10 a.m., Friday, March 14. I further ask consent that on Friday, immediately following the prayer, the routine requests through the morning hour be granted, and that the Senate then proceed immediately to the consideration of Senate Joint Resolution 22, the independent counsel resolution.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, this agreement would allow the Senate to begin debate on this very important joint resolution regarding the appointment of an independent counsel at 10 a.m., on Friday. It is my understanding that the Democratic leader is discussing what amendments would be offered to this resolution. Perhaps he is meeting on that at this time. When the Senate resumes its consideration, then, on Monday, we would begin to take up the amendments, if any. In addition, it is my hope that, prior to the close of business on Friday, I will be able to inform the Senate as to not only the number of amendments we can expect, again, if any, on the other side of the aisle, but also I will be able to set a consent time for final passage, potentially as early as Wednesday of next week. It is our hope that we can get a vote on the independent counsel issue by Wednesday of next week. Then we will be able, on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday, to deal with the Mexico certification issue, assuming we have that worked out in a way we would want to bring it to the floor at that time. Again, I am still discussing that with the Democratic leader, and there is communication from both sides of the aisle with the administration. So we don't know yet if that will happen, or what form it will be in. I look forward to further discussions with the minority leader on this issue. I hope it will not be necessary to file a cloture motion on this resolution in order to bring it to conclusion by mid- week. I haven't had an indication that that will be the case. I am thankful for the cooperation we have had in getting this agreement worked out. In light of this agreement, and the agreement reached earlier calling for a vote on the constitutional amendment for campaign expenditures at 2:45 Tuesday, I am pleased to announce there will be no votes during Friday's or Monday's session of the Senate. The next vote will occur 2:45 Tuesday, March 18.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Airland Forces be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 10 a.m. in open session, to receive testimony on the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 1998 and the future years Defense Program.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, Narcotics and Terrorism of the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 1 p.m. to hold a briefing, and at 2 p.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 1997 to receive testimony on U.S. National Security Space Programs and Policies and the Department of Defense budget request for fiscal year 1998 and the future years Defense program.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on International Economic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion of the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 10 a.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on March 12, 1997, at 2 p.m. on universal service.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997 at 9 a.m. to hold an open hearing on the Nomination of Anthony Lake to be Director of Central Intelligence.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997 beginning at 9:30 a.m. until business is completed, to hold an oversight hearing on the operations of the Smithsonian Institution, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 2:30 p.m. in room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Building with the Committee of Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to conduct a joint oversight hearing on Indian housing programs operated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD].

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the Finance Committee requests unanimous consent to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, beginning at 10 a.m. in room 215 Dirksen.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Labor and Human Resources be authorized to meet for a Public Health and Safety Subcommittee Hearing on Scientific Discoveries in Cloning: Challenges for public policy, during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 2 p.m. in open session, to receive testimony on Department of Defense policies pertaining to military compensation and quality of life programs in review of the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 1998 and the future years Defense program.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be granted permission to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 12, for the purpose of conducting a full committee business meeting which is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. The purpose of this business meeting is to consider S. 104, to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could be further heard on this, and I will be relatively brief, I must say, I think this objection is, at the very least, very unfortunate. It has been my understanding that we are operating in good faith with respect to the confirmation of Mr. Pena and the markup of the nuclear waste bill. I have made a special effort to get this nomination up this morning. We had a lot of communication with the ranking member, the chairman and other Members interested in the confirmation of the Secretary of Energy designee, with the understanding, clearly, that the nuclear waste bill could go forward. Since this objection has now been raised, the Energy Committee cannot complete its business with respect to reporting out the nuclear waste bill today. It is my understanding they will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30 in order to take action on this very important nuclear waste bill. I say again, I have been trying to be cooperative in trying to move nominations. I worked with those who had objections in the committee. I helped work out a process where the chairman could schedule this nominee for a vote, and then I worked with the other objections we had on this side of the aisle from the Senator from Minnesota, Senator Grams. He was able to make his remarks this morning. We agreed that we would have a vote at 12:30, or quarter to 1, I believe, now, all this under the assumption that we were working in good faith. Now we have an objection to the committee meeting to report out a bill which has overwhelming support of the full Senate and will have overwhelming support in the committee. This is not a good sign, but it is just one of many bad signs that we are seeing, in my view, from the standpoint of being able to work together for the good of the country. So it is a very unfortunate decision, and it will not be without consequences. I yield the floor, Mr. President.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I thank the Chair.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I further ask unanimous consent that there be 1 hour equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, with an additional 10 minutes under the control of Senator Specter--I want to emphasize that I presume that time will be 30 minutes on our side, under the control of Senator Thompson, and 30 minutes on the other side, under the control of Senator Glenn--and following the conclusion or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to vote on adoption of Senate Resolution 39, as amended, without further action or debate, and that the vote occur at 6:30 p.m. this evening.

Mr. LOTT. Let me add, Mr. President, I had intended to offer an amendment this afternoon to the resolution calling for the appointment of an independent counsel. However, I had agreed earlier with the Democratic leader to withhold that until at least this Thursday to allow the Judiciary Committee to discuss the issue of appointment of independent counsel and see if there is some way that a bipartisan agreement could be reached there, also. In view of that commitment that I believe we basically entered into a week ago, I felt it was important that I keep that commitment, and therefore we will withhold action until we see what comes out of the Judiciary Committee on the independent counsel issue.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 9:30 on Wednesday, March 12, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of Federico Pena to be Secretary of Energy, and it be considered under the following agreement: The first 30 minutes under the control of Senator Grams; 10 minutes equally divided, then, between the chairman and the ranking member of the committee; and that following the conclusion or yielding back of that time, the Senate proceed to vote on the confirmation without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk to the pending amendment.

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

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I now send my amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LOTT. I further ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the Lott amendment, the Senate resume the Glenn amendment No. 21, and no amendments be in order prior to the vote on or in relation to the Glenn amendment No. 21 and he be permitted to withdraw his amendment if he chooses after our discussions take place.