Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, do we have the amendment? Have the managers had a chance to view that? I don't know that there is a problem.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, we have talked back and forth and we think that 45 minutes a side should be sufficient.

Mr. LOTT. An hour and a half equally divided.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could respond, we do have Senators who have not been heard.

Mr. LOTT. If we have time and we do not need it all, we can always yield it back--an idea I like.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, Senator Snowe and Senator Feinstein have been patiently waiting, Senator Cochran wishes to speak, as well as Senator Dorgan. Would the Senator from New Hampshire have a question?

Mr. LOTT. Would the Senator be willing to withhold so we can proceed with the Senator from Maine?

Mr. LOTT. How much time remains on the opposition side?

Mr. LOTT. Senator Levin has not spoken and Senator Inhofe is here, so perhaps we could take some more time off the opposition.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I yield to the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire.

Mr. LOTT. He had a unanimous consent earlier to go after Senator Sessions.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Oklahoma, if he needs that time.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, is the pending business amendment No. 3158?

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Massachusetts in his typical courteous manner for the way he has handled it. I know the managers will work with him.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I know the Senator from California has been waiting to speak. Will 10 minutes be sufficient, or if she does not need all that time, we will reallocate the time. I yield up to 10 minutes to the Senator from California.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, how much time do we have remaining in support of the amendment?

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, does Senator Dorgan wish to use some of the time at this point?

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, would Senator Warner be willing to yield 2 minutes to the Senator from Mississippi?

Mr. LOTT. This amendment is not the same as the House language, which is a 2-year delay.

Mr. LOTT. This amendment says when you get the global review, you would go forward with a BRAC for overseas bases, and then have the domestic round, presuming that is completed. It is not a 2-year delay. It could be that we would go forward with it after only 1 year. If the realignment in force restructuring that is going on globally would occur next year, then it could go forward next year.

Mr. LOTT

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

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3158, which is at the desk.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, first I have a couple of housekeeping items. I am delighted to join in support of a truly bipartisan amendment. The lead sponsors of the amendment are Senator Dorgan of North Dakota, Senator Snowe of Maine, Senator Feinstein of California, Senator Cochran of Mississippi, and Senator Daschle of South Dakota. We do have broad bipartisan support as original sponsors. I would like to begin by describing the amendment. This will take approximately 10 minutes, and then perhaps Senator Dorgan can have 10 minutes and then Senator Cochran would like to be recognized. We will try to get the opening statements in before we break for the policy luncheons, and then we can discuss during the break the timing on the amendment and how we proceed from there. Does the manager of the legislation have a comment?

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I believe I have the floor. I will be glad to yield.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I move to reconsider the vote.