John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Could I have a small modification, a technical amendment?

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I have a modification of amendment No. 889 at the desk. It is a technical correction concerning the sale of airline tickets that was inadvertently included in the managers' package.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote in relation to the Lautenberg amendment No. 893 occur at 2:30 today, with no amendments in order to the amendment prior to the vote; further, that the remaining time until 2:30 be equally divided in the usual form.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I wish to mention to my colleagues that we are moving along on the amendments on this side. I know there is an amendment by the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Inhofe, which I hope we can consider rather quickly. It is a very interesting amendment on raising the age from 60 to 65. There are several amendments by Senator Burns. I say to my friend on this side that I think we can probably agree to at least a majority of them. I know of no other amendments that would be pending on this side. If there are, we hope that during the vote that takes place at 2:30 we can get pending amendments at least brought to our attention so we can schedule them. I still believe there is a very good opportunity to finish this legislation tonight. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCAIN. Equally divided.

Mr. McCAIN. Forty minutes equally divided.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, before we move to the Inhofe amendment, I wish to state for the benefit of my colleagues, we have a Dorgan amendment which is being worked on. We have a Bunning amendment which is being worked on. I believe a Burns amendment is being worked on as well. I think we are close to completion of work on the amendments. If our colleagues have additional amendments, we would certainly like to see them during this 40 minutes of debate on the Inhofe amendment. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, we have four Members here who have pending amendments which are going to be accepted. All four Members want to have their amendment proposed and discussed. I ask unanimous consent Senator Bingaman be recognized for his amendment, and Senator Bunning, Senator Dorgan, and Senator Inhofe, in that order. I know all will speak briefly.

Mr. McCAIN. Yes.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding the Dodd amendment studies the situation at National Airport where there is some distance between both airlines that conduct shuttles along the east coast.

Mr. McCAIN. I can see why Senator Dodd might want that looked at as he grows older, shuttling himself back and forth from one end of Reagan National Airport to the other, which is a bit of a trial. And I certainly am in support, having undergone that unique experience.

Mr. McCAIN. That is right. Having to carry a small child with him has become a bit of a burden. So on behalf of Senator Dodd, and all of us who are aging, I ask that this amendment, which asks the airlines to take a look at the possibility of making these shuttles closer together, be adopted. I think it is appropriate and I support the amendment.

Mr. McCAIN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding we have a number of additional amendments which have been agreed to but have not been presented at this time. If the staffs of the Members who have these amendments we have discussed and have agreed to--one is a Nelson amendment. That has already been accepted. One is a Feinstein amendment. We are in agreement with it, but it has not been formally offered. One is a Specter amendment that we are considering now, a Burns amendment concerning general aviation, a Murkowski amendment concerning decision on a tower. We would like to consider those amendments as soon as possible, if the sponsors of those amendments would come here, while we are preparing to debate a Specter amendment at this time. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, in about 10 minutes, if that is OK--that will give plenty of time for people who have additional amendments--I will propose that we have a unanimous consent that no further amendments be in order. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Yes. Amendment No. 905

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask that the vote be delayed until such time--

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we withhold the vote until such time as the two leaders decide on a time, which I do not think will be very long. We have a couple of other amendments which are pending that we could dispose of, I would imagine, within the next 10 or 15 minutes. Also, I ask unanimous consent that no further amendments be considered at this time.

Mr. McCAIN. The pending amendments on our side are a Stevens amendment, a Burns amendment, and a Santorum amendment.

Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Hagel be added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 906.

Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment so Senator Burns can be recognized for his two amendments.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, Senator Stevens is here to offer an amendment. First, before that, I ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the previously mentioned amendments, which we will mention in a minute, the bill be read for the third time, and further, the Senate then proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2115, the House companion bill; provided further that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 824, as amended, be inserted in lieu thereof; further, that the bill then be read the third time and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of the bill, with no intervening action or debate. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that following that vote the Senate then insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House, and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate with a ratio of 5 to 4. I ask unanimous consent that following the vote, S. 824 be placed back on the calendar.

Mr. McCAIN. It is my understanding the only amendments also remaining are an amendment by Senator Stevens, an amendment by Senator Santorum, a Finance Committee amendment, and an amendment by Senator Murkowski.

Mr. McCAIN. An amendment by Senator Harkin. I ask unanimous consent that no amendments be considered other than those I just described.

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