Don Nickles

Mr. NICKLES

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

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, this is an amendment that Senator Reid and myself and several other Senators discussed at length yesterday, so I do not think I have to go into too much detail. But just to summarize what this amendment would do, this amendment would provide for a 45-day congressional review of regulations--all regulations. Significant regulation would have a moratorium. They would be suspended for 45 days. This would give Congress an expedited procedure to where we could repeal or reject those regulations if we deem it necessary. We could reject any of the regulations, whether they be significant or whether they be smaller regulations. We also have a look back. We can look back at the significant regulations that were enacted since November 20, 1994, and have a chance to reject or repeal those. Those regulations would not be suspended. They would still be in effect, but if Congress so desired, if we were successful in passing a resolution of disapproval through both Houses and if that resolution is signed by the President, then those regulations would be repealed. Likewise, on any of the prospective regulations that might come out, we would have 45 days for an expedited procedure, and if Congress passed a resolution of disapproval, then those regulations would be stopped. Of course, again, the President would have the opportunity to veto that resolution and we would have the opportunity to override that veto. Mr. President, I think this is good reform. It is a substitute to the bill as reported out of the Governmental Affairs Committee. I think, frankly, in my opinion, it is a significant improvement. I was a sponsor of the bill that came out of the Governmental Affairs Committee. We had 36 cosponsors. That is the so-called reg moratorium. Some of my colleagues have labeled that bill draconian, they say it will be a disaster, so on. My final analysis was that bill would not do very much because the bill, as reported to the House, pertained to all regulations with lots of exceptions. When it was reported out of the Governmental Affairs Committee, it applied to significant regulations. To put this in a framework, the administration on November 14 published in the Federal Register that they were reviewing and working on 4,500 rules and regulations that would be effective for the years 1995, 1996, and 1997--4,500. Many of those had significant economic impact. I thought we should have a review of those or stop those. But the bill that passed out of the Governmental Affairs Committee applied only to significant. That would be several hundred, maybe 800 or 900 out of the 4,500, and then the Governmental Affairs Committee had several exceptions. We had several exceptions when we introduced the bill. I believe we had eight exceptions: For imminent public health and safety; exceptions for actions that would streamline the process and make Government work more efficiently and effectively; exceptions dealing with criminal statutes. The Governmental Affairs Committee had a lot more exceptions. The net result was, in my opinion, the bill passed out of the Governmental Affairs Committee was a temporary moratorium. It would only last until Congress passed a comprehensive reform bill. My guess is we will probably do that in 2 or 3 months. So instead of having a year moratorium as people anticipated, the bill said it would last until the end of the year or until Congress passed a comprehensive regulatory reform bill. I think we will do that in a couple of months. I hope we do. I think it is important to do with cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment. So my guess is the temporary moratorium would only last a couple months. And then, like I said, it would apply not only to significant regulations. The bill before us gives Congress an expedited procedure to reject all regulations, whether significant or not. I think it is more permanent, because we are talking about permanent statutory change. So not only this Congress--not just for the next 100 days or for this year--but this Congress and future Congresses will have the right and the responsibility, in my opinion, to not only review, but to analyze these regulations and to reject those that we find are too expensive, reject those we find do not make sense. Again, it applies to all regulations, not just to the significant ones. I think it is an improvement on the bill as reported out of the Governmental Affairs Committee. I thank Senator Roth and other colleagues for their work on that. I know it was not an easy markup in conference. I think the substitute we have today, which is supported by Senators Dole, Roth, and several others, is a better substitute for another reason. It is bipartisan. I want to compliment Senator Reid for his cosponsoring this approach, as well as several other colleagues on the other side of the aisle that have mentioned to me they think this is a good approach. This should actually pass regardless of whether you have a Republican-controlled Congress or a Democrat-controlled Congress. This says Congress should be making the decision. Congress should use their oversight and should have the responsibility to make sure the bureaucrats, the regulators, actually follow through will give us that responsibility. I am optimistic. I think this is a good substitute, one that deserves very strong bipartisan support. I hope we have a very strong vote in the Senate later today and one that I hope my colleagues in the House would concur is an improvement over the House-passed bill and, hopefully, they will recede to the Senate when we go to conference. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Mr. HARKIN addressed the Chair.

Mr. NICKLES

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

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to vitiate the yeas and nays on the Nickles-Reid amendment.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I know of no further amendments on this bill.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, as I mentioned, this is a technical amendment, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate begin consideration of H.R. 1158 immediately following passage of S. 219.

Mr. NICKLES

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

Mr. NICKLES. I now ask that following the remarks of Senator Jeffords, the Senate stand in recess under the previous order.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. For the information of all Senators, a vote will occur tomorrow at 10:45 on passage of the regulatory moratorium bill, and the Senate will then begin the supplemental disaster assistance bill. Therefore, votes can be expected to occur throughout Wednesday's session of the Senate. The Senate could also be asked to remain in session into the evening on Wednesday in order to make progress on the appropriations bill.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I thank my friend and colleague, Senator Reid. We have worked together on many issues over the years in the Senate. It has been a pleasure to work with him on this issue. I think this is a significant bill and one that has been improved because it has been bipartisan. I again thank Senator Levin and Senator Glenn, and many other colleagues on this side of the aisle, for some of their amendments that we agreed to today. I think we have improved the bill as well.

Mr. NICKLES. Under the previous order, at 10:45 a.m., a rollcall vote will occur on the passage of the regulatory moratorium bill, S. 219.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in recess until the hour of 9:45 a.m., Wednesday, March 29, 1995, and that following the prayer, the Journal of the proceedings be deemed to be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that the Senate proceed to a period of routine morning business not to extend beyond the hour of 10:45 a.m., with Members recognized to speak for up to 5 minutes each, with the following exceptions: Senator Campbell, 10 minutes; Senator Moseley-Braun, 40 minutes; Senators Nickles and Reid, for a combination of 10 minutes.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 9:30 a.m. in open session to receive testimony on U.S. ballistic missile defense requirements and programs in review of the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 1996 and the future year's defense program.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management and the District of Columbia be permitted to meet during a session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on reducing the cost of Pentagon travel processing.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on International Finance, of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing on the reauthorization of the export-import banks tied aid warchest.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Labor and Human Resources be authorized to meet for a Hearing on S 454--Health Care Liability Reform and Quality Assurance Act of 1995, during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, at 2 p.m. to hold hearing on ``Federal Habeas Corpus Reform: Eliminating Prisoners' Abuse of the Judiciary Process.''

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 11 a.m. to hold a hearing on judicial nominees.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, at 10 a.m. to hold a hearing on U.S. Assistance to Europe and the NIS.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be permitted to meet Tuesday, March 28, 1995, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-215, to conduct a hearing on child support enforcement.

Mr. NICKLES. 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 Tuesday, March 28, 1995, for purposes of conducting a full committee hearing which is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. The purpose of this oversight hearing is to consider the nomination of Daniel R. Glickman to be Secretary of Agriculture.

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on March 28, 1995, at 9:30 a.m. on pending committee business.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I have been working with my friend and colleague, Senator Levin, as well as Senator Byrd from West Virginia. We have no objection to this amendment.

Mr. NICKLES

Mr. NICKLES. Madam President, we have no objection to the amendment.