Richard Shelby

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce a bipartisan bill with my colleagues, Senators Bayh, Bryan, Rockefeller and Bingaman. Entitled the ``Manufactured Housing Improvement Act,'' (MHIA) this bill is designed to modernize the requirements under the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 and to establish a balanced consensus process for the development, revision, and interpretation of Federal construction and safety standards for manufactured homes. Many do not realize that the majority of new manufactured homes of today are completely different from those of twenty or even ten years ago, and that this is the fastest growing segment of the housing industry. Today nearly one out of four new single family homes is a manufactured home, and the industry recently set a twenty-year sales record. There are good consumer-oriented reasons for this tremendous growth--manufactured homes offer quality and aesthetically pleasing housing at an average cost of $41,100, excluding the land. Today, manufactured housing has lowered the threshold to the American Dream of home ownership for millions of Americans, including first-time home buyers, senior citizens, young families, and single parents. With 5.3 million American households in need of affordable housing, I believe it is imperative to update the laws that regulate the private sector solution to affordable housing. In order for the manufactured housing industry to remain competitive, Congress must modernize the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974. My bill would do just that. MHIA would establish a consensus committee that would submit recommendations to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for developing, amending, and revising the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. In addition, the committee would be authorized to interpret the standards and recommend appropriate regulations. Consumers will still be protected by HUD because the Secretary will have absolute authority to reject any recommendations, for any reason, submitted by the consensus committee. The Manufactured Housing Improvement Act would authorize the Secretary of HUD to use industry label fees for the administration of the consensus committee and the hiring of additional HUD staff in order to assure adequate consumer protection. The Secretary of HUD would also be authorized to use industry label fees to facilitate the availability and affordability of manufactured homes. This legislation is a very significant step forward in that both consumer and industry groups such as the Seniors Coalition, 60 Plus, and the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders, the North American Steel Framing Alliance, and the Community Associations Institute, along with the Manufactured Housing Institute and the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, have endorsed this legislation. The industry participants have modernized the quality and technology of manufactured housing. It's time for Congress to modernize the laws that regulate an industry that provides affordable housing and contributes more than $33 billion annually to our nation's economy. Similar legislation passed the House at the end of last Congress on a bipartisan basis under suspension of the rules and has been introduced again this year. I hope this year the Senate will take the lead and send the MHIA to the House as soon as possible.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, on July 27, 1953, the armistice was signed, ending the Korean War. On Sunday, July 25, 1999, nearly forty- six years after the fighting stopped, the Veterans of Foreign Wars gathered for the dedication of a Korean War Memorial in Fultondale, Alabama. I rise today, on the 46th Anniversary of the armistice, to honor the military personnel who faithfully served our nation in this conflict. Many have wrongfully called Korea ``the Forgotten War.'' I want Korean War veterans to know that we have not forgotten their brave service to our nation. The courage and dedication of American troops who fought on and around the Korean Peninsula should never be forgotten. The names of Pusan, Inchon, Chosin Reservoir and countless other locations where our forces fought against Communist aggression continue to bring pride to the hearts and minds of all Americans. We are constantly and correctly reminded of the thousands of Americans who lost so much in the Vietnam War. Vietnam left such a lasting impression on our history that there has been a temptation to overlook our nation's first stand against the Communist threat in Asia. I am committed to insuring that we do not succumb to this temptation. We must not forget either the 37,000 Americans who gave their lives in Korea, or the 8,000 MIAs whose fate remains a mystery. Those who served their nation from 1950-53 suffered much, but have left a proud legacy. The 8th Army, Far East Air Force, 1st Marine Division, and 7th Fleet proved their mettle in Korea and remain among the proudest names in American military history. The peace and prosperity which the people of South Korea enjoy today is the direct result of the gallantry of our Armed Forces. The 38,000 American personnel who currently serve in South Korea are guardians of the liberty which their predecessors fought to establish nearly half a century ago. Mr. President, I ask you and my fellow United States Senators to join me in recognizing the members of the Armed Services who sacrificed so much in defense of freedom and democracy on the Korean Peninsula.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I will be brief. First of all, I commend my friend and colleague, Senator Bryan, who brought this to the attention of the Senate. We have discussed this before. He feels very strongly about it. I believe if you look at it in its entirety, it has some merit. But I also think this should be addressed at the level of the appropriate committee. At the time when he pursues this, I will tell every one of my colleagues to look at this very carefully because I believe what he is proposing should be evaluated in that light. Personally, I think it has some merit. I commend the Senator from Nevada, who is also a member of the Intelligence Committee, and a senior member. Perhaps soon he will be the vice chairman of the committee--next year.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, what is the pending business?

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 10:00 a.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 3:30 p.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, 1999, in open session, to consider the nominations of F. Whitten Peters to be Secretary of the Air Force; and Arthur L. Money to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, be allowed to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 21, 1999. The purpose of this meeting will be to consider the nomination of William Rainer to become Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and to conduct and oversight review of the Farmland Protection Program.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. to hold a closed hearing on intelligence matters.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet for a hearing re Oversight of Federal Asset Forfeiture: Its Role in Fighting Crime, during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 21, 1999, at 2:00 p.m., in SD628.

Mr. SHELBY. 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, July 21, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing on S. 985, the Intergovernmental Gaming Agreement Act of 1999. The hearing will be held in room 106, Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services be permitted to meet on Wednesday, July 21, 1999, at 2:00 p.m. for a hearing to examine whether the Russian commercial space launch quota has achieved it purpose.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Drinking Water be granted permission to conduct a hearing Wednesday, July 21, 9:30 a.m., Hearing Room (SD-406), on the science of habitat conservation plans.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I send the substitute amendment to the desk.

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

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I want to inform Members of the Senate that the order of sentences in amendment No. 1258 does not reflect a meeting of the minds of Senators involved, and we have discussed it among them. That will have to be brought to the attention of the conferees for resolution. I ask unanimous consent that the substitute be agreed to, the bill be read the third time, and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, Senator Kerrey has said he would be gone 30 minutes. I indicated to him I would reserve his right to get here before we voted. That will probably be, say, 1:15.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I commend Senator Bingaman for offering this amendment. I believe it is constructive in nature. It is something we believe will, at the end of the day, clarify what we are trying to do. That is what this legislation is all about--to restructure the labs, making it harder for espionage to go on at the labs. So it is a good amendment. I urge that at the proper time we adopt it. Mr. KERREY addressed the Chair.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President I will take just a minute and commend the Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Domenici, and also the junior Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Bingaman, for their work in bringing this about. I think what they have done is drafted a good amendment. I have no problem with it, and I am sure Senator Kerrey doesn't. I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, have the amendments been sent down?

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I commend the distinguished senior Senator from New York for offering these amendments. They make sense to me. We have reviewed them. I think Senator Kerrey has reviewed them. I also commend the senior Senator from New York for his past work, not only in the Senate but specifically on the Intelligence Committee, where he spent a lot of time--a lot of hours, and a lot of years--and understands what we are going through--and what we need to do. Hopefully, this is one of those little steps. Mr. KERREY addressed the Chair.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I urge adoption of the amendments.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

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