Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the conference report to accompany H.R. 4576, the Fiscal Year 2001 Defense Appropriations Act was endorsed by all the Senate conferees, and enjoys the full support of our distinguished ranking member Senator Inouye. This bill, in combination with the emergency supplemental bill passed last month, provides a true jump start to restore the readiness, quality of life, and modernization of our Armed Forces. The Senate considers this conference report at the earliest point in the year since 1958--which means the Department of Defense can plan now to execute the funds provided by Congress for the full fiscal year. Our adoption of this conference report today would not have been possible without the extraordinary effort and leadership of House Chairman, Jerry Lewis. In partnership with the former House Chairman, and current ranking member, Jack Murtha, they reported the bill in early May, and presented it to the Senate in time for us to act prior to the July 4th recess. Both committees set the FY 2001 bill aside to complete work on the FY 2000 supplemental in late June. That bill provided $6.5 billion to repay the Army for operations in Kosovo, and to address critical personnel, medical, and fuel cost increases. This bill extends those initiatives, providing needed funds for new medical benefits for military retirees, real property maintenance, depot maintenance, and environmental restoration. The most significant initiative contained in the conference report is the nearly $1 billion increase for the Army transformation effort. Last October, Gen. Eric Shinseki, the new Chief of Staff of the Army, established a new vision for the Army--a more mobile, lethal and flexible force for the 21st century. In this bill, funding is provided to procure the first two brigade sets of equipment for the new ``transformation'' force. We are determined that this new force be equipped as rapidly as possible, and intend to maintain this pace of funding in fiscal years 2002 and 2003. Meeting our national strategic priorities, the bill establishes a new national defense airlift fund, to procure C-17 aircraft. The centerpiece of how our Nation can maintain its global leadership position is strategic mobility. As our force is as small, to meet our national commitments, we must be able to respond to crises anywhere on the globe--the key to that is the C-17. Finally, this bill accelerates development, and seeks to reduce technical risk, on the full spectrum of our missile defense programs. The conference worked to keep the airborne laser, space-based laser, national missile defense, and Navy theater-wide programs on track, and provide additional funds for the Arrow Joint Development Program with Israel. It is again my privilege this year to join my colleague from Hawaii in presenting this bill to the Senate. We simply could not have completed our work without his leadership, guidance, and partnership. I would now like to yield to Senator Inouye for his comments.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I shall use half of that 6 minutes, if I may be recognized.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct. The conference report includes $50 million in funding for the Department of Defense to conduct a Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program to pursue medical research projects of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health. Alcoholism research would be an entirely appropriate candidate for funding consideration.

Mr. STEVENS. I would be happy to address this important topic with Senator Mack and Senator Graham. I am pleased to confirm that this conference agreement provides $4.9 million dollars for remote sensing research and development activities in the RDT&E Defense-Wide University Research Initiatives account.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am authorized to do so, and I yield the remainder of the time of the Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd. Mr. President, has all time now been yielded?

Mr. STEVENS. The time set for the vote on this bill is 3:15. Is that correct?

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Chair. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. I know that Senator Mack and Mr. Graham intend that the Department of Defense drug interdiction officials provide all appropriate support possible on this important objective. Addressing the shortage of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance coverage is an important step in strengthening DoD's drug interdiction efforts.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I regret to tell my friend from Texas--I have told him informally, but I will tell him formally now--we have a staggering disaster going on in Alaska right now. It is the total collapse of the fish runs in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers that sustain a substantial number of our native villages. If this is not in this bill now, it might come in in conference, but it is going to come up sometime before this year is out. I just want to put the Senate on notice. I was talking here about the agriculture items that are in this bill now. But I do not feel bound not to represent my State later, in terms of trying to protect these people who live in rural Alaska. I talked today to James Lee Witt who is the Federal Emergency Management Agency Director. He told me the President had asked him to work with all existing agencies to try to find out what could be done under existing law and with existing funds to deal with a disaster that is taking place as we speak. We will not know, probably, until we come back in September, what will be required. But we do expect to have some substantial problems with this disaster within the coming 5 or 6 weeks. I hope my friend understands what I am saying to him. In this agreement we just made, that, to me, does not include the fisheries disaster that is going on now in Alaska.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I join my colleagues today in expressing my sadness over the loss of a valued colleague. I think we have lost a great friend. I was looking over some of the correspondence I had with Senator Coverdell. He sent me some Vidalia onions and told me they had a punch. He had a way of writing that was very interesting, in fact. I think Senator Coverdell grew in stature every year he was here. I remember so well when he came to us. We had known him as part of the Peace Corps group. I believe his wife was a Delta stewardess at the time. He came around to visit each one of us. He came around to visit me and told me a little bit about some of his background. I knew then that we had a person who was going to be outgoing because not many Senators do that. He took time to visit with each one of us as he came to the Senate. I think the skills he developed as a mediator will be missed in this Senate. I remember some of the bills he worked on even just this year-- the Health and Human Services bill, for instance--bills with so many amendments, and it took committed work on the floor of the Senate. Paul Coverdell was a volunteer. He volunteered himself for the task; he worked with Senator Reid from Nevada. I think he assisted members of our committee on an enormous number of disputes. Without his help and without his skills, I think we would still be involved in some of those bills. He also came to us with some educational background from his life in Georgia. He brought us some educational concepts that are going to last, I hope, for years to come. His education savings account program, for instance, is one. He also helped us in the field of general education because of his approach. He prodded us, I think Senator Specter would agree, to not only meet but to exceed the President's request this year on educational funding. He was a very interesting and complex man. He was an advocate for keeping drugs out of the hands of children. He saw the appropriations process--as Senator Cochran and others who work with me on appropriations know--as a means to try to solve problems through the proper use of public funds. As chairman of the Defense Subcommittee of our Appropriations Committee, I met with him often on problems of military families in his State. I know of no person who was a more vigorous advocate for production from a State than Paul Coverdell. When it came to the C-130 aircraft, he was a workhorse and not a show horse. I don't remember seeing Paul Coverdell's name in the paper in terms of some who sought publicity, but I saw in him a great deal as a man who sought results. I say to the Senate that we lost a great friend and a valued colleague. I join in expressing my sadness over his loss.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3912 To Amendment No. 3885

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I remind Senators that the two models of the World War II memorial that will be on The Mall are down in S-128 with people there to explain. It will come before the Fine Arts Commission this week for a final approval. Senator Inouye and I have been to see it. We urge Members to see the memorial and understand it. I think it will become a controversial subject in the near future. Amendment No. 3885, As Amended

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent to address the Senate for 30 seconds.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I would like to engage the distinguished manager of the Interior appropriations bill in a short colloquy regarding a provision of interest to me. My amendment provides an appropriation to recompense an Alaskan community for its inability to receive a municipal land entitlement under the Alaska Statehood Act and Alaska state laws. The city of Craig is a small town located on the southern end of Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska. It is the only community in southeast Alaska which was unable to receive a municipal entitlement under Alaska state law. This is a result of a 20-year process in the 1960s and 1970s by which the U.S. Forest Service and State of Alaska could not agree on the process for State selections under the Alaska Statehood Act at Craig. In 1971, Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. ANCSA authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to work with the State ``for the purpose of effecting land consolidations or to facilitate the management or development of the land. Exchanges shall be on the basis of equal value, and either party to the exchange may pay or accept cash in order to equalize the value of the properties exchanged.'' Despite this authority, the implementation of the act in southeast Alaska simply resulted in Alaska Native land selections completely surrounding Craig. Under ANCSA, these selections are not taxable or subject to condemnation unless the land is developed. As a result, Craig and its residents of about 2,500 people live on only 300 acres of privately and municipally owned land. This is insufficient as a tax base to support the community. My colleague and chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee introduced S. 1797 to solve this problem. That bill which I cosponsored and which has passed the Senate unanimously would provide a land grant to Craig of approximately 4,300 acres. However, I recently have been informed by the administration that it believes a direct monetary grant to Craig is a better way to resolve this situation. The amendment which is to be added to the bill would provide for this payment.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Garry Stacey Banks, Ashley Badger, Erin Choi, Marissa Coughlin, Crystal Duncan, Ethan Falatko, Geneva Head, Walter Kookesh, Aaron Meredith, David Naneng, Darien Pearson, Marshall Sele, Yun Xia, Jennafer Tryck, and Jensen Young, Alaskan students participating in my summer intern program, be granted floor privileges in order to accompany me on my daily schedule through August 15, 2000. Only two interns will accompany me to the floor at any particular time. I also ask that Garry Stacey Banks, Ethan Falatko, Marshall Sele, Jennafer Tryck, and Jensen Young be granted floor privileges in order to accompany my legislative director, Chris Schabacker, through August 15, 2000. Only one intern will accompany my legislative director to the floor at any particular time.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have 30 seconds to make an announcement.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3851 to Amendment No. 3850

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3846

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, tomorrow, in S-128, models of the National World War II Memorial will be on display for all Members and staff to see. We encourage you to take a look at the models of this new memorial that will be on The Mall soon, we hope.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw all six of my pending amendments.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I yield to the Senator from Montana.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have the floor and I am happy to have that conversation somewhere else, but I understand what the Senator is saying. Mr. President, I want to finish my comments. I think we have almost used our 10 minutes. I thank my good friend for his comments. I could never claim to be the chairman that Senator Byrd was, but in any event, I do hope the Members are listening to what we are saying. We have had over 100 amendments on the last two appropriations bills. If that continues, we will be on appropriations bills until the day we go off on recess for the conventions. There will be no time for PNTR. Let's get the bills up. I urge the Members to be considerate of what we are doing. If we can finish them, then we take up PNTR. I think we can't keep breaking up the concept of these bills. The synergy of getting a bill working and getting it to pass in the appropriations process is necessary to get these done by the time we go off on August recess. I have every confidence we will get to the PNTR. The Senator from West Virginia is right; despite my support of PNTR, it is not our constitutional duty to finish it by the end of the fiscal year. The appropriations bills are. That is our point. We want to do our job on time. We urge the Senate to work with us to get that done. I think our time has expired.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Byrd and I might address the Senate for not to exceed 5 minutes each to discuss the status of appropriations.

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