Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I withdraw my appeal.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I now ask unanimous consent when the Senate completes its business today it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 30, 2000. I further ask that on Friday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then resume consideration of H.R. 4577, the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill under the previous order.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I further ask consent that following the votes, Senator Domenici be recognized as in morning business.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. For the information of all Senators, on Friday the Senate will resume consideration of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill at 9:30 a.m. Under the previous order, there will be several votes on the remaining amendments, which include the Wellstone amendment regarding drug pricing, the Helms amendment regarding school facilities, the Harkin amendment regarding IDEA, the Baucus amendment regarding the impact aid, any amendment that is not cleared within the managers' package, disposition of the point of order that is pending, final passage of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, and possibly a vote on adoption of the conference report to accompany the military construction appropriations bill. Mr. President, I hope that ``possibly'' is not possibly but it is a fact tomorrow. I do want to say on my own behalf that the enactment of this bill that we have just brought out of conference is absolutely essential to the well-being of the men and women of the armed services of this country. If it is not passed tomorrow and signed by the President before the Fourth of July, there will be severe repercussions in the military services of this country. We have worked day and night to get this bill done, and I congratulate the Members of the House in accomplishing passage of it earlier this evening. I do encourage our colleagues to remain in the Chamber during the series of votes that will come about in the morning hours tomorrow.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent the Senate agree to the amendment of the House.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 148), to require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to provide assistance in the conservation of neotropical migratory birds. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 148) entitled ``An Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to provide assistance in the conservation of neotropical migratory birds'', do pass with the following amendment: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to a period of morning business and return to the pending business when I complete these remarks.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I understand H.R. 4680 is at the desk. I ask for its first reading.

Mr. STEVENS. I now ask for its second reading, and I object to my own request.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on today's Executive Calendar, nominations en bloc: 560 through 563. I further ask unanimous consent the nominations be confirmed, the motion to consider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 331, submitted earlier by Senator Lott and Senator Daschle.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. We presume that there may be a Republican amendment offered after the Reed amendment. But in any event, the next Democratic amendment to be offered would be that of Senator Kennedy, his job training amendment, and prior to that vote, there would be--let's put it this way, that time on that amendment be limited to 60 minutes equally divided, with no second-degree amendments prior to a vote. It is my understanding there would be 2 minutes on each side. Is that the procedure now prior to the vote? Is that correct, may I inquire? Is that your desire?

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent that on each of these consents there be a 4-minute period prior to the vote to be equally divided.

Mr. STEVENS. It is my understanding the third Democratic amendment to be offered would be the amendment from Senator Wellstone. We are awaiting the Republican amendments to see. But it will be the Reed amendment, then a Republican amendment, then the Kennedy amendment, then a Republican amendment, and then the Wellstone amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. I don't know what the subject matter is.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I might state for the information of the Senate, we are trying to arrange amendments from each side of the aisle. We urge Members on the Republican side of the aisle to come forward with amendments if they wish to call them up today. For the time being, I ask unanimous consent that on the amendment offered by Senator Reed of Rhode Island there be a time limit of 30 minutes equally divided, with no second-degree amendments prior to a vote on or in relation to that amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. We haven't seen it, but we will be pleased to consider an hour on that amendment and get back to the Senator.

Mr. STEVENS. Let's decide the time on that amendment once we have seen it. Mr. President, while we are awaiting the next amendment, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on behalf of the committee, we are prepared to accept this Wellstone amendment which provides $10 million for loan forgiveness for child care providers. The program was authorized by the Higher Education Amendment of 1998 and has never been funded. The administration did not request funding, I might add. A $10 million offset in administrative expenses will pay for this amendment. If the Senator is agreeable, I will accept the amendment to forgive loans for child care providers who complete a degree in early childhood education and obtain employment in a child care facility located in low-income communities. That is acceptable to us.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator does not need a recorded vote. This amendment probably applies to my State more than any other State in the Union. I assure him I will be asserting his position in conference.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we ask for the adoption of the amendment.