Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this is a 10-minute vote; is that correct?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this is a strange circumstance. The Senator's amendment, really, would be subject to a point of order if we had already raised the caps. We have not raised the caps, so this is not the time to make a point of order. But it is the time to point out that the Senator's amendment would move money from defense into education, and it would violate the principle of the wall that we put up between defense and nondefense. I do hope that the Senate will support the committee in voting to table, and I do move to table this amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. I agree that such a report would be useful and timely, and I look forward to receiving it.

Mr. STEVENS. I concur with the Senator. This is a matter on which the Committee should seek more thorough analysis.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct. We do, of course, have satellites that provide regular intelligence, but in terms of special missions and real-time needs on the ground, the reconnaissance capabilities provided by aircraft such as the U-2 and UAV are irreplaceable.

Mr. STEVENS. I do.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I believe the pending business is the Boxer amendment, with 4 minutes equally divided

Mr. STEVENS. Senator Boxer.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Senator is correct. I do not anticipate using the full amount of time on our side. I understand there has been one amendment put aside. I hope to have the votes occur somewhere around 6 o'clock.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we still have the procedure to follow to apply rule XVI to the amendments that have not been withdrawn. We are compiling that list now. As soon as this amendment is finished, we will do that. The Senator would understand, I am sure, that some Senators may wish to appeal that or deal with it in some way. I hope not. We hope to conclude the rule XVI procedure and then vote at 6 o'clock.

Mr. STEVENS. What is it?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the language is exactly the same; the Senator is right. It is for leasing aircraft for operational support and utility airlift purposes, and it specifically says it is a multiyear pilot program. There is not an expanded program as has been represented. It is nine planes total to see what the costs will be of operations under this pilot-type program as compared to the cost of buying such an aircraft and flying it for military purposes. I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Kansas.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet for a hearing on Drug Safety and Pricing during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 13, 2000, at 10:00 a.m.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 13, at 9:30 a.m. to receive testimony from James V. Aidala, nominated by the President to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances, Environmental Protection Agency; Arthur C. Campbell, nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, the Department of Commerce; and Ella Wong-Rusinko, nominated to be Alternate Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Mr. STEVENS. 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 Tuesday, June 13, 2000 at 10:00 am to hold a hearing.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am constrained to raise a point of order that this amendment contains legislative matter and therefore is in violation of rule XVI.

Mr. STEVENS. Therefore, the amendment is not in order; is that correct?

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

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

Mr. STEVENS. I say to my distinguished friend, the Democrat whip, we have reviewed these and there are a series on both sides. It is true there are more on our side than on the Democratic side that we intend to oppose, but the majority of the ones we would oppose are subject to rule XVI.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to move to reconsider the vote en bloc.

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.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Lott and Cochran be added as original cosponsors to the Leahy amendment, No. 3312.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we are going now to our respective party luncheons. We expect to have additional items to present to the Senate upon our return. I again call attention of Members to the report of the Parliamentarian on those amendments that are subject to rule XVI. It will be my intention when we return to ask that the Chair rule that rule XVI applies to those amendments, and that they be declared out of order.