Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. With that in mind, I ask unanimous consent that all first-degree amendments to this bill must be filed by 3 p.m. on Monday.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will convene at 12 noon on Monday and be in a period of morning business until 2 p.m. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Defense appropriations bill. Amendments will be offered, and it is expected the two managers will agree to exchange a list of amendments at 2 p.m. Monday.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. On behalf of the leader, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 12 noon on Monday, June 12. I further ask that on Monday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then begin a period of morning business until 2 p.m., with Senators speaking therein for up to 10 minutes each with the following exceptions: Senator Durbin, or his designee, from 12 to 1 p.m., Senator Thomas, or his designee, from 1 to 2 p.m.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, in addition, any votes regarding those amendments will be scheduled to occur on Tuesday morning, June 13. As a reminder, Senators should inform the bill managers, Senator Inouye and myself, if they have amendments to the Defense appropriations bill. It is my hope we will have an announcement on Monday that any amendments that are stacked on Tuesday will commence very early in the day.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on behalf of the leader, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period for morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator from North Carolina has an amendment.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order following the remarks of Senators Daschle, Enzi, Dorgan, and Brownback.

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Michael Daly of Senator Abraham's office be granted floor privileges during the consideration of this bill.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 557, H.R. 1953.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 558, H.R. 2484.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order following the remarks that will be made by Senator Gorton.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we had announced that there would be a vote at 9:30. Because of the request just agreed to, we will have that vote at approximately 9:40 a.m. tomorrow on the Grassley amendment. There will be further amendments considered during the day and additional votes may occur. Senators who have amendments are encouraged, as I have said before, to contact my friend from Hawaii, Senator Inouye, or myself. We want to try to expedite consideration of this important spending bill. I ask my friend if he has anything further to come before the Senate.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I further ask unanimous consent that there be 10 minutes equally divided in the usual form for final explanation of the Grassley amendment, with no amendments in order to it, and that the vote occur immediately following the use or yielding back of that time at approximately 9:40 a.m.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 9. I further ask unanimous consent that on Friday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate then resume consideration of H.R. 4576, the Department of Defense appropriations bill.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee be given floor privileges during the consideration of H.R. 4576 and or S. 2593, the FY 2001 Defense Appropriation Bill: Tom Hawkins, Bob Henke, Susan Hogan, Lesley Kalan, Mazie Mattson, Gary Reese, Candice Rogers, Kraig Siracuse, Justin Weddle, Brian Wilson, John Young, Sonja King, and Cathy Wilson.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, again I thank the Senator. His statement reflects the comments I made in the meetings today. I do hope we can address this subject. I find it odd that many of the people who are raising the issues and talking about the commitments that were made in the war in which Senator Inouye and I served were not alive then, but they are telling us what the commitments were. We ought to make certain we fulfill all of those commitments, but we have to have a definition of what they really were. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am glad to hear the Senator's statement. I inform my friend, I spent a substantial portion of the day discussing how to meet the problems associated with the feelings of so many people in the military that there were, in fact, substantial commitments made that lead on into the future as enormous costs as compared to the costs of the past. We need to have a commission of some kind. I hope after the Senator steps down from this body that he might see fit to be one who will help take on the task of defining the commitments that were made and how we fulfill them. I say that because in the past, many of those benefits were paid out of the Veterans Affairs Department from veterans benefits. They are now coming from the Defense funds, and if they grow at the rate it appears they are going to grow, they are going to seriously hamper our ability to modernize our force and our systems and defend our country as it must be in this century.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I did not waive any points of order. It is my understanding that the original text of this bill is nevertheless subject to points of order under rule XVI. Amendment No. 3279

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

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

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent all after the enacting clause be stricken of the pending bill and the text of S. 2593, as reported by our committee, be inserted and that amendments then be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendments, being designated amendment No. 3278.