Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I am aware of the Center for Opening Learning at the City Colleges of Chicago--Harold Washington College. I believe that the level of funding for distance learning in the Senate bill would give programs like the Center for Opening Learning an opportunity to work with the Department of Defense in order to develop additional courses and enhance new learning technologies that will ultimately help military students stationed overseas. electric drive

Mr. STEVENS. I thank my colleague from Missouri for bringing this issue to the attention of this body. I agree that it is an issue of concern, and I intend to work with my colleague should a legislative solution be necessary. bioenvironmental hazards research

Mr. STEVENS. I am aware of the fine work being done by the Chicago Public Schools in the area of JROTC. It is an example of a program that works. It is my understanding that a number of Chicago high schools would like to include JROTC as part of their curriculum. I believe that the level of funding for JROTC in the Senate bill would give programs like the one in the Chicago Public Schools an opportunity to work with the branches of the armed services in order to expand. banking services on domestic bases

Mr. STEVENS. Yes, I agree that the Society's work is what we want to encourage in this account. jrotc

Mr. STEVENS. This type of partnership is one we are trying to encourage.

Mr. STEVENS. Yes, I am familiar with the work of this excellent group and the benefits it provides not only to the military but to the tribes served by its activities.

Mr. STEVENS. Yes, it is.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee for highlighting the DDG-51 advance procurement provision of the FY 2000 Defense Authorization Bill. I am aware of this initiative and strongly support it as a means of providing the Secretary of the Navy with the flexibility to release up to 50% of the DDG-51 advance procurement budget in FY 2000 should he determine that vendor and supplier base stability warrants such expenditures.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator from New Mexico for his support for this initiative which I sponsored in this year's Defense Authorization bill. I agree that it is a critical program benefiting our nation's children and schools. While I recognize the Senator from New Mexico's concerns, I believe it is important to remember that the intent of this initiative is to transfer the Troops to Teachers program to the Department of Education. Funding to increase and strengthen this important program is meant to come from the Department of Education, not the Department of Defense. Furthermore, we agreed to delay transfer of this program from DOD to DOE until 2001 in order to ensure a smooth transition which affords minimal disruption to the current program and infrastructure. Our legislation clearly stipulates that expansion of this program through an infusion of funds is meant to be done at the Department of Education with Department of Education funds and not while the program is being transferred from the DOD. I am committed to working with my colleagues, including the Senator from New Mexico who is an original cosponsor of this measure, to ensure that the appropriate funds are allocated for the Department of Education allowing this agency to reform and strengthen the program as authorized by the Senate.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, inadvertently, at my request, the Senate adopted the Domenici amendment twice. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to vitiate the adoption of amendment No. 604. It is a duplicate of amendment No. 577.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator from Kentucky for his comments. Troops to teachers program

Mr. STEVENS. I also wish to thank the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts for his kind remarks about this important Defense spending bill. I share the Senator's concern about levels of investment by the Air Force in Science and Technology. In the past, wise investments in Science and Technology resulted in many of the military systems on which our men and women in the military depend today. The Air Force Air Expeditionary Force Deployment concept is of great interest to the Committee. Fuel Cells can reduce the logistics burden for many military systems used in peace keeping and humanitarian relief operations, as well as for combat operations. I agree that the Air Force should consider the development of fuel cell membrane materials. high security lock program

Mr. STEVENS. The committee agrees that such a demonstration by the Marine Corps CBIRF unit is an appropriate activity and should be considered through funding currently available in the bill. fuel cell power systems

Mr. STEVENS. Yes, the committee directs the Department of Defense to explore all promising detector technologies including interferometric sensors.

Mr. STEVENS. Would the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Kentucky for correctly clarifying the intent of these funds. south carolina-new york cancer prevention and telehealth program

Mr. STEVENS. I respond to the Senator from Kentucky that I absolutely support the safe storage of all classified documents. For this reason, I was happy to accommodate your request to include an additional $10 million dollars for the specific purpose of retrofitting security containers managed by contractors with locks which meet or exceed federal specification FF-L-2740.

Mr. STEVENS. I, too, supported this program, and as you know I am committed to promoting the best health care possible for the men and women who serve our country. Briefly Senator, would you explain who the primary beneficiaries of this program would be?

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator from West Virginia is correct.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct that it is our strong intention that all JCALS funds, including those allocated for so-called defense information infrastructure, be used exclusively for direct JCALS work, as provided in the budget request.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, there is just one remaining item. Amendment No. 574

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent amendments Nos. 576 and 585 be agreed to en bloc.