Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the senator from Louisiana for raising this issue. I understand why the Navy has a need to better understand the aquatic environment into which it will send its personnel and equipment. I am willing to look at the need to support additional research in this area and to recommend an appropriate response if one is indicated.

Mr. STEVENS. There is a clear military requirement for the procurement of this ship. Unfortunately, we are working under tight budget restrictions. Should funds become available, I believe that Congress should give careful consideration to procuring a 20th LMSR to meet the Marine Corps' prepositioning needs.

Mr. STEVENS. I assure my colleague that we will continue to work together as this bill moves forward. Sensor network demonstration

Mr. STEVENS. I am pleased to yield to the distinguished Senator from West Virginia.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, my good friend from Hawaii asks an important question. I am familiar with the Marshall Foundation and am interested in the prospect of adapting this program to the Junior ROTC. The committee would be interested in any support the Department of Defense could provide to this important mission. The Marshall Foundation has helped to promote ethical leadership for ROTC cadets and midshipmen, and we all know that any effort to improve citizenship in the nation's youth should be supported. The Department of Defense should support the Marshall Foundation.

Mr. STEVENS. I strongly agree. Dover is one of the key supply bases for all of our operations in Europe and the Middle East. I think it requires the C-17 as soon as possible. The bill before the Senate adds multi-year authority to purchase more C-17s and I think both our Pacific based forces and forces designated to supply Europe need C-17s to stay modern and ready.

Mr. STEVENS. I fully agree with the Senator's statement. I believe that C-17s should be used to replace many other strategic aircraft and that the basing strategy of the Air Force needs to take this into account.

Mr. STEVENS. Now, are there any further amendments that need to be disposed of that would qualify?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I now send to the desk the amendment we had listed as No. 587, which is the remainder of the managers' package. There is the amendment of Senator Coverdell, a sense-of-the-Senate resolution; an amendment by myself for Senator Bond concerning procurement; an amendment pertaining to the McGregor Range Withdrawal Act in New Mexico for Senator Domenici; an amendment regarding military land withdrawals for myself. I ask that they be considered en bloc as the remainder of the managers' package. They should be separately numbered at this point.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Edwards be added as a cosponsor of Biden amendment No. 547.

Mr. STEVENS. Amendment No. 583 by Mr. Levin, I ask unanimous consent that that amendment be withdrawn.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent that that be withdrawn.

Mr. STEVENS. The amendment No. 579 by Mr. Durbin, has that been agreed to?

Mr. STEVENS. I urge the adoption of that amendment. It has been cleared.

Mr. STEVENS. The amendment of the Senator from New Hampshire, Mr. Gregg.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, have I called up amendment No. 548?

Mr. STEVENS. That is amendment No. 582, which we just adopted. Amendment No. 548

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Smith of New Hampshire be added as a cosponsor of the Kennedy amendment.

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

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I call up Senator Kennedy's amendment No. 582. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Lott's name be added as a cosponsor of the amendment.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I call up Senator Hutchison's amendment No. 574, and I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send to the desk modifications to four amendments. These are modifications to amendments currently pending on the list. I ask unanimous consent that these amendments be modified and that the amendments be agreed to en bloc.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.