Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I understand the Senator from Iowa will ask to be recognized, and I urge Members of the Senate to stay around. In my opinion, we are very close to final passage. We are very close to final passage. I expect final passage within 20 minutes. I might not get my expectations, right? 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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.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. Mr. President, I appreciate this update on the situation at Ellsworth Air Force Base regarding the Centennial Housing Project.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, Senator Inouye and I are aware of these severe problems.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, Senator Inouye and I are pleased to discuss this matter with our colleagues from South Dakota.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank my good friend from South Carolina for the update on action since the committee markup. The committee recommendations were not meant to be pejorative but reflective of what was likely to be a fact of life delay in the program.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I thank my friend from Ohio for raising these issues with respect to the FIRST program. I have listened closely to his remarks, and he certainly has offered food for thought. I will take his comments into consideration as we move to conference, and look forward to working with him and others interested in this issue to find an appropriate solution.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I urge the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3394 offered by Senator Santorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.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. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Hutchison of Texas be added as a cosponsor to the Gramm amendment No. 3463 on military voting rights.

Mr. STEVENS. I accept the Senator's point on timing of the committee mark. I point out that the House has reduced the program by $12.7 million for other reasons. I can assure the Senator that we will do our best in conference if the contracts are signed in accordance with the schedule given to you.

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

Mr. STEVENS. We still have four more beyond that to deal with. So I suggest the absence of a quorum until we find out what is going to happen with these three amendments.

Mr. STEVENS. May I make a parliamentary inquiry? It is my understanding that is the only other amendment that is pending?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, there still is pending the Hutchison amendment, the sense of the Senate on Bosnia, am I correct?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Budget Committee chairman is too kind. We do appreciate his constant watch over the budget and our spending of the money from the Treasury.

Mr. STEVENS. Reluctantly, Mr. President.

Mr. STEVENS. Senator Leahy's amendment on JSAT, has he sent the amendment to the desk?

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3477

Mr. STEVENS. And the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

Mr. STEVENS. May we have order, Mr. President.