Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I did request the Senator from Texas offer her Bosnia amendment so it will be the pending amendment after the votes this afternoon. I appreciate that she did that at this time. I urge she save the statement to be made until after the Senator from California, who has been waiting to make comments on the China amendment which I have already moved to table. Amendment No. 3391, As Modified

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. If the Senator will yield for a moment, it is the intention of the leader to take up the defense bill when we convene in the morning, right?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mr. STEVENS. We would be happy to do that. We would like to see what the remainder of the day, and Friday morning, is going to look like if we are going to finish the bill sometime Friday.

Mr. STEVENS. Yes, it is. I ask the leader if there is any possibility we might get some agreement, however, that we can see the amendments that are going to be brought up in the balance of the day by noon tomorrow with regard to the Defense bill. If we could just have an indication what Senators are going to have amendments so we can start scheduling the action after the vote on the stacked amendments?

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I will explain this amendment further tomorrow. What it does is deal with the computation of pay for retired Federal employees. It is an attempt to try to adjust the payment for retired former employees. It has nothing to do with the pay of any current Member. It will deal only with adjusting the pay of retired employees. I will explain it further. I ask it be set aside for the time being.

Mr. STEVENS. With the understanding we can proceed with business other than votes prior to that time, I think we can handle it.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, one of the most significant economic problems facing Alaska is the underdevelopment of the business sector in our rural areas. Alaska's vast size, lack of highway infrastructure, and numerous small, remote communities present unique problems requiring unique solutions. If we want to empower people to move from assistance to self-sufficiency we have to grow small businesses in rural Alaska. During the conference on the Commerce, Justice and State appropriations bill, I will ask the conferees to address these issues. Specifically, my State is suffering from an acute shortage of technical assistance funding to provide training and other services specific to rural needs. This is a need that can be satisfied under SBA's 7(j) program. Additionally, I am informed that regulations promulgated in 1995 have virtually eliminated all small business lending by banks and other financial institutions in Alaska under SBA's 7(a) lending program. Before 1995, the 7(a) program provided critical financing in rural Alaska, and I intend to explore ways to make the program viable once again in Alaska. Finally, Alaska's size and remoteness will require SBA to adopt high-tech solutions to facilitate service delivery. I will seek to create an electronic assistance center within the SBA specifically designed to provide Internet connectivity, outreach and training to rural areas specifically in Alaska. I look forward to working with Senator Gregg and his staff and others on this issue. It will be within the scope of the conference, I believe.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. The circumstances, I say to the Senator from Virginia, will preclude a vote on that amendment if cloture is granted at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. If it is not granted, then he will be in a position to ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. With due regard to the Senator's request, Madam President, the pending cloture vote would, if it is approved, mean that there would not be a vote on that amendment as it is not germane to the legislative appropriations bill.

Mr. STEVENS. That is correct.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, as I understand it, I would have to object. Does the Senator wish to have an opportunity for those two Senators to make a statement today or put them in the Record?

Mr. STEVENS. I have no objection to that, nor do I have objection if the Senators wish to come now and speak. But I would object to keeping the Senate in session very much longer because we know we have a series of very long days coming now. Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be very long, and it is our understanding the Senate will not be in session beyond 5 o'clock.

Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield for a parliamentary inquiry? I understand the Senate will stand in adjournment following the statement of Senator Warner.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, these are three managers' amendments which I have sent to the desk. They have been cleared on both sides of the aisle. I ask for their immediate adoption en bloc and I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote and move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3224 (Purpose: To require certain Legislative Branch officials to submit to Congress lists of activities performed under the jurisdiction of the officials that are not inherently governmental functions)

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment on behalf of Senator Thomas and Senator Brownback.

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

Mr. STEVENS. I say, it was with some reservations that I sent this amendment to the desk. But that was the agreement of the managers that was made on Friday, that we would adopt this amendment. Therefore, I ask to carry out their agreement.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

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

Mr. STEVENS

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