Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am informed that this amendment is acceptable on both sides. This substitute is very similar to the original section 2004 of the bill before the Senate. We have made some changes based upon input from several Senators in segments of the telecommunications industry. This amendment and legislation addresses the fact that the GAO has determined that the Federal Communications Commission established the Schools and Library and Rural Health Care Corporations in violation of the Government Corporations Control Act. That law states that agencies must have specific statutory authority to establish such corporations. Our bipartisan bill urges the FCC to come to Congress with an acceptable structure. Our effort also mandates that the FCC report to Congress by May 8 of each year on the cost of this program. Consumers experienced a 4.9 percent rate increase on their business phone bills after initial collections to fund this program. Congress needs to know why rates went up and how we can avoid such an outcome in the future. I want to personally thank Senators Hollings, McCain, Burns, Dorgan, and Rockefeller for their help with this amendment. As I said, it has now been found acceptable to both sides as a substitute to the provisions that are in this bill as reported by the committee. I urge its adoption. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. That is what this bill does?

Mr. STEVENS. Some money is already over there in FEMA, but when it is spent, it is emergency money.

Mr. STEVENS. I am not sure the Senator is understanding me yet. The money that we appropriate to FEMA, we just put in FEMA.

Mr. STEVENS. It is counted in the budget. But when they spend it for real emergencies, we relieve them from accounting for that as far as sequestrations are concerned because it does not count against this year's allocation or the allocation in any year for which the outlay is made. Do you understand that?

Mr. STEVENS. I say to the Senator, I do not know if a disaster can recover under that situation--not one. We declared a disaster in South Dakota. We declared a disaster because of the earthquakes in California. We did it because of the fact we had to have the emergency designation in order to spend the money. As a matter of fact, the Senator from New Mexico says there was not enough money. We had to add to it. That is what we are doing to it; we are adding to the money that we previously had. But whatever you spend in connection with these disasters, you do not have to account for it at the time of sequestration. It is only at the time of sequestration.

Mr. STEVENS. Does the Senator wish to speak on this amendment?

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Acquisition and Technology of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, in open session, to receive testimony on RDT&E Management Reform and related issues.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 10 a.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be granted permission to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 24, for purposes of conducting a subcommittee hearing which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on S. 887, the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1997; S. 991, a bill to make technical corrections to the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996, and for other purposes; S. 1695, the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Preservation Act of 1998; and Senate Joint Resolution 41, legislation approving the location of a Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial in the Nation's Capitol.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Finance Committee Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy requests unanimous consent to conduct a hearing on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, beginning at 2 p.m. in room 215 Dirksen.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 2:30 p.m. in open session, to receive testimony on ballistic missile defense programs in review of the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 1999 and the future years Defense program.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 9:30 a.m. on business practices in the professional boxing industry.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by authorized to meet on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 2:30 p.m. on tobacco legislation.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the full Committee on Environment and Public Works be granted permission to conduct a business meeting to consider S. 8, the Superfund Cleanup Acceleration Act of 1997, Tuesday, March 24, 11 a.m., hearing room (SD- 406).

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent on behalf of the Governmental Affairs Committee to meet for a joint hearing on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 2 p.m. The subject of the hearing is the Fair Competition Act of 1998: A New Free Market Approach to Federal Contracting.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 24, 1998 at 2:30 p.m. in room 138 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building to hold a hearing on ``Judicial Nominations.''

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Labor and Human Resources be authorized to meet for a hearing on Health Care Quality during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 10 a.m.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs would like to request unanimous consent to hold a hearing on S. 1021, the Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 2:15 p.m., in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I seek to inquire whether there is any Member seeking time in morning business. I don't see anyone. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, and immediately following the prayer the routine requests through the morning hour be granted and the Senate resume consideration of S. 1768, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on behalf of the leader, it is his intention tomorrow that the Senate will resume consideration of the emergency supplemental appropriations bill with the hope of concluding action on that bill early Wednesday. As a reminder to all Members, the second cloture vote on H.R. 2646, the Coverdell A+ education bill, was postponed this evening and will occur at a time to be determined by the majority leader. As always, all Members will be notified as to when that vote will occur. It is still hoped that an agreement can be worked out for an orderly handling of that bill. Therefore, tomorrow Members can anticipate a busy day of floor activity on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill as well as the Coverdell education bill. In addition, the Senate may consider any executive or legislative items cleared for action.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 5 minutes each.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on behalf of the majority leader, I announce that this morning's session will be one where we resume consideration of the emergency supplemental appropriations bill, with hope of concluding action on the bill during today's session. As under a previous consent agreement, from 12:30 to 2:15 the Senate will recess for the weekly policy luncheons to meet. As a reminder to all Members, the second cloture vote on H.R. 2646, the Coverdell A+ education bill, is scheduled to occur at 5:30 p.m. if an agreement cannot be reached prior to that time. In addition, by consent, all second-degree amendments to that legislation must be filed by 4:30 p.m. Again, it is hoped that good progress can be made on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill during today's session. All Members should contact either Senator Byrd or myself regarding this legislation if they intend to offer an amendment as the Senate attempts to complete action on this supplemental appropriations bill before the cloture vote. Also, it is hoped that headway will be made on the Coverdell education bill. In addition, the Senate may consider any executive or legislative items cleared for action. And, on behalf of the majority leader, I thank our colleagues for their attention to his message.