Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I understand the temper of the times, but I think some of us who have been through this time and again have the duty to come forth and warn the Senate what it is doing. Since 1970 to this year, 27 years, in 17 of those years the Senate has denied itself the cost-of-living adjustment. The net result is that while Social Security recipients' pay, whatever you want to call it, their checks have gone up by 421.3 percent in that period, the pay for Members of Congress have gone up 214.4 percent. I will mention a lot of statistics here, Mr. President, so I ask unanimous consent the two documents I have, one entitled ``Increases, 1970-1997,'' and the other, ``Percent Changes 1970-97,'' be printed in the Record after my remarks.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. I am here to assist. Amendment No. 889

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, let me begin today by thanking the managers of this bill, Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Leahy, for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor so quickly. They have had a very tough job managing the foreign assistance programs that are undertaken by our country. In this bill what they have produced merits the support of every Member of the Senate. Mr. President, at the committee meeting, several Members, including myself and Senator Byrd, were not comfortable with the deletion of the earmark for assistance to Egypt. We certainly do understand Senator McConnell's position. We were together in Cairo at the meetings that he mentioned. But after consulting with the subcommittee chairman, Mr. McConnell, we decided the best way to proceed was to come to the floor and have a discussion. I want to now call up the amendment No. 885 that is before the Senate, at the desk, as I understand it. I ask unanimous consent it be in order to consider that at this time.

Mr. STEVENS. I want to thank those who have cosponsored this amendment, in particular Senator McConnell. It is a managers' amendment and will restore the balance in the allocation of funds for our partners in the Middle East process. Egypt has had problems. We all know that. And yet it stands out as one of our Nation's most important global allies. It really is the bedrock of our engagement with the Arab world. Simply put, Mr. President, there would have been no Middle East peace process without commitment of Egypt and the personal leadership that was displayed by President Sadat, and then by President Mubarak. I say this not just as an advocate of the peace process but as a Senator who has traveled many times to the Middle East. I have witnessed Egypt's evolving role. During the gulf war, Senator Inouye and I made two trips to that region, one at the request of the President of the United States, to assess what was happening with regard to our military plans, and to meet with our key allies. We found, then, in President Mubarak, a friend and a leader who aligned his great nation with the alliance, and when he did, he brought the rest of the Arab world along. In the years since the gulf war, Egypt has remained at the center of our Nation's efforts to maintain calm in the gulf area and to advance the peace process. As Senator McConnell said, earlier this year, we had a delegation that went to Israel, Jordan, Gaza, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Mr. President, at each stop I became more aware of and convinced of trying to do everything we can to assure the continuation of our 20-year partnership with Egypt in the peace process. Now, the things that Senator McConnell mentioned did happen. But late this spring President Mubarak came to Washington and met with our President and congressional leaders. In those talks he again showed his personal enthusiasm and dedication to the peace process. It was very evident, as was his determination to keep Egypt engaged in that process. Based upon the continuum of the track record of Egypt's support for the peace process, and my personal experience working with Egypt on so many vital national security interests, and we do have others, Mr. President, beyond the peace process itself, I believe it is imperative that we show the equity in the identification of funds for foreign assistance once again this year. Maintaining a strong and economically developing Egypt is an essential piece of this Nation's total Middle East strategy. I believe President Clinton summarized the current state of relations of Egypt very well during President Mubarak's visit early this year. President Clinton said: Since the Camp David Accords in 1979, Egypt has been a powerful force for peace in the Middle East. That has continued to be true through the last 3\1/2\ years--a time of extraordinary progress towards peace and repeated challenges. Now, as Israel and the Palestinians embark on the difficult task of permanent status negotiations, as we look to revive negotiations between Israel and Syria, and then bring Lebanon into the process to complete the circle of peace, we know that Egypt's leadership will be vital to finish the job. That is President Clinton's statement earlier this year about Egypt. After 20 years of commitment and investment in this effort, this is just not the time to put at risk all that we have achieved. I welcome the support of the other cosponsors of this amendment and I am sure there are other Members who share our concern that our ties to Egypt remain strong and we continue to foster and support this alliance. This is not to say that Egypt should not listen to the words that Senator McConnell has delivered here this morning and to the statements he made in the committee. I believe we are all grateful to Senator McConnell for his willingness to work with us in this matter. If there is to be any change in our status with regard to Egypt in this process, I believe it must be done on a bipartisan basis with the President involved. At this time I am hopeful that will never have to happen but, as a matter of fact, the modification of this bill before the Senate, I think, that shows our willingness to go back to the process that has been followed in the past, I hope, will make a significant contribution to the Middle East peace process and will help us advance the interests of the United States there and in other regions with Egypt's support and collaboration. I do, however, believe there are reasons for us to make sure everyone understands, as Senator McConnell said, that the provisions of support from this bill are not an entitlement. These are funds that are dealt with on an annual basis by our Government, the Senate and the House, the full Congress, as part of that process. It is my judgment that it has been a bipartisan process that has included both the executive and congressional leaders and leadership in the past and I think it should continue that way again this year. I do hope that our friends in Egypt--and I don't have to hope, Mr. President, I know they have heard Senator McConnell's statement, and I know they are aware that there have been questions raised, but based upon this continuum that has taken place, the friendship and cooperation and the important contributions that Egypt has made to the attainment of our goals in the Middle East, I have offered this amendment with my friends. It is a managers' amendment. I do ask that the Senate consider this amendment now.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay it on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, let me again thank Senator McConnell and Senator Leahy and their very capable staff for all the work they have done, and to once again urge the Senate cooperate with these managers of this bill the way it has with those who managed the defense bill and energy and water bill. We are working and striving hard to get the bills to conference before we go to August recess. I would like all of them to go to conference, if possible, before August.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, is there a vote scheduled at 2?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I support the Smith amendment, and I remind the Senate that at the time of the great upheaval in the Soviet Union, when the tanks rolled into Red Square, there was a group of people that was prodemocracy from throughout the world which carried Bibles into that square and literally handed them out to the drivers of the tanks which were coming into Red Square, supposedly to dislodge the new government. While I was chairman of the Presidential prayer group one year, I asked our former great symphony director, Rostropovich, to come and tell about his experience there. He told us of these people coming into the square and handing out those Bibles. What is happening now in Russia is a direct reversal of the open-door policy for those people who believe that freedom of religion is an international freedom. I do believe that the Senate should go on record in support of the Smith amendment today. That is why I urge its adoption at this time. Mr. BROWNBACK addressed the Chair.

Mr. STEVENS. I would like to speak for a couple of minutes--I know the Senator is seeking recognition--on the Smith of Oregon amendment before the vote at 2.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I hope all Senators will support the work of Senator Domenici and Senator Reid.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. We still have three amendments that could be offered before the lunch hour, and that is the Feinstein amendments and the Graham amendment. Mr. President, there is in the order a managers' package that enables me to offer an amendment. I do offer the amendment. It is the only item in this managers' package. It is the amendment of the Senator from Indiana [Mr. Coats]. Amendment No. 855 (Purpose: To set aside for the Information System Security Program $15,708,000 of the amount provided for the Army for other procurement)

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this conforms this bill to an authorized account that was added to the authorization bill when it passed the Senate, and I urge its immediate adoption.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I implore Senators Feinstein and Graham to offer their amendments. We are ready to proceed. I think we could finish the bill before the lunch hour. I see the Senator from Texas is on the floor, and I yield the floor to her in the hope she will yield the floor to the others if they arrive.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct. The Air Force has indicated specifically that EGPWS and TCAS for selected aircraft are part of the phase II modifications. The Air Force also has unfunded requirements for flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. The committee appreciates the Senator's interest and leadership on this issue.

Mr. STEVENS. I am aware of this firefighting demonstration kit for the Black Hawk helicopter. I agree that this program should be treated as any other item of special interest in the National Guard and Reserve Miscellaneous Equipment account, and am happy to support the Senator regarding this issue.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, 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 urge the adoption of the pending Feinstein amendment. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I find I acted prematurely. I ask the past action be rescinded and the Feinstein amendment remain the pending measure before the Senate.

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

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