Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. My question to the leader is I hope he realizes this is new law. Never before in the history of the United States have we assisted people who lost cattle during a disaster. So we are making new law. It is not just an appropriation. It is an authorization bill, too. I accept what the Senator says. It would be nice to get the bill passed, but I want the Senate to know that we took it upon ourselves to not only appropriate money but to change the law so that disaster aid would be available to people who lost cattle. I understand this is a bad disaster, but there have been many disasters where people have lost cattle before and they received no aid.

Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following staff members of the Appropriations Committee and various subcommittees be granted floor access during the consideration of the conference report on H.R. 1469: Christine Ciccone, Becky Davies, Sid Ashworth, Alex Flint, Bruce Evans, Wally Burnett, Jon Kamarck, Jay Kimmitt, Michele Randolph, Jack Conway, Jim Morhard, Mary Beth Nethercutt, Robin Cleveland, Craig Higgins, Pat Raymond, Dona Pate, Susan Hogan, and Kevin Johnson.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I yield myself such time as I may use. I state to the Senate that I don't intend to use the whole hour, unless it is necessary to respond to some comments that may come up. It is my hope that we can finish debate on this bill and then turn to the budget resolution. The conference report on the defense and emergency disaster supplemental bill will soon be before us. It is not before us yet. In the interest of time, we hope that we can get this matter resolved so that we may vote upon the bill as soon as it is received from the House. Mr. President, the conferees completed their work yesterday afternoon and the conference report was filed in the House last night. The final bill keeps faith with the version that passed the Senate last month. It provides needed relief for the victims of disasters in 35 States. The bill also provides $1.8 billion for military operations in Bosnia, Southwest Asia, and foreign deployments. Those amounts replace funds already spent by the administration. Without this funding for the Defense Department, we face a severe reduction in training, readiness, and quality of life for our troops worldwide. The bill continues to exceed the levels requested by the President for the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], the community development block grants, economic development, agriculture, and for the Corps of Engineers. I might say, however, Mr. President, while this bill involves increases of $8 billion, we have offset $8.4 billion. There is no net increase in this bill. We actually have a $400 million net reduction in spending for fiscal year 1997 as a result of this bill. Each of our subcommittees have carefully reviewed the amounts proposed by these agencies, and working with the Members from the impacted States, we have arrived at these funding levels. The new budget authority is offset by corresponding rescissions, as I have indicated. Those exceed the total spending. Again, let me say, all defense spending is offset by reductions available to the Department of Defense in terms of prior appropriations. Again, consistent with the Senate version of the bill, additional amounts are provided for needed highway programs. Mr. President, there was a request from the administration for some highway money. We added to that. We have reached a compromise now by virtue of the work that was done by Senator Shelby and Senator Lautenberg. That results in an increase for the so-called donor States, compared to the bill that passed the Senate. But I believe it keeps faith with the commitment that we have made to provide more funding to the donee States. We did not rewrite the highway formula. We reached an honest compromise with the House, where the House is dominated primarily by donor States and this Senate has more votes from the donee States. Now, this is a legitimate compromise on the money without rewriting the highway formula. The conferees maintained the continuing resolution language; it is unchanged. It was the same version in both the House and Senate bills. It was not before the conference, actually. The levels of the continuing resolution version provide 100 percent of the fiscal year 1997 enacted rate of appropriations in the event a bill is not passed by the end of the fiscal year. This is more generous than most continuing resolutions that have been passed by the Congress in prior years. Typically, past resolutions provided that the money to be available during the period of a continuing resolution was the lower of the two amounts provided by the House or the Senate. This is not that case. This continuing resolution would be 100 percent of the amount that has been available in 1997. I might say to the Senate that, after considerable debate, the conferees modified the language on the 2000 census; that is, we modified the provision adopted by the Senate. The conference agreement prohibits the use of sampling and mandates a full enumeration of Americans for the apportionment of the House of Representatives. This is nothing more than maintaining current law, Mr. President, the constitutional requirement for a real census. It does not permit a political polling type of census. I think we should state to the Senate that the Appropriations Committee in the House and the Senate each have recognized that this decision will increase the cost of the census for the year 2000. We are prepared to fund that additional cost within the total available under the bipartisan budget agreement, which we will vote on later today. I regret that no Member of the minority has chosen to sign the conference report, but I do understand and respect Senator Byrd's decision. I knew of his objection from the very beginning to the continuing resolution provision that is in the bill. But I want to assure Senators that, as far as the appropriations aspects of this bill, it is not a partisan bill. The agreements reached on the appropriations for disaster relief and for the recovery from the disasters were adopted with complete consultation with all Members of each body, regardless of party. I hope the President will closely evaluate the total bill before he reaches the decision on a veto. We know that there is a threatened veto. We hope to work with the President to meet the needs of the victims of these disasters and to maintain our national defense, which is our constitutional duty. Vetoing this bill will simply delay further the aid and support that is needed by the citizens of more than 30 States. I do want to state, Mr. President, that this is the first bill that I have been privileged to handle as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. I offer my thanks to Chairman Bob Livingston for his courtesy and cooperation in working with Members of the Senate on this bill. It is a very complex bill, Mr. President. At times, this was a very contentious conference. But the House chairman, who was the chairman of the conference, presided over the conference with considerable grace, diligence, and good humor. I do believe that all Members will agree that anyone who wanted to participate in the debate concerning this conference was able to do so. I do urge the adoption of the bill by the Senate today so the bill can reach the President as soon as possible. It will be a difficult vote, Mr. President, and I expect a very close vote on whether the bill goes to the President at all. Thank you. I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I yield to the Senator.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have been an occupant of the Chair and listened to many statements now concerning my good friend from South Carolina. So I am not going to repeat some of the matters concerning Senator Thurmond's personal background. I would like to just discuss some of the memories I have of this great Senator. It is a matter of coincidence, I guess, but Senator Thurmond came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 1954. I came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 1968. I thank the Parliamentarian for assisting me in finding those dates. When I came to the Senate, Senator Thurmond was 22d in seniority. It is an interesting thing that he is now the first in line, and, on our side, I am now the second. A great many people have come to the Senate, and left, since the first day that I came to the Senate and joined Senator Thurmond. But it was with great interest that I met him because I read a great deal about the Senator from South Carolina prior to coming to the Senate. As a matter of history, I was trained to fly gliders in World War II and firmly expected to be deployed to the European theater, when I was reassigned into the China theater, and did not ever get to tow gliders into combat. But I did train to tow them. And I was very interested to find out that Senator Thurmond was one of those who led part of our forces flying a glider into the invasion in June 1944. You know, the whole concept of using gliders was to insert troops far beyond the shore defenses out in front. And that is, I think, what I would say about Senator Thurmond: He has always been out in front. He has also been a leader by example. There is one thing that young Senators coming into the Senate, whether in the group that I came in 1968 or every new term that brings more Senators, soon learn. If you want to see what a Senator should act like, should be like, you should emulate the Senator from South Carolina. As a matter of fact, my brother, Bob, lives in South Carolina. When he speaks of ``my Senator,'' he is talking about Senator Thurmond--not me--because Senator Thurmond is a real champion of the people of his State. They know him personally. It was my privilege in one election to accompany Senator Thurmond to South Carolina and to go to campaign events with him. I want the Senate to know, if they want to learn how to campaign, that they ought to try that. Because when Senator Thurmond goes into an event--and we went to several on that trip that I made with him to South Carolina--he does not need someone standing beside him to remind him who people are. He loves campaigning. You can tell that he knows his people, and they love him because it is a reunion. Each one of his campaign events are reunions. They are not just something to go to, to try to listen to; they are supporters coming to meet their Senator. There is a great difference, Mr. President. I think we all know that. But time passes very quickly in the Senate. It passes quickly for those who are busy. Some people come and leave very quickly because they never really become part of the Senate family. Senator Thurmond has been a leader not only in the Senate, but here on the floor and in the Senate family. My daughter, Lily--this is Uncle Strom to her. I think for almost every one of us who have had young children here in the Senate, they have had that same relationship to Senator Thurmond. She literally lights up when she sees Strom because she is meeting a friend. He really vibrates with young people. And I like that as a father. But I also admire it greatly in terms of his qualities and the way he approaches life. I was thinking, as I sat there in the chair, about what I would say about Senator Thurmond. My message to the Senate is, here is a man who loves life. There is a real joy to his life. He has had some sadness. But he has had the strength to overcome that. But he really enjoys life. I remember when he used to tell me that I ought to work out more, that I ought to get more exercise. I thought I was getting a lot of exercise. But I soon found out that I needed that exercise because every time he grabbed me by the arm, I went away with a bruise. And I had to get a little bit more muscle there so I could be close enough to him so he could talk to me. You watch. He will do that when I finish. He is going to grab me by the arm and let me know there is still strength in that arm. And it is the strength of a strong heart, a heart that really loves our country, and loves the Senate, and that really has dignified the Senate in his years here. He has been in some battles. He has been in some battles with me. But I will tell the Senate that no one in the Senate could have a better friend than Strom Thurmond. I am proud to be here today to call him my friend and to acknowledge his great leadership. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask Senators to do something irregular--that is, pick up the bill and look at what this amendment does to the Appropriations Committee. On page 23, you will see on line 9 an increase of $137.8 billion for health. If you look at page 35 where this amendment touches, it has ``new budget authority for allowances''--no new budget, no outlays. What it means is we would have to go into every other account and pull out money to put it in this one account, an account that is already increased under this budget by $137.8 billion. The Senator came to me and asked me if I would be bound by this. I checked with Senator Byrd. We cannot be bound by this. Some of those accounts--by the way, this is an absolute across-the-board cut--cannot take that. For those of you in agriculture, agriculture has already been cut. Space and technology has already been cut. We have to go in and cut those further in order to put this money into an account that has already a $137.8 billion increase under this budget. I urge you to vote against it, because we do not want to have to go against the sense of the Senate. But we would have to under this because we cannot comply with this. I move to table the amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I want to tell the Senate that those of us who are voting against some of these amendments are doing it because there is no money to fund these sense- of-the-Senate resolutions. I say to any of you that want to offer amendments that change this budget, that authorize additional funds-- show me the money. Show me where the money is when you offer amendments that change the budget plan agreed to with the President. I have discussed this with the distinguished Senator from West Virginia. We will have the obligation to allot money within the budget among 13 subcommittees. A sense-of-the-Senate resolution does not give us any more money but it gives us the problem that you have sent a message to America that there is money in this budget to do something the Senate votes for in a sense-of-the-Senate resolution. When the budget resolution, just before, was voted I asked for a chance to come to the floor again, and I ask for you to reserve some time and we will show where a commitment has been made by the Senate to fund items where there is no money. I urge the Senate to wake up. We are voting against these matters not because we are against highways or aid for children who need insurance. We are voting--the Senators from New Mexico and New Jersey have brought us a resolution. We had a budget that has been worked out with the President and we have a chance to vote for a balanced budget. I do not want to be accused of being a tightwad when we allocate the money under 602(b) of the budget act and then we do not cover the sense-of-the-Senate Resolutions. Again, if anyone is going to accuse us of being tightwads and not following the sense of the Senate, I tell you, if you vote for one of these things, you show us where the money is and we will allocate it. We will not be misled by these attempts to gain publicity and to gain some credit at home on a bill like this. This is a very serious bill. The two of us are going to have a horrendous job trying to meet our duties even within this budget, so do not give us any more of this funny money. You show me real money and I will allocate it to your function.

Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent there now be a period for the transaction of morning business.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment following the remarks of the Senator from North Dakota.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we are fortunate when our working associates are knowledgeable, efficient, responsible and willing to go the extra mile. But none of those attributes mean much over the long haul until you add loyalty to the mix. For half of my life--and two-thirds of hers--Barbara Andrews-Mee has been my boss--as a lawyer, a member of our state legislature and as a U.S. Senator. Her talents are many. But, when I've been asked, ``What is Barb's best characteristic?'' I say, ``loyalty.'' That means more to me than any of the help she's given me and the people of Alaska over more than three decades: work above and beyond the call of duty. Through our 36 years of working together, Barb has solved problems for countless Alaskans. She's been to hundreds--maybe even thousands--of meetings of civic and community groups to keep her finger on the pulse, to help keep me informed. A tireless supporter of our military men and women, she has attended ceremonies on bases and posts, on submarines and on her own ship, the U.S.S. Zephyr, a PC8 coastal patrol craft, which she christened. Barb has watched parades and air shows and presentations of colors and speeches of all types, and worked to ensure that military people who serve in Alaska are treated with respect as our neighbors and constituents. Barb, can on request, put a file in my hand that is sometimes decades old. She can always locate them. She's been the institutional memory for the young Alaskans who come to work with us, fresh out of school. And, after they've served on the Senate payroll and move on, they come back to see Barb. My grandmother always told me, ``Just remember, dynamite comes in small packages.'' That's Barb. She knows when to use her Norwegian stubbornness or her Alaskan toughness to get a job done. She also knows how to set me straight, and has done it many times. Many a morning Barb has risen long before dawn, or many a dark night, well after others in Anchorage have gone to bed, she has traveled to Elmendorf Air Force Base to greet, in my name, dignitaries whose planes are making a brief stopover. She gives our visitors an Alaskan gift package--some smoked salmon, crackers, and candy. And every time afterward, the visitors say, ``Remember me to Barb.'' She's met my planes every hour of the day and night when I come home. And she's made sure I made my flights back to Washington, DC, no matter how tight the time frame, possibly testing the speed limits along the way, but always getting me there. One year I came home 36 times. She met me every time but one. When I got there that night, having left the Senate at 4 p.m., battled traffic and got the 5:30 plane and arrived in Anchorage about 11:30 p.m., there was no one there. I waited, then called Barb. ``What's up?'' I said to my sleepy friend. ``What's my schedule?'' ``You aren't here, chief,'' Barb said. ``I won't tell anyone you're here if you won't tell anyone I'm not there!" I went fishing and then went back to DC. We've shared much more than a working relationship through the years, Mr. President. Barb's friendship has meant much to me and my family. In our worst days, when I lost my wife Ann who was Barb's good friend, Barb did everything possible to ease our pain, despite her own sense of loss. Barb's quick with the quip, and usually has a great joke to share when it looks like our spirits are low. Along with her job, and her sons, her daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, and her husband, Vince, Barb has another special love. It's golf. The snow has hardly disappeared from our Alaska golf courses before Barb is on the links. With Vince, she packs up her clubs and heads for sunny climes whenever there's an opportunity. Like everything else she's worked on, Barb continues to perfect her golf game. We may not see her on the L.P.G.A. circuit, but she's going to give those other lady golfers a run for their money. Mr. President, it's impossible to sum up 36 years of association in one small tribute. Mike Doogan, a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News, in a farewell column about Barb's years with us, quoted her as saying, ``It's been a great ride.'' You bet it has. But more than all of her other great attributes, Barb's loyalty has sustained me, comforted me, inspired me, and helped me to overcome tough situations. She may not be coming into my Anchorage office every day, anymore. She may be soaking up sunshine at her Arizona getaway, or on a Hawaiian Island or a Florida Key. But no matter where Barb is, she knows she can count on me to be her friend for all time. There is no way to thank Barb, Mr. President. The words ``Thank you'' are too small to convey the depth and breadth and length of the gratitude I have for all of the wonderful years Barb Andrews-Mee has shared with me, with my family, and with Alaskans. We'll miss our day-to-day contact, but we'll always know we have a loyal friend. Thank you, Mr. President. I ask to have printed in the Record Mike Doogan's Anchorage Daily News column of Sunday, May 18. The column follows: [From the Anchorage Daily News, May 18, 1997] Andrews-Mee Leaves'em Laughing, and Grateful After 35 Years (By Mike Doogan) You have to say this for Barbara Andrews--Mee: She's no quitter. She's worked for the same fellow for 35 years. ``I have been with Ted Stevens longer than I have been with three husbands,'' she said last week with a characteristic laugh. ``It's been a great ride.'' The ride end this month, when Andrews-Mee retires as manager of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' Anchorage office. Resplendent in a red plaid blazer, Andrews-Mee sat in Stevens' big office in the federal building and talked about her time with Alaska's senator-for-life. Her own office, next door, was stacked with files she's trying to clean out. Her desk, which once belonged to Stevens' predecessor, Bob Bartlett, was a jumble of notes and letters. Propped atop a filing cabinet was a big, black-and-white photo of a younger Stevens, looking like his dog had just died, with a hand- lettered caption that read: Whoever said it would be easy? Maybe it hasn't all been easy, but for Andrews-Mee it seems to have been fun. The woman is a pistol. Here's just a sample: On her height (she's 5 feet tall): ``I tell people used to be 6-foot-2, and then I went to work for Stevens.'' On her age (she's 59): ``Jeez, that's hell, when you to have to admit your kid's going to turn 40.'' On why she never ran for office herself: ``Oh, no, my skin is too think. Like the fellow who goes to a football game and when they go into a huddle, he thinks they're talking about him?'' On the fancy new computer she has at home: ``We've got the whole thing. Don't get off at Chicago if you're going to New York.'' On her plans for retirement: ``My god, I am my mother. You know how you just become your parents? My mother was a holy terror 89 when she died and still dying her hair red. I'm not going to sit home and watch soaps.'' Instead, she said, she's going to play golf--she's still trying to break 100--serve on the Defense Advisory Commission on Women in the Services, and do volunteer work. ``It's payback time,'' she said, ``my country and my state and my community.'' Andrews-Mee went to work for Stevens when he was just another lawyer with political ambitions. He was first elected to the state Legislature in 1962, before there was the oil money to pay legislative staff. ``In those days, Ted would find somebody going to Anchorage and give them three, four Dictaphone belts, and I'd type them up and send them back,'' she said. ``And that's how we did legislative mail.'' Stevens' political success since then owes a lot to Andrews-Mee. His office has a long-standing reputation for solving constituents' problems, whether or not the constituent is a Stevens supporter. ``When somebody tells me, `I voted for Ted,' I say, ``That great, but we represent everybody,'' she said. That attitude is a big part of the reason so many Democrats enter the voting booth every six years and quietly cast a ballot for the Republican. One way or another, Andrews-Mee has made her boss a lot of friends. So it seems appropriate, out of respect for the job she's done, to let Andrews-Mee say she's been happy to do that for Stevens, to let her sneak in one last plug for her boss. ``He's done a great job.'' she said. ``Why else would I stay with somebody for 35 years.''

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, was this cleared with the Budget Committee to make it eligible this evening? It is being filed, but it qualifies now under the budget resolution. I have no objection if that is the case.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on (S. 543) a bill to provide certain protections to volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in lawsuits based on the activities of volunteers. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 543) entitled ``An Act to provide certain protections to volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in lawsuits based on the activities of volunteers'', do pass with the following amendment: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I understand that H.R. 1306 has arrived from the House and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. STEVENS. I now ask that the bill be given its second reading, and I object on behalf of a Member on the other side of the aisle.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Energy Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 156 and the bill be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I have a series of matters for the leader to perform before that time.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consideration of Senate Resolution 89 submitted earlier by Senator Lott which would make majority party committee appointments, and further the resolution be adopted and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 67 which was received from the House.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table and any statements related to the resolution appear at this point.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. For the information of all Senators, at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning the Senate will resume consideration of the budget resolution with Senator Moseley-Braun being recognized to conclude debate on her amendment. There is one hour total for debate. Therefore, a rollcall is expected at approximately 10:30, or somewhere between 10:30 and 11 a.m., on Thursday in relation to the Moseley-Braun amendment. In addition, a number of amendments still remain to the budget resolution. Therefore, Senators should expect votes throughout the day and into the night in order to complete action on the budget resolution.

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 Thursday, May 22. I further ask unanimous consent that on Thursday, immediately following the prayer, the routine requests through the morning hour be granted, and the Senate then immediately resume consideration of Senate Concurrent Resolution 27, the first concurrent budget resolution.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on the executive calendar: Calendar Nos. 76, 78 through 81, and 112. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, and that any statements relating to the nominations appear in the Record at this point, that the President be immediately notified of Senate's action, and that the Senate then return to legislative session.