Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. This is exactly the kind of problem we have heard about. That is why we added this funding. We want to accelerate the cleanup of these sites wherever possible.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I would be pleased to enter into a colloquy with my friend from Alabama.

Mr. STEVENS. Let me assure the Senator that the committee's guidance was not intended to restrict the purchase of EOA-type systems.

Mr. STEVENS. That is correct. This WHCA support to the Secret Service had been provided on a non-reimbursable basis for 15 years, absent a clear definition of ``temporary basis.'' As I understand the issue, this support which is provided to the Secret Service is essential and must be provided regardless of the funding source.

Mr. STEVENS. In other words, there is no savings and there is increased redtape. This appears to be a typical bureaucratic solution-- fix something that is not broken.

Mr. STEVENS. Was this change requested by the Secret Service or WHCA?

Mr. STEVENS. I agree. If the support is essential and has been provided for so many years there is no need to create more administrative redtape. Not only won't this process save taxpayer dollars, it will cost more money due to the increased administrative processes. The support is essential and should be funded in the most streamlined of methods. We should continue to fund this support directly to WHCA and their support of the Secret Service should continue.

Mr. STEVENS. We will certainly address it, and hopefully continue to fund this support program without added redtape. b-52h bombers

Mr. STEVENS. I understand my friend's concerns, and, if necessary, we could raise these matters in the conference with our House counterparts. I also would add, in recognition of my friend's interests in this matter, that we will do our best to come out of conference with the full $69,500,000 we have allocated for the B-52's.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am going to suggest the absence of a quorum as we go through our files to see if there are any other amendments we can go through in the manner we have thus far. I congratulate the Chair and clerk for assisting us in this manner. Again, I will announce the vote on the motion to table the Simon amendment will take place at 1 p.m. 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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.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 ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we have now, since we started on this bill, whether Senators realize it or not, disposed of almost 50 amendments. In the process of doing that, under the circumstances, again having to deal with the cloture problem, we filed the amendments so they only hit the bill at one point. We have been able to consolidate those. As we consolidated them, we may have made some technical errors. I ask unanimous consent that the staff and the clerk be authorize to make technical, clerical changes in numbers, et cetera, that might be required.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the unanimous-consent agreement we have concerning these technical changes to our amendments apply to all amendments we accept by unanimous consent today.

Mr. STEVENS. Now I ask the Chair lay before the Senate amendment No. 4528.

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

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this amendment has been cleared on both sides. I ask for its adoption.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the clerk lay before the Senate amendment No. 4493, as modified.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask this amendment be agreed to because it will provide up to $25 million to upgrade the Dragon Missile System that is currently employed by the Army National Guard. It has been cleared on both sides, I believe.

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. May I suggest that the Senator from Illinois be recognized for 2 minutes, the Senator from Virginia for 1 minute, the Senator from Massachusetts 3 minutes, and the Senator from North Carolina will have his 12 minutes. I rephrase my unanimous-consent request.