Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I will respond to my friend from West Virginia by saying the so-called Gephardt rule is not within the control of this Senator, nor the leaders. If the House chooses to take up the Gephardt rule and use it as it was used several times before, including, I believe, by Senator Mitchell when he was the leader, then that will be an issue that others will have to pursue. I am not in a position to make that commitment, and I do not think the leader is in a position to make that commitment. I do want to proceed with the bill and I would hope my friend would accept that as being the position we are in now. I am in the position to make the commitment I have made with regard to this bill. I hope we can proceed on this bill.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am happy that the two leaders are in the Chamber because I wish to make an announcement to the Senate. Previously, I had stated I did not think it would be possible for me to make the commitment that when the Defense appropriations bill goes to conference this year it would not come back with the provisions in the House-passed bill pertaining to the debt ceiling. I have had a series of conversations through the evening last night and this morning and I now believe I can commit that when we come back from this conference we will not bring back a bill that contains the provisions that were in the House-passed bill pertaining to the debt ceiling issues that we must face sometime this year.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, does the Senator from West Virginia wish to be recognized? I will be happy to yield to him.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 594, H.R. 4613, the Defense Appropriations Committee bill.

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator and renew my request.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent all after the enacting clause be stricken, the text of Calendar No. 593, S. 2559, the Senate committee- reported bill, be inserted in the Record in lieu thereof, and that bill, as amended, be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment, provided no points of order be waived by reason of this agreement.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I just filed this report. It is the report that previously was intended to accompany the Senate bill. I ask it now be labeled as accompanying the House bill as amended by the previous motion.

Mr. STEVENS. I am happy to yield to the Senator from Nevada.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am pleased to present this report and this bill to the Senate today. It reflects the bipartisan approach that my cochairman, Senator Inouye, and I have always maintained regarding the Department of Defense. It is a pleasure to work with him and other members of the committee. I thank our distinguished ranking member and former chairman, the Senator from West Virginia, for his cooperation in helping us to get to the point we are now. This bill was reported out of our full Appropriations Committee on June 22 by a unanimous vote of 29 members. No member voted against it. As we debate this bill today there are thousands of men and women in uniform deployed and serving our country in over 120 countries and throughout these United States. Their bravery and dedication to our country is extraordinary. Their sacrifices must not go unrecognized. They must be recognized here today. Each year, the Department of Defense faces the critical challenge of balancing the cost of maintaining high levels of readiness, being ready to respond to the call wherever and whenever it is necessary to defend the interests of this country. The costs associated with simultaneously and adequately investing in transforming our Department of Defense to be ready to meet the threats of tomorrow are also concomitant with this critical challenge of balancing the costs of maintaining high levels of readiness. I believe the bill Senator Inouye and I present today reflects a prudent balance among these challenges. It recommends $416.2 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense, including $25 billion of contingent emergency funding for costs associated with operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terror. This amount is $1.7 billion below the President's amended fiscal year 2005 request but, in our judgment, meets the Defense Subcommittee's allocation for both budget authority and outlays. The measure we present is consistent with both the objectives of the administration and the Senate National Defense authorization bill for 2005, which we passed last evening. We sought to recommend a balanced approach, and we do recommend a balanced bill to the Senate. We believe it addresses the key requirements for readiness, quality of life, and transformation of our total force. It honors the commitment we have to our Armed Forces. It helps ensure that they will continue to have first-rate training, modernized equipment and quality infrastructure, and maintain their quality of life. It fully funds key readiness programs critical to the global war on terrorism. It makes continued progress in supporting our military personnel and their families. Key initiatives included in this bill are these: First, an average military pay increase of 3.5 percent and full funding for benefit and medical programs; additional funding to pay for the increase of 20,000 to our Army end strength and TRICARE for Guard and Reserves. Both of these initiatives were included in the Senate version of the 2005 Defense authorization bill, and this bill funds both programs: For the Army, $3 billion for their ongoing transformation initiative, the future combat system, and the Stryker Brigade combat teams; for the Navy, $10.2 billion for shipbuilding, providing additional funding for the DD(X) destroyer and the Marine Corps' amphibious assault ship, LHA(R); for the Air Force, full funding for the acquisition of 14 C-17 aircraft and 24 F-22 Raptor aircraft; $10.2 billion is included for missile defense programs. In light of the contributions of the Guard and Reserve, this bill adds $500 million in nondesignated equipment funding for modernization shortfall. Again, I thank my cochairman Senator Inouye for support, and for the support of the whole committee and the invaluable counsel we have received on this bill. I yield for any statements he may wish to make. I point out the contingent reserve in this bill funds a 5-month period. We fully anticipate there will be a supplemental again next year. We are talking about the last quarter of this calendar year which is the first quarter of fiscal year 2005 and an additional month beyond that after we are back in session and ready to receive the supplemental for that, if necessary. Mr. President, we have a conflict because of Senator Inouye's noon event, which I wish to also attend. It is my hope we will be back on the floor and start considering amendments at 2 p.m. today. Does the Senator wish to comment?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, does the Senator wish the floor?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, it is my understanding there will be other matters considered. I ask unanimous consent that our bill be set aside until the hour of 2 p.m.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Chair lay before the Senate the Defense appropriations bill.

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

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this amendment has been agreed to on both sides. There may be allocated up to $880,000 for a specific project the Senator is interested in. I ask for adoption of the amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3491

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk for Mr. Corzine and ask that it be considered.

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

Mr. STEVENS. This amendment is for Senator Corzine, who is seeking an earmark for up to $4 million for a specific project. It has been agreed upon. I ask unanimous consent that it be adopted.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3492

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk for Senators Kennedy, Kerry, Schumer, and Clinton.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this is an amendment, on an emergency basis, to add $25 million for the security at each of the party conventions in Boston and New York. It is consistent with past policy, and we have agreed to accept this amendment on an emergency basis. I ask for consideration of the amendment.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Senator from Ohio has an amendment to offer. I yield the floor.

Mr. STEVENS

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