J. Thurmond

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. I agree with the Senator that the staff of Y-12 have worked hard to bring operations back up to full speed. I was very pleased to see that, earlier this month, Y-12 resumed the last of its production missions: Enriched Uranium Operations.

Mr. THURMOND. I appreciate your efforts to assure continued high quality education in Department of Defense schools and I'll work to see that the provision you seek is adopted in conference. counternarcotics mission

Mr. THURMOND. I share the Senator's concern, and I urge the Department to make every effort not to disrupt the tremendous progress that has been made at Y-12. The production activities taking place at the plant are a critical component of our national security policy.

Mr. THURMOND. Yes, we fully expect that OPM and DoD will conduct a demonstration project that provides military retirees with the same health care services provided through the same private sector delivery systems that serve today's FEHBP beneficiaries.

Mr. THURMOND

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

Mr. THURMOND. I urge the adoption of the amendment. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. THURMOND. It has been cleared by both sides.

Mr. THURMOND. I yield back the remainder of time on this side.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I yield back our time.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I yield the remainder of the time on our side to the able Senator from Indiana.

Mr. THURMOND. That is correct.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I yield time to the distinguished Senator from Michigan.

Mr. THURMOND. I congratulate Senator Wellstone for being willing to come down this early to offer an amendment.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I send a series of cleared amendments to the desk on behalf of the majority and minority Members and ask that they be considered en bloc.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I am humbled at the action that has been suggested here. I have been on the Armed Services Committee for about 40 years and been a Member of this body for about 45 years, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. It offers many opportunities to those who love this country and feel that they want to serve it and create something. I am very grateful to Senator Warner, my good friend, Senator Levin, my good friend, and others who are interested in this action that is being considered. I tell them I appreciate you and I appreciate what you are doing, and I will never forget you. Thank you very much.

Mr. THURMOND. I ask unanimous consent the amendments be agreed to en bloc, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. I further ask that statements of explanation for each amendment be printed in the Record.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, this amendment would authorize a 3.6 percent pay raise for military personnel. Mr. President, increasing military pay is something the Committee wanted to do when we marked-up our bill. However, when we completed our mark-up six weeks ago, it was just not possible. Many Senators will recall that we were facing an almost insurmountable outlay problem in the defense budget. The Budget Committee, the Armed Services Committee and the Appropriations Committee were engaged in intense discussions to find a solution that would not adversely impact our national security. Now that we have been able to review and analyze the defense authorization and appropriations mark-ups of both bodies, we have identified programs which are hollow. We will use this hollow budget authority and outlays to pay for increasing military pay from the 3.1 percent requested by the President to the 3.6 percent level indicated by the Employment Cost Index. We will, of course, make the necessary adjustments to eliminate the hollow programs during our conference with the House. Mr. President, I have discussed this amendment with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Both Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye have joined the Members of the Armed Services Committee as co-sponsors of the amendment. Several weeks ago, the Joint Chiefs were briefed on recruiting and retention problems in the services and directed their staffs to review actions they could take to increase military pay. I am pleased that we are able to find a way to give our military personnel the pay raise they deserve. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

Mr. THURMOND. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I rise to oppose the Feingold amendment to terminate the Navy's Extremely Low Frequency communications system. The so-called Project ELF is a vital communications system that allows the United States to send messages to submarines that are traveling in very deep water. These messages tell submarines to come closer to the surface to receive more detailed communications. ELF is the only way to get a message to attack and ballistic missile submarines when they are at their normal operating depths. Contrary to the argument made by the Senator from Wisconsin, Project ELF is not a cold war relic. The system remains as vital as ever. The need for the United States to have a survivable submarine force remains essential. ELF is not only needed to send messages to U.S. ballistic missile submarines but also to attack submarines. In the post-Cold Ware era, the United States will place even greater emphasis on the submarine force for strategic deterrence. A survivable Trident submarine force is essential. This was reaffirmed in the Administration's Nuclear Posture Review, which recommended the retention of 14 Trident submarines for the foreseeable future. In a letter to the Armed Services Committee the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Strategic Command, wrote the following: ``Both ELF communications sites, operating simultaneously, are needed to meet our worldwide requirements. Dismantling this critical system would unacceptably impact the survivability and flexibility of our submarine force.'' Just this week the nominee to be the next Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Command, Admiral Richard Mies, reaffirmed STRATCOM's strong support for the ELF system. The need for a survivable U.S. submarine force did not end with the Cold War. Russia retains an aggressive anti-submarine warfare program designed to develop advanced capabilities to track and destroy all types of U.S. submarines. The United States continues to invest billions of dollars to maintain and modernize our submarine force. Other countries, such as Iran, are also acquiring an attack submarine force. Congress continues to strongly support development of a New Attack Submarine. This important submarine modernization program is justified, in part, by Russia's aggressive ASW program. If the Senate is willing to sustain such programs, we should sustain Project ELF. If we terminate this communications program we will save approximately $10 million per year, but put at risk a multi-billion dollar investment in our submarine force. The assertion has also been made that the ELF system may pose a public health threat. There is no evidence to substantiate this assertion. This question has been extensively studied. Each assessment has concluded that there is no risk to public safety. The Department of Defense opposes the Feingold legislation to terminate project ELF. In a letter dated May 7, 1997, the DOD General Counsel wrote that: ``The Department of Defense, Joint Staff, the Department of the Navy, and U.S. Strategic Command all agree on the necessity of maintaining the ELF system.'' The letter also stated that: ``ELF is the only communications system available that ensures the maintenance of these critical communication links. Costly new research and development would have to be done to provide another communications path to our submarines to ensure our ability to communicate at speed and depth.'' Mr. President, in summary, this amendment would jeopardize the security of the entire U.S. submarine force. There is no benefit to canceling this program and the risk of doing so is extremely high. I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, as a wind-up, I would like to speak for about 3 minutes. Mr. President, I want to thank my colleagues for their support of this bill. It was their suggestions and comments that make this a strong bill--a bill that I am extremely proud will bear my name. I appreciate the support of the able majority leader, Senator Lott. As a former member of the Armed Services Committee, I know he recognizes the importance of this bill to the Nation and our military. I thank the able minority leader for his fine cooperation and leadership. Mr. President, I want to thank the members of the Armed Services Committee for their loyalty and support over the past years. I want to especially recognize Senator Warner for his leadership during the past hours. It will serve him well in the future. Finally, I want to recognize Senator Carl Levin, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. During the past 2 years, he has been my friend and counsel. I have the highest respect for his abilities and concern for the security of our Nation, I shall always call him my friend. In closing, I want to recognize the hard work of the staff--both on the committee and in the personal offices. Under the leadership of the staff directors Les Brownlee and David Lyles; they have accomplished wonders. I would be remiss if I did not recognize the work of the floor staff. They have spent countless and dedicated hours supporting the Senators and our staffs. Without their efforts, it would have been impossible to pass this bill. Mr. President, this is a good bill for our Nation and most important to the men and women who wear the uniforms of our military services. It is and always will be my greatest honor to be associated with these patriots. I thank the President and yield the floor.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, words cannot express how I feel. I thank the majority leader and the minority leader for those kind words. It has been a pleasure to serve in the Senate and serve on the Armed Services Committee all these years. We have the greatest country in the world. And what is more important than national defense, preserving this Nation that serves us all so well, gives us more freedom, more liberty than any country in the world? I thank from the bottom of my heart Senator Lott, the distinguished majority leader, and the distinguished minority leader for what he had to say. And I thank all of you for your cooperation. We could not have gotten through this bill or all the other bills in the past without your cooperation. Every one of you are true patriots. We are proud of you. And, again, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause, Senators rising.) Mr. WARNER addressed the Chair.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a fine Marine Officer, Colonel Ron Franks, the Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who will soon retire from active duty. Colonel Franks' career began more than twenty-five years ago, following his graduation from the University of Central Texas, when he became a Marine aviator flying the venerable Huey helicopter. A few years later, Ron Franks switched from rotor wing aircraft to fixed wing, becoming a C-130 pilot, but flying some of the world's most advanced aircraft would not be the limit of this officer's duties. In a career as long as the one Colonel Franks has had, one is bound to have some interesting and challenging tasks and assignments. In the case of Ron Franks, his experiences have ranged from leading Marine aviators into combat during Operation Desert Storm as the squadron commander of VMGR-252 to helping the Commandant of the Marine Corps monitor the activities of the Legislative Branch. Without question, he was most efficient and successful in his duties monitoring Congress and working to represent the interests and concerns of the Marine Corps. Additionally, the Colonel is a graduate of the Naval War College, and earned a master's degree in business administration from Boston University, both of which are excellent indications not only of his commitment to seeking professional and personal improvement, but of the high caliber individual who serves as an officer of Marines. Finally, in almost three decades of service, Ron Franks has amassed an impressive list of awards and recognitions which include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. As Colonel Franks prepares to end his military service, I am certain that he will be missed by all those who have worked with him and come to know him. He has rendered the Nation a great service through his career as a Marine Officer and we are grateful for the sacrifices he has made in order that the United States may remain free and safe. I wish Colonel Franks, his wife Debby, and their children Kristen and Kimberly much health and happiness in the years ahead.