J. Thurmond

Mr. THURMOND

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

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the committee has worked very hard to achieve consensus on an amendment----

Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Reed from Rhode Island be added as a cosponsor to the Thurmond-Levin- Coats amendment.

Mr. THURMOND. I will be glad to yield.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the committee has worked very hard to achieve consensus on an amendment that would represent the majority views of the committee. Since May 13, at the request of several Members, the committee has met at least five times to discuss possible amendments on Bosnia that would be offered to the defense bill. The committee also conducted a hearing with Ambassador Robert Gelbard and General Wesley Clark to discuss the status of progress in implementing the Dayton Agreement. Despite all meetings and discussions, the committee was not able to reach consensus on an amendment on Bosnia. However, following the committee's meeting on June 19, Senator Coats and Senator Levin, met, and, using a compromise amendment that I had proposed as a starting point, continued the effort to craft an amendment, which I support and which I believe the Senate can support. While I am aware that there are Senators who would prefer to do more, I believe that this amendment represents the view of most Senators. I am pleased to join Senators Coats and Levin, and I urge the Senate to adopt it. Let me emphasize, this amendment does not represent a committee amendment, it merely represents the tireless efforts of several Members. This amendment would express the concerns of the Congress that U.S. ground combat forces should not be deployed indefinitely in Bosnia, and that efforts should be taken by the President to work with our Allies in Europe so that U.S. ground combat forces could withdraw in a safe and orderly fashion from Bosnia within a reasonable period of time. Additionally, the amendment would express our views that the European allies should take appropriate steps to develop forces to take on the responsibilities of the Stabilization Force in Bosnia, if necessary, to continue to implement the Dayton Agreement. Mr. President, by December 1998, U.S. ground forces will have been deployed in Bosnia for three years, and the United States will have spent almost $9 billion dollars for its share of the operations. That is two years more than the President, Secretary Perry, Secretary Christopher and General Shalikashvili told us in 1995 that our forces would be in Bosnia, and $8.0 billion more than their original cost estimate. I believe it is imperative that the United States make strong efforts to work with our NATO and European allies to provide a situation where U.S. ground combat forces can leave Bosnia. The United States has world-wide commitments, and the continued deployment of U.S. forces in Bosnia is starting to take a toll on the readiness of our military forces. The deployment in Bosnia along with our other commitments produces an operational tempo which impacts heavily on the morale of our forces and our ability to retain personnel. I believe this amendment sends the message that we have been in Bosnia too long, and that we should begin working our way out. I also believe the amendment sends a message that our European allies should assume a more equitable leadership role on their borders, while at the same time ensuring some continued level of continued U.S. support. I believe this is a good amendment, and urge its adoption.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, we have had a lot of talk here. It is about time for action now. At this time, I yield to the able Senator from Virginia, Senator Warner. Incidentally, for the record, Senator Warner served as a sailor in World War II. In his career he served in the Marines; he served as Secretary of the Navy. He is the ranking Republican on this committee. He has had vast military experience. I am very pleased at this time to yield him such time as he desires.

Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, we have been on this amendment now for hours. It is time to vote and take some action. I urge adoption of the amendment. Mr. CLELAND addressed the Chair.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a military fellow on assignment to my staff, Major Joann Eberle, be permitted access to the Senate Chamber during the consideration of S. 2057, the FY-1999 defense authorization bill.

Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, will the able Senator allow the other amendments to go forward before we take up his amendment?

Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I yield to the Senator to speak for 5 minutes.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, will the able Senator allow me to get two people on the floor?

Mr. THURMOND. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Privilege Of The Floor

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Vaughn Ward, a fellow in Senator Kempthorne's office, be permitted floor privileges during the consideration of the pending bill.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 1998 at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a business meeting to markup S. 1925, to make technical corrections to laws relating to Native Americans and; S. 1998, to authorize an interpretive center and related visitor facilities within the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park, to be followed immediately by a joint hearing with the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on S. 1771, to amend the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act and S. 1899, the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation Indian Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 1998. The meeting/hearing will be held in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 1998, to conduct a hearing on H.R. 10, the ``Financial Services Act of 1998.''

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be granted permission to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24 for purposes of conducting a Full Committee business meeting which is scheduled to begin at 9;30 a.m. The purpose of this business meeting is to consider pending calendar business.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 1998 at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm to hold two hearings.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Yes, that is correct.

Mr. THURMOND. I want to thank the able Senator from Maine for the excellent remarks she made on this subject. Mr. President, I am sympathetic to the Brownback amendment, however, last year, the Congress established a commission to review the conduct of military training and gender-related issues, we should await the outcome of its findings. That commission is constituted and working. One of the areas which the commission must specifically address in its final report is a recommendation as to how to provide for a safe and secure living environment for young men and women in basic training. This amendment would preempt the work of the commission by establishing a statutory requirement that basic trainees be housed in separate barracks. I join Senator Brownback and others in insisting that the military services provide a safe and secure environment for all military personnel, but especially those in basic training who may be the most vulnerable. On June 8, 1998, Secretary Cohen asked us not to legislate a specific solution as Senator Brownback's amendment does. Secretary Cohen urged that we give the Service Chiefs the flexibility to house and train their personnel in the manner determined to be most effective for that service. We all recognize that each of the four services is unique. Each service has its own culture, history and traditions. I agree with Secretary Cohen that we should not legislate how they must house and train their personnel. Mr. President, I could support an amendment that would require the Service Secretaries to provide for a safe and secure environment without specifically requiring a standard solution for three of the four services. Senator Brownback's amendment goes beyond requiring a safe and secure environment and will require millions of dollars in military construction and renovation projects to make their barracks conform to the requirements in the amendment. I prefer to allow the Congressional Commission to do its work and make its recommendations next March before we act. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Privilege of the Floor Mr. President, while I have the floor, I ask unanimous consent Mr. David Landfair, a military fellow in the Office of Senator Mike DeWine, be granted privilege of the floor during the pendency of S. 2057, the fiscal year 1999 Department of Defense authorization bill.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I commend the able Senator from Georgia for the manner in which he has handled this bill. There is nothing more important than education. I started out my career as a schoolteacher. I taught school for 6 years in Edgefield and McCormick Counties and then went to the State senate and spent most of my time in the State senate on education matters. I believe we should do more in the field of education; that is the hope of the future. And I hope the Congress will pass this bill and do it promptly. Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, this past March, General Tilelli, Commander, of U.S. Forces in Korea, testified before the Committee on issues faced by his Command. One of the foremost concerns he expressed was the impact of the antipersonnel landmine moratorium that would be imposed on February 12, 1999. General Tilelli prevailed upon the Committee to provide legislative relief from this requirement. On May 1, Secretary of Defense Cohen and General Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, wrote asking the Committee to include a provision in the defense authorization bill that would allow the Secretary to waive the moratorium for national security interests. Today, I offer an amendment that would provide the President authority to waive the moratorium on antipersonnel landmines that would go into effect on February 12, 1999. The potential negative effect of this legislation on the ability of U.S. forces to fight and win battles and to defend U.S. forces and allies, if necessary, is unacceptable, and would not be in the national security interest of the United States. I am concerned about the impact of this moratorium on the ability to undertake missions, such as the kind of mission that may have been necessary, had Iraq chosen to invade one of our allies in the Gulf, during the most recent standoff with Iraq over the arms control inspections. I believe it is in the national security interests for U.S. forces to be able to employ self-destructing anti-personnel landmines and self- destructing mixed anti-tank systems to defend themselves and our allies, if necessary. It is for this reason, that I believe the President should have authority to waive the moratorium for national security reasons. I urge the adoption of my amendment.

Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I rise to introduce an amendment that would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on the Department of Defense's use of the authority provided by section 2667 of title 10, United States Code. Mr. President, Secretary Cohen has recommended additional base closures citing 23 percent excess base capacity and the need to achieve savings that could be used for modernization. However, both the House and Senate, for various reasons, have not supported the request, although both acknowledge that there is excess capacity. My amendment suggests that the Department of Defense use its existing authority under section 2667 of title 10, United States Code, to put the excess capacity to beneficial use. Section 2667 permits the lease on non- excess real or personal property to the private sector for financial or in-kind compensation. Since the Department does have the authority to close or eliminate its excess capacity, the leases authorized by section 2667 would use this capacity while providing some revenue and savings to the Department and the military installations. Additionally, since the property would be under a long-term lease, the services would have it available for future expansion or surge capacity. Under section 2667, a service secretary may lease property to a lessee under such terms as he considers will promote the national defense or be in the public interest. Additionally, the funds collected from these leases are deposited in a special account in the Treasury. Sums deposited in this account will be available to the military department, as provided in appropriation Act, as follows:--50 percent of such amounts will be available for facility maintenance and repair or environmental restoration at the military installation where the leased property is located. 50 percent of such amounts will be available for facility maintenance and repair and environmental restoration by the military departments concerned. Mr. President, my amendment would ask the Secretary to report on the following issues regarding the use of section 2667: The number and purpose of leases entered under 2667; the types and amounts of payment received; the cost, if any, foregone as a result of the leases; the positive and negative aspects of leasing; the efforts to promote these type leases to the private sector; any legislative proposal to enhance the Department's capability to lease to the private sector; an estimate of income that could potentially be accrued because of enhanced leasing capability; and a discussion on retaining any income from these leases at the installation. Mr. President, I believe the authority provided the service secretaries by section 2667 does not eliminate the need for base closure. It does provide the opportunity to use this property for the benefit of the military installations. I will carefully review the Secretary's report and, if required, include legislation in next year's defense authorization bill to maximize the use of this authority. Mr. President, I urge the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. THURMOND

Mr. THURMOND. I thank the able majority leader for his remarks and his plan of action. It is the least we can do in the Senate to cooperate with him. He has outlined the procedure here to get results, and we all ought to help him all we can to go forward with this bill and other matters before the Senate.