John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Roberts, I offer an amendment to enhance defense contracting opportunities for persons with disabilities. I believe this amendment has been cleared on both sides.

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 795

Mr. WARNER. I urge adoption of the amendment.

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

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 700

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Lott, I offer an amendment which would express the sense of the Senate that the Senate strongly supports the Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise of the National Shipbuilding Research Program, and that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy should continue to fund this program at a sustaining level.

Mr. WARNER. They key here is balance during the transition period. The ongoing global war on terrorism places enormous budgetary pressure on the Defense bills. For example, we were certainly aware that the LPD-17 design is in production, but at a very low rate. The committee supported funding for the fiscal year 2004 ship. I also understand that the Navy is attempting to accelerate production to allow procurement of a ship in fiscal year 2005.

Mr. WARNER. I acknowledge the Senator's comments and concerns.

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. WARNER. On behalf of Senator Allard, I offer an amendment on the protection of the operational files of the National Security Agency that would strike section 1035 of S. 1050 and replace it with this amendment. It is cleared on both sides.

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 784

Mr. WARNER. On behalf of Senator Chambliss, I offer an amendment to require the National Imagery and Mapping Agency to provide a report on certain imagery exploitation capabilities. It is cleared on both sides.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I offer an amendment that would strike subsection (c) of section 2101 to authorize military construction projects for the Army. It is cleared on both sides.

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, that concludes the total of cleared amendments that we can work on tonight. Our staffs will continue to work through the evening. Hopefully, another dozen or so will be ready first thing in the morning. I thank my distinguished colleague for his usual cooperation and advice.

Mr. WARNER. Our Parliamentarians have been put to the test and they deserve a measure of recognition for a job well done. I thank the Chair and the staff. If you think this has been a late night, wait until tomorrow.

Mr. WARNER. I believe we are making good progress on this bill. It is my hope and, indeed, my expectation that we can complete this bill by midday tomorrow. I know that my colleague from Michigan and I, together with our respective leadership, are endeavoring to achieve that. When I made reference to tomorrow night, it related to other matters of legislation, not this bill.

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

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I reclaim my time.

Mr. WARNER. You cannot point to any language which speaks to this issue with clarity, so it can be understood the world over, as does the Warner amendment. It is as simple as that.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the Senate did that yesterday.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

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