John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Those are matters we delegate to the leadership, the majority leader, and the Democratic leader. There is no way we will deny you a vote, if we fail to work it out.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I do not in any way contest the Senator's assertion that this is an important subject. I simply ask, can't we as a committee better serve our colleagues if we make an assessment first at the subcommittee, where the members are fully conversant with all these issues, and then at the full committee where, again, members are conversant, rather than to spring it out on the floor? If I may say to my good friend, it is almost as if the chairman of the subcommittee didn't do his work and the ranking member didn't do his work and the members of the committee didn't do their work because this matter is of such great importance because it goes to the very heart of the Missile Defense Program.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, will the Senator yield?

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, earlier today, when the amendment was being discussed, I did encourage the Senator from Rhode Island and the Senator from Colorado to see whether or not they could bridge the gap. They have done that. So I compliment my good friend and fellow member of the Armed Services Committee, as well as the Senator from Colorado. They did a job that will be helpful.

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment in the second degree and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we appreciate the cooperation of all Senators. We were able to accommodate one Senator who had a very serious problem. That is achieved and we are now completed. I believe the Senator from Rhode Island is to be recognized for the purpose of laying down his amendment.

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

Mr. WARNER. I yield to the Senator from Nevada such time as he may require.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I would like to proceed on this side for about 5 or 6 minutes and then we will rotate. I must say, I express my pleasure at the cooperation we are receiving on both sides of the aisle, particularly from our Members with regard to amendments. I might say there is a colleague on that side of the aisle who has a very meritorious commitment to be at a certain place at 7:45, and it is a family matter. We are going to try to yield back time on our side to accommodate the colleague on the other side. I am not announcing the time exactly, but I hope it can come about at about 7:42 or 7:43, enabling him to meet a very serious matter relating to his children. We are going to make that work; is that correct?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that immediately following the vote this evening on the Feinstein-Kennedy amendment, Senator Reed be recognized in order to offer an amendment on the subject of low-level nuclear weapons; provided further that immediately following the reporting of that amendment, Senator Warner be recognized to offer a second-degree amendment; provided further that following any debate with respect to the amendments this evening, the amendments be temporarily set aside, and when the Senate resumes consideration of the bill tomorrow morning, there will be 20 minutes equally divided for debate between Senator Warner and Senator Reed. Finally, I ask that following the use of that time, the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the Warner second-degree amendment, and that if the amendment is agreed to, then the underlying amendment be agreed to, as amended.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, as a simple courtesy, I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment of the Senator from Rhode Island.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Chair. This concludes the matters on the bill.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank our colleague. I am perfectly contented and listening carefully to the debate. At the appropriate time I will make my remarks and then move to table. I want to in no way inhibit the debate on this important subject. I feel very strongly a contrary form of view, as do a majority of the colleagues I know. We certainly witnessed in the Armed Services Committee a strong vote in favor of going ahead with this provision in our bill. I am respectful of the views of others, but I am mindful of what we did on the Committee on Armed Services in our vote on this issue.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that William Buhrow, a legislative fellow in the office of Senator George Allen, be granted the privilege of the floor during consideration of S. 1050.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I now ask for its second reading and object to further proceeding on this matter.

Mr. WARNER. With regard to rule 14, I understand S. 1079, which was introduced earlier today by Senator Murkowski, is at the desk. I ask for its first reading.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. For the information of all Senators, tomorrow the Senate will resume debate on the Department of Defense authorization bill. We have two amendments relating to TRICARE on the bill. I will be talking to the sponsors of those amendments and the ranking member, as stated by the distinguished minority whip. We are encouraging other Members to come forward and work with the ranking member and myself in order to schedule consideration of amendments. Senators should expect rollcall votes on amendments throughout the day tomorrow. I also think it could be into the night, Mr. President, because we are anxious to complete this bill.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I understand the representation is accurate.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 20. I further ask that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then begin a period of morning business with the time until 10 a.m. equally divided between Senator Cornyn and the minority leader or their designees, provided that at 10 a.m. the Senate resume consideration of S. 1050, the Department of Defense authorization bill. I further ask consent that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for the weekly party lunches.