John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. That is right. Were we to act now, we would substantially reduce his leverage and ability.

Mr. WARNER. I say, Madam President, the distinguished majority leader said Congress should speak with one voice. We have in our resolution-- you recognize the problem of one body. This is a total substitute amendment. It strips out everything. As the Senator from Delaware knows, I say to the distinguished chairman, the Levin resolution just takes part of 687. It does not incorporate the previous resolutions, the 16 which we have time and again on this floor said Saddam Hussein has ignored. I say to my friend, it is very important, as the leader said, that Congress speak with one voice, and the only way to do that is to retain our Lieberman-Warner-McCain-Bayh amendment and not have a substitute. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I totally reject there has been any inference on this side of such a nature, but we do incorporate in the preamble the other resolutions, and I think it important they be incorporated.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I should point out it also includes the return of an American prisoner, an accounting of him.

Mr. WARNER. Fine.

Mr. WARNER. I associate myself with the---- Mr. SPECTER addressed the Chair.

Mr. WARNER. The leader is to be recognized.

Mr. WARNER. I associate myself with the remarks of my colleague, Mr. McCain. I attest to the accuracy of the statement the Senator made. I further add that the distinguished Republican leader, Mr. Lott, from time to time visited with the floor managers, so he, likewise, was very much aware of the procedures.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry: It is the understanding of the Senator from Virginia that the Durbin amendment is next under the order.

Mr. WARNER. And will the Chair state the allocation of time?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we are ready to proceed. I would like to just address the Senate momentarily, and I say to my distinguished friend and floor leader, that on this side, the following Senators have indicated a desire for some time to speak: Senator DeWine, Senator Collins, Senator Specter, Senator Sessions, Senator Ensign, Senator Smith, Senator McConnell, Senator Gramm, Senator Fitzgerald, and Senator Shelby. Now, we have progressed very well through this debate to allocate the speakers going from one side to the other. I would hope we could do that. And in due course we could work together, I say to my good friend, who has been so helpful to move this piece of legislation, to get a UC to put speakers in line so as to sequence the times so that Senators can go about their duties today on other matters more conveniently.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the leader. So we shall work together. Senator McCain and I will require additional time on this side, both of us, to address various issues. Having managed the bill, there are areas of this debate we believe need to be put in the proper context in which questions arose and were answered.

Mr. WARNER. If I understand, I say to my leader, following disposition of the Durbin amendment, the parliamentary situation is that we are now on the balance of the 30 hours remaining under cloture; am I correct?

Mr. WARNER. About 11:10 is my recollection.

Mr. WARNER. Just to inform Senators what the parliamentary situation is. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, my understanding is the Senator from Virginia and the Senator from Arizona have 15 minutes, equally divided.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Give or take an hour here or there. Nevertheless, what the leader is indicating is that there is a possibility that amendment could be acted upon tonight by vote.

Mr. WARNER. Once again, I think Senator Levin has several amendments. Do we know which one that might be in this batch of 13?

Mr. WARNER. Fine. Perhaps Senator Levin, through his staff or others, could indicate at the earliest possible time which of the several amendments it is so we can be prepared to reciprocate in an active debate and perhaps reach a conclusion. Mr. President, I was going to direct a question to my colleague from Connecticut.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank the leader for his assistance. My respect for my colleague from Connecticut is predicated on many--

Mr. WARNER. That is right. We are trying to encourage some colloquy and questioning. I will not take a long time.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator. That will be a salutary moment. We will get quickly to it. I read to my friend a quote by President John F. Kennedy in connection with the Cuban missile crisis of 1962: This Nation is prepared to present its case against the Soviet threat to peace and our own proposal for a peaceful world, at any time, in any forum, in the Organization of American States, in the United Nations, or in any other meeting that could be useful without limiting our freedom of action. In looking at the amendments, certainly one of them proposed by the distinguished Senator from Michigan says very clearly that authorization for the use of armed forces is predicated on action by the United Nations. To me, that contravenes what President Kennedy laid down as a form of this. Does the Senator think there is any basis for subordinating the right of our President to use the Armed Forces, if he deems it necessary, to action by the United Nations?

Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague. I share that view. I say to my good friend that acting on it now and not further delaying, with this Chamber and that of the House of Representatives, hopefully, acting on identical language, can in a strong voice say to the United Nations that we stand foursquare behind our President in his remarks and his request that the United Nations take strong action.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I share that sentiment. But I remind my colleague, this Senator was privileged to be on the floor last Friday for 5 hours. You were present. You recall that debate. Senator Kennedy was present. And Senator Byrd was most active. And again there was debate another 5 or 6 hours on Monday and Tuesday. So there has been adequate opportunity. And there remains opportunity for Senators to be heard. I hope we do not cut off any Senator from the opportunity to speak to this important matter. I thank the Chair and yield the floor. I know another Senator is about to speak.