John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have to object at this time. I have been in consultation with the senior Senator from West Virginia who had expressed some interest in taking that slot. Without losing my right to the floor, does the senior Senator from West Virginia wish to speak to his desires? He has the pending amendment, and I think it is very important that the Senate have the opportunity tonight to vote on your amendment. Of course, the Senator will desire to speak for a period of time prior to, I anticipate, a motion to table. I have the floor, but I yield for a question.

Mr. WARNER. Beg your pardon?

Mr. WARNER. I reserved the right to object to the Senator's unanimous consent request.

Mr. WARNER. No, I reserved the right to object.

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

Mr. WARNER. Objection.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we have been endeavoring to accommodate the pending amendment with the time agreement such that it could be brought up as soon as possible. The Senator from West Virginia and I have had no discussion about a second amendment, and I urge that we allow the Senator from Tennessee to speak, and in the interim let's gather and see whether or not we can reconcile honest differences and motives.

Mr. WARNER. There are Senators on this side who wish to leave intact this present procedure, which is working well. It has produced 13 amendments, 7 of which have been ruled germane thus far by the Parliamentarian. This debate is well underway, well structured, and can proceed. At the moment, we have a pending amendment, and I urge that we allow the Senator from Tennessee----

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. Senator McCain is going to handle the Byrd amendment--

Mr. WARNER. Our leader will speak prior to cloture.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask the distinguished Senator to recast what he is now seeking to achieve.

Mr. WARNER. Could Mr. McCain's name be put next to that?

Mr. WARNER. Will the Senator repeat the time.

Mr. WARNER. Make that McCain-Warner.

Mr. WARNER. How about the Senator from Michigan?

Mr. WARNER. I say to the leader that the Senator from Michigan is a vital part of the UC.

Mr. WARNER. That would be along the lines we agreed to in our conference.

Mr. WARNER. I have no objection to the Senator's request.

Mr. WARNER. Did the Chair enter the order? I don't know if the Chair entered the order.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wonder if my friend will yield for a moment. I just discovered in the haste of activities that the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee has 30 minutes to present his amendment.

Mr. WARNER. And then there is no time reserved for the Senator from Virginia to do any rebuttal following that amendment, but there is now time given to the Senator from Maryland, Mr. Sarbanes, immediately following the Senator from Michigan; is that correct?

Mr. WARNER. How much time is that?

Mr. WARNER. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, respectfully and regrettably, I object.