John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, reserving the right to object, most readily, I say to our leader that I have to object. There are still Members on our side with concerns.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the chairman is correct. It is cleared.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I join the chairman. We have known of the years and years of work and the foundation laid by our colleague from New Mexico. He provided for it in the budget amendment long before the current situation developed. We support it. Amendment No. 1672

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Voinovich, I offer an amendment that would authorize Federal agencies to pay for employee credentials, including professional accreditation, licenses, and certification for civilian employees. This amendment, I understand, has been cleared.

Mr. WARNER. We both urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1678

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Hutchinson, I offer amendment which would provide for the retroactive entitlement of Robert R. Ingram to Medal of Honor special pension. I understand this amendment has been cleared.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the chairman is correct.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this authorizes the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibition against requiring statements of nonavailability to authorized health care services other than mental health services of beneficiaries receiving care under TRICARE standard. It is my understanding this amendment is cleared on both sides.

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I hope the Chair will recognize me for the purpose of a tabling motion at the conclusion of my colleagues' presentation.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, may we have a minute?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. WARNER. I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I move to table the Bunning amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the Senator from Texas has been very cooperative on this unusual procedure. He advises the managers that he and two other Senators wish to participate in this important debate, that debate by these total of three Senators could be concluded prior to 2:15. The leadership is prepared to agree to have a vote at 2:15.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it says: On behalf of the 600,000 members of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), I want to express our support for your language in the FY 2002 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow the Department of Defense to purchase products from the private sector rather than from Federal Prison Industries if it would benefit the taxpayer and the DOD. We will oppose any effort to strike this language from the defense authorization bill. Eighty-nine percent of NFIB members do not believe that prisons should receive preference over small businesses for federal contracts. That is what we are talking about here. The Chamber of Commerce: The United States Senate is expected to very shortly consider S. 1416, the Fiscal 2002 National Defense Authorization Act. Contained in that measure is a provision (Section 821), based on legislation authored by Senators Carl Levin and Craig Thomas, that would allow the Department of Defense to purchase goods and services in the private sector rather than from Federal Prison Industries (FPI), if doing so would be in the best interests of the taxpayer and DOD. Be aware that efforts may be made to strike or alter this provision. On behalf of the Senator from Wyoming and myself, I move to table the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thoroughly support what my distinguished chairman has said, and indeed the Senator from Wyoming. For purposes of clarity, I submitted the amendment to keep the bill moving and to frame the issue so it could be debated. We have now had a very good debate on this subject. Just for clarity, I will be voting against my own amendment, which I said at the time I introduced it. There will be a motion to table, and therefore Senators who desire to have the bill remain intact would then support the motion to table. The distinguished chairman alluded to certain letters. I think it is important that colleagues understand that while the labor unions, which Senator Levin addressed, are strongly in favor of keeping the bill intact, there is an equal strength among the private sector organizations. The National Federation of Independent Business, the voice of small business, addressed a letter to the Senate signed by the senior vice president. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the entire letter be printed in the Record, together with a letter from the Chamber of Commerce, which I will shortly address.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, can we adopt the Inhofe amendment?

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. We have no objection.