John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, while the distinguished leader is on the floor, there was some hope we could bring up the military authorization bill tonight. Senator Levin and I consulted with you on this, I say to the majority leader. We will have for our joint leadership tomorrow a list of amendments, with time agreements, and be ready to go. I say to the majority leader, you can splice this in as you see fit. I assure the majority leader--I see my distinguished colleague from Michigan on the floor--my colleague from Michigan is ready to join me on this. We will present to our joint leadership specific germane amendments on the list, and move along on this bill.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct.

Mr. WARNER. Tuesday night.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct. We made a strong effort.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, during wrap-up of H.R. 4577, the Labor appropriations bill, amendment No. 3714, which had been agreed to, was inadvertently displaced. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be placed back in its original position in the bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that with respect to amendment No. 3633, previously agreed to, a correction be made with the following change: On line 7, strike $1,065,000,000 and insert in lieu thereof $1,075,000,000.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 11. I further ask consent that on Tuesday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, 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 until 10:15 a.m., with the time equally divided between Senators Roth and Moynihan.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, the committee amendments be agreed to, the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill appear in the Record.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 516, S. 311.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 10:15 a.m. tomorrow. Following morning business, a cloture vote will occur on the motion to proceed to H.R. 8, the Death Tax Elimination Act. If cloture is invoked, the Senate will continue postcloture debate on the motion to proceed. In addition, it is expected that the Senate will resume consideration of the Interior appropriations bill in an effort to make further progress on that bill. As previously announced, it will be the leadership's intention to debate amendments to the DOD authorization bill during evening sessions this week. Any votes ordered on DOD amendments will be postponed to occur the following morning. The Senate is also expected to return to the reconciliation bill late this week. Senators can expect votes each day this week, with late nights and the possibility of a late session on Friday or a session on Saturday in order to complete the reconciliation bill.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the only first-degree amendments remaining in order to the Department of Defense authorization bill, S. 2549, be limited to amendments that are relevant to the provisions of the bill and on the finite list of amendments in order to the bill, that these first-degree amendments be subject to relevant second-degree amendments, provided further that the first- degree amendments must be filed at the desk by close of business Friday, June 30, 2000. I further ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the two managers to send to the desk any packages of amendments that are relevant and from the finite list of amendments in order to the bill and that these amendments be cleared by both managers of the legislation.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague, Senator Levin, who has worked with me throughout on this bill. For 22 years we have been together, and our respective chiefs of staff. It has been entirely separate, but we have achieved another milestone. Now it appears to me that we will be able to come to the Senate at a time convenient to our leadership and complete action on the annual Defense authorization bill. I believe this will be 42 consecutive times the Senate has passed this wide piece of legislation for the men and women in the Armed Forces and, indeed, the security of the Nation. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we thank Senator Byrd. He has been an integral part of these negotiations, together with Senator Roth and others. I am hopeful that matter can be resolved in the future.

Mr. WARNER. We thank our distinguished former majority leader and a member of the Armed Services Committee for his kind remarks.

Mr. WARNER

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

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Before our distinguished leader departs the floor-- momentarily I will propound a unanimous consent request which takes us another step forward in the authorization bill for the Armed Forces--I wish to thank the distinguished leader and, indeed, the minority leader for their tireless assistance, and that of Senator Reid, and of course, Senator Levin. They have enabled us to move this another important step forward. I thank them on that.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the adoption of amendment Nos. 3231 and 3418 of the Defense authorization bill be vitiated.

Mr. WARNER. To explain this, these were two gold medals. Unintentionally, the proponents of those amendments did not recognize that the Banking Committee had an important role to play. Both proponents are now working with the chairman and ranking member of the Banking Committee. In the case of Senator Cleland, he has over 68 signatures on a gold medal for the distinguished former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Clark, including the signature of the Senators from Virginia and from Michigan. That request has been granted?

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I certainly do. Our Nation requires additional dedicated EW assets and the B-52 offers great potential in this area. I would bring to the attention of my colleagues that the Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000 called for a study of potential additional EW platforms to supplement the EA-6B. The B-52 warrants careful and thorough analysis, and I have been assured by the Defense Department that it is, in fact, being studied. Senator Levin, would you care to comment?

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Could I have that exception written into the distinguished leader's unanimous consent?

Mr. WARNER. Reserving the right to object, could that include, Mr. Leader, the ability of the Armed Services Committee to bring up a package of cleared amendments?

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this is precisely what I and Senator Levin and Senator Reid and others have been working on. On our side, as best I can assess, there is one remaining understandable discussion that must take place between Chairman Roth of the Finance Committee and the distinguished senior Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd. I believe other indications on our side have been fulfilled. I have worked through the morning. I believe they are fulfilled. So if that one remaining issue can hopefully be resolved, we might be able to readdress this today.