John Warner

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, notwithstanding the agreement in place, that there now be a period for morning business with the time between now and 2 p.m. equally divided between the two leaders, and that at 2 p.m. the Senate turn to the Transportation appropriations bill.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. The reason for the quorum call is to accommodate the chairman of the Subcommittee on Appropriations who will be here, as I understand it, momentarily. Senator Levin and I have just had the opportunity to talk on the telephone with the Secretary of Energy. It had been our intention and the Committee on Armed Services is currently scheduled to have a hearing at 9:30 tomorrow morning on the problems associated with the missing disks at the Los Alamos Laboratories. In view of the fact that at least one committee--the Energy Committee, and I think to some extent the Intelligence Committee--are conducting the hearing on this subject now, and basically the same witnesses would be involved, Senator Levin and I are of the opinion that time should be given for the Secretary of Energy and/or his staff to make certain assessments, and then we would proceed to address these issues in our committee. I point out that our committee has explicit jurisdiction over these problems under the Standing Rules of the Senate. Nevertheless, other committees are looking at the situation. Secretary Richardson has agreed to appear as a witness before our committee, together with General Habinger, Ed Curran, and the Lab Director of Los Alamos. We will have that group of witnesses on Wednesday morning beginning at 9:30. Senator Levin and I wish to notify Senators that we are rescheduling the hearing for tomorrow morning until 9:30 next Wednesday morning. I ask Senator Levin if he wishes to add anything.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I inform the Senate that we are currently under a unanimous consent request whereby the authorization bill for Defense is laid aside and we are going to the question of the Transportation appropriations. Am I not correct in that?

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I understand under the unanimous consent request, the Senate is ready to turn to the consideration of the Transportation bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendments be agreed to en bloc, that the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table and, finally, that any statements relating to any of these individual amendments be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send a series of amendments to the desk en bloc, and I ask for their immediate consideration.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Yes. I want to finish up.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the leadership determined the Senate will return to consideration of this very important piece of legislation. I shall now read the order that was devised by the leaders. Today, the Senate will immediately resume consideration of S. 2549, the Department of Defense authorization bill. As a reminder, there are an overwhelming number of amendments in order. In an effort to complete action on the bill, those Senators with amendments are encouraged to work with the bill managers during today's session. Of course--I think I am joined by my distinguished ranking member--we desire to try our very best to continue to consider only those amendments that are actually germane to the purpose of this bill. That is my hope. Votes are expected throughout the day, and Senators will be notified as votes are scheduled. Senators should be aware that consideration of the Transportation appropriations bill may begin as early as the leadership determines. Hopefully, also, last night we agreed among the leadership to vote on the nominee for the Department of Energy, General Gordon. There will be some announcement to that effect later today.

Mr. WARNER. Right, and that I be recognized.

Mr. WARNER. Get the order entered. I was going to include a specific time for the President pro tempore, the former distinguished majority leader, and such others who want to be recognized during morning business. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 6 minutes be allocated to the distinguished senior Senator from South Carolina and----

Mr. WARNER. Twenty minutes be allocated to our distinguished colleague, Senator Byrd, and then the morning would flow in morning business until 11 o'clock.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct.

Mr. WARNER. I urge us to proceed with the quorum call.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, my good friend from Michigan and I have a responsibility to get the bill passed. I have been discouraging, as best I can, colleagues from bringing to the floor amendments which are not clearly germane to the central purposes of the annual authorization bill. I hope I am not interpreting his comments as inviting, in contrast to my discouraging, such amendments. It is going to take a joint effort. I commend our distinguished colleague, Senator Reid of Nevada. He has been most helpful, and Senator Lott on my side has supported me in trying to get this bill moving. As a matter of fact, Senator Lott has given us this time this morning. He has represented to me he will try henceforth to give us time in between appropriations bills, which understandably is the prime function of the Senate. Please, let us not encourage matters by way of amendment which are not clearly germane to this bill.

Mr. WARNER. The distinguished Senator knows the rules of the Senate, and further I sayeth not.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I advise my distinguished colleague of the following situation: One of the amendments pending at the desk is a Warner-Dodd amendment which establishes a Presidential commission to examine the overall policy between the United States and Cuba. It is my intention, if the parliamentary situation develops and I can do this, to ask that that amendment be withdrawn. I do that with the greatest reluctance, but I have an obligation as manager of this very critical piece of legislation, the annual authorization for the Armed Forces of the United States, to compromise in my own objectives. One of them, of course, is to support the Senator's goals and to support the establishment of a commission. I have to do that because two colleagues, very respectfully, in a very friendly and forthright manner, told me that if the Warner-Dodd amendment remains on the authorization bill, we can anticipate--and I use the magic words--a prolonged debate on the Warner-Dodd amendment. That prolonged debate, I have to interpret, is a means by which to deprive the ability of the managers to move forward in an expeditious manner on the authorization bill. In recognition of that, I have indicated to my two distinguished colleagues and good friends that I am going to withdraw my amendment, if I can, from a parliamentary standpoint. I can only anticipate those two Members, and indeed probably others, will indicate to the managers that should the distinguished colleague from North Dakota desire to offer that amendment, whether it is today or at some future time that will be available, we can anticipate prolonged debate on the armed services authorization bill. That is as much as I can say at this point in time.

Mr. WARNER. We ought to conclude this saying no matter how laudatory it is to get short time agreements, practically speaking I can think of several amendments on our side which will not be given short time agreements on the other side and reciprocally is the situation. We ought to stick to the premise of bringing up those matters that are germane.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. As in executive session, I ask unanimous consent the Senate, at 11 a.m., immediately proceed to consider the following nomination on Executive Calendar: The nomination of Gen. John Gordon to be Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Department of Energy, with the time until 11:30 to be equally divided between myself and the ranking member. I further ask unanimous consent that a vote occur at 11:30 this morning on confirmation of the nomination of General Gordon, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, any statements relating to the nomination appear in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session. I further ask unanimous consent that no later than July 12, 2000, the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of Calendar No. 473, the nomination of Madelyn Creedon to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration. I further ask consent that there be 2 hours for debate, equally divided in the usual form. I finally ask consent that following the use or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to a vote on the confirmation of the nomination, the President be notified of the Senate's action immediately following the vote, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, just further administrative observation by myself, I thank the distinguished colleagues on the other side for trying to work it out such that at some point this morning Senator Levin and I may move to consideration of 40 or more cleared amendments on the Defense authorization bill. I know every effort is being made to achieve that procedural opportunity.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the Senator is correct. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the Gordon nomination at this point.

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER

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