John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Robb and myself, I offer an amendment which would modify the authority to carry out a fiscal year 1990 military construction project relating to the naval hospital at Portsmouth, VA.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senators Grams, McCain, Sessions, Allard, Ashcroft, and myself, I offer an amendment that would improve benefits for members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces and their dependents.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator McCain, I offer an amendment that would provide an additional increase in the military basic pay for enlisted personnel in grades E5, E6, E7, and I ask unanimous consent to be listed as a cosponsor of the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor of the amendment.

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

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, there are several colleagues desiring to be recognized for debate on this bill. Senator Levin and I will proceed to ask of the Chair that a group of amendments be adopted en bloc.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send a series of amendments to the desk that have been cleared by the ranking member and myself.

Mr. WARNER. I have the floor.

Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague. I assure you that on this side I have the support of my leadership, and we can begin to exchange the lists. I urge the leadership to come to the body and get unanimous consent to have some cutoff at some point today.

Mr. WARNER. I thank our colleague. Might I engage the Senator from Nevada and the Senator from Michigan in a colloquy about the procedural efforts. I compliment the Senator from Nevada. I ask the Senators to inform the managers of the amendments they intend to bring forward. I recognize that the text of the amendments in certain instances cannot be provided at this time. But we need as much information as possible. Hopefully, Members will provide that to the managers. At some point in time, I am going to urge leadership today to have a cutoff and that we at least have the name, the amendment, as much as we can know about it, so that our leadership can have some estimate from the managers as to the time in which this bill could be concluded.

Mr. WARNER. Indeed they have. There has been strong support. Mr. President, I see our distinguished colleague, a member of the Committee on Armed Services, about to address the Senate on a subject on which I have been privileged to work with him for some time. I must say that in the many years I have been on this committee I have never seen a more diligent nor a more committed effort than that by the Senator from New Hampshire. It has been a matter of personal pleasure to me to work with him and to go back into the history of the U.S. Navy about an event of great tragedy. I think what he is proposing today will be well received by the Senate and, indeed, hopefully by the naval community which have labored with this burden for these many, many years since the closing days of World War II. I remember vividly at the time this particular ship was sunk, the Nation was absolutely shocked and just couldn't believe it. Indeed, a famous Virginian, Graham Clayton, who came along as Secretary of the Navy shortly after me, was the naval officer on board a ship that arrived first on the scene. Graham Clayton used to recount to me his personal recollections about this. I yield the floor. Amendment No. 3210, As Modified

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it is my understanding that the Senator from Minnesota will accept a voice vote. He wanted to address the Senate on that point. We will proceed to adopt the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Will my colleague yield?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, a number of colleagues are present on the floor seeking recognition. May we alternate?

Mr. WARNER. The Senator from Virginia inquires as to the amount of time the Senator from New York wants.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I recognize there is a unanimous consent agreement in effect, but I am trying as best I can to work this in a fair and equitable manner. It is important, in your judgment, that Senator Schumer follow you for a period of 10 minutes?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have listened to the interesting introductory remarks by our two distinguished colleagues, and momentarily we may receive the remarks of another distinguished colleague associated with this amendment. I tell my colleagues straightforward, they have my vote. I support them, but I ask them to address the question of the matter that is pending before the Senate: The annual Armed Forces bill. This is a list that goes back to 1961. The Senate of the United States unfailingly has passed an authorization bill for the men and women of the Armed Forces. I say to my dear friend and colleague, a former distinguished naval officer, this amendment will torpedo this bill and send it to the bottom of the sea where only Davy Jones could resurrect it. To what extent have my colleagues who are proposing this thought about breaking 40 years of precedent of the Senate by sinking the annual authorization bill at a time when the threats facing the United States of America are far more diverse, far more complicated than ever in contemporary history; when the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States are absolutely desperate in terms of pay and benefits to keep them in the jobs as careerists? We now have one of the lowest retention rates ever. There are no lines of young men and women waiting to volunteer to be recruited. This bill goes a long way. This bill helps with the benefits they rightly deserve. For the first time in the history of the United States of America, we have provisions caring for the medical assistance of the retirees. First time, Mr. President. It is the first time in the history of this country, and add on the ships and the aircraft. I read the Constitution of the United States. What are the responsibilities of the Congress as delineated by our Founding Fathers? ``To declare War . . . To raise and support Armies . . . To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces . . . .'' That is what this bill does. That is our constitutional fulfillment. Yet my colleagues who are proposing this know full well this bill is subject to what is known as the blue-slip procedure if it leaves this Chamber with this amendment and goes to the House of Representatives. The House will blue slip it, and this bill is torpedoed. I await reply of the sponsors of the amendment to the points I have raised and how it could jeopardize and end the fulfillment of the obligation of the Senate under the Constitution of the United States. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. I have to object.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I object.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Arizona and I go back a very long way. When I was Secretary of the Navy, he was incarcerated as a consequence of his heroic service in Vietnam. His father was among if not the most valued adviser I had during the turbulent period of that war when I had the responsibility for the Department of the Navy. That was for over 5 years, 1969 through 1974. I have the highest personal regard for my friend and my colleague, whom I have worked with from the day he returned to the United States of America to be welcomed quite properly as a hero. I know for a fact that he has always foremost in his mind, every day that he draws a breath, every day the great Lord of ours gives him the strength to take up his responsibilities, the welfare of the men and women of the Armed Forces. I find it very awkward to be in a position to be in opposition to my friend, but the rules are quite clear of the House that it is a matter of privilege of the House regarding the constitutional provision as it relates to taxation. It has been a matter of privilege since the inception of this Republic. That privilege is determined by the House in the course of resolutions. If this bill goes over, then they adopt a resolution. We know from consultation there are Members of the House who will absolutely take that resolution to the floor, and there is no doubt that this bill will be blue-slipped, and it will be torpedoed and go to the bottom of Davy Jones' locker. I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I would like to ask a question of my colleague. I will charge the time of the entire colloquy to that under my control. As always, the Senator from Connecticut is fair and straightforward, and clearly in his dissertation to the Senate he said, yes, there is a vestige that this blue-slip procedure could send it to the bottom to Davy Jones' Locker, which I accept. I read from Descher's House Precedents, which is the ``bible'' that guides the House. This is fascinating. Listen to the title: ``Invasion of House Jurisdiction or Prerogatives.'' Isn't that interesting? Invasion of the House prerogative to originate revenue- raising legislation granted by article I, section 7, of the Constitution raises a question of privilege of the House. I have studied all of this very carefully. Once that question of privilege is raised, the Senate is left to their interpretation. Colleagues are clearly putting forward this amendment with the best of intentions. I said I would support the amendment in any other venue but this. It does raise it, and the House will not allow it. I can recite dozens of precedents. A year or two ago, they sent a blue slip to us on S. 4, the thrift savings accounts for sailors, soldiers, and marines. I am saying to my dear friend: Why should we take the risk, given the few legislative days left, and given all the work? It is interesting. Our committee has had 50 committee hearings and 11 markup sessions. That is a year's work by 20-plus members of our committee and by the staff, paid for by the Senate, out of taxpayers' funds. All of that is for naught if this bill goes down. It would be the first time in 40 years. I say to my colleagues: No matter how strongly you feel about the merits of this bill, consider our own constitutional responsibility to provide under the Constitution for the men and women of the Armed Forces. I say to my colleague: I would like to know what his reasoning is to take this risk. The Senator from Connecticut is not known as a risk taker.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes to my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma.