John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet for a hearing on ``Reauthorization for the National Endowments of the Arts and Humanities'' during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 27, 1999, at 10 a.m.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I strongly support this amendment. I view it as an augmentation of what we have in the defense bill. I understand my colleague from New Mexico addressed the defense bill. I ask the question of my colleague from Alaska. The provision in the defense bill is a direct product of the working group assembled by the majority leader, Senator Lott. I am not entirely sure what Senator Domenici said about the provisions of the defense bill. But the Senator from Alaska incorporated a portion of that in his bill. So there is some redundancy. But I look upon the two as joining forces and, indeed, putting forth what is essential at this point in time. Does the Senator share that view?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to advise my colleague that the amendment has been agreed to and is in the bill now.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we have negotiated the amendment of the Senator from Florida. I ask unanimous consent to speak for 2 minutes on this amendment prior to going to the amendment of the Senator from Florida.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, might I inquire of the Senator--I am privileged to be a cosponsor of this important amendment. However, in the course of the last hour we have had a chance to make a suggestion to the Senator from Texas. Has she incorporated that suggestion?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask that amendments sent prior to the passage of the bill--that the chairman and ranking minority member be recognized to offer a managers' package of amendments, notwithstanding the previous consent agreement with respect to the 2:30 p.m. deadline today.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment on behalf of the Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we are trying to work this out right now. The Senator from Florida has authorized the managers to make a request on his behalf that this amendment be laid aside.

Mr. WARNER. It is the intention of the managers to move to third reading momentarily.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment on behalf of Senator Hatch of Utah.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment on behalf of the Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it is the intention of the manager to try to do the cleared amendments. I want to make certain that the distinguished ranking member is in concurrence. That is indicated, so I think I will proceed. On behalf of myself and the ranking member, the Senator from Michigan, I send 31 amendments to the desk. I would say before the clerk reports that this package of amendments is for Senators on both sides of the aisle and has been cleared by the minority. I send the amendments to the desk at this time and ask that they be considered en bloc.

Mr. WARNER. I withhold the request momentarily, because I am just now informed that Senator Feingold is ready, in which case we would stack the votes to make it convenient, if we can determine the time the Senator from Wisconsin desires.

Mr. WARNER. The Senator desires a record vote on both amendments?

Mr. WARNER. Could the Senator possibly reduce 30 minutes to 20 minutes?

Mr. WARNER. I appreciate that, but it is a subject that I think is pretty well known. The Senator has raised it very conscientiously through the years. We have the necessity to get this bill completed by early afternoon. If the Senator could grant us 20 minutes on the first amendment, say 10 minutes on the second amendment, then I ask for only 5 minutes on each amendment on this side. Excuse me, I am told on the first amendment the Senator from Wisconsin would have 20 minutes; on this side, we would have 15 minutes; is that agreeable?

Mr. WARNER. That is the first amendment. As to the second amendment, the amount of time?

Mr. WARNER. There are really three components: One, the Armed Services' position; Leader Lott's position; and the position recited by the three Senators who are sponsors of this amendment. But it all comes together as a very strong package. I hope it will be accepted on the other side. I yield the floor. Mr. President, I hope that Senators Shelby and Robert Kerrey are aware that this amendment is now up, and they have 15 minutes under their joint control reserved.

Mr. WARNER. Then I would suggest the following: The Senator from Minnesota is very anxious and very patient to try to get 5 minutes to address the Senate on a matter other than the bill. I am perfectly willing, as this manager, to grant him 5 minutes within which time the Senator can contact Senator Lautenberg. Then that will be followed, as soon as the Senator from Minnesota has concluded his remarks, with 20 minutes of debate on the Kennedy amendment, with, let's say, 12 minutes under the control of the Senator from Massachusetts, and 8 minutes under the control of Senator Brownback. Then we will proceed to a record vote on the Kennedy amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, here is a schedule that the ranking member and I are considering; that is, to have the debate by the Senator from Massachusetts and the Senator from New Jersey. That would take, say, 10 minutes.

Mr. WARNER. If I might inquire, Mr. President, of the Senator from Massachusetts, he said get the vote. Would a voice vote be suitable?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, allow the managers to represent to the Senator that we will find a window in which the Senator from Minnesota can address the matter not related to the bill. But we have good momentum on this bill. I would like to ask the Senator from Massachusetts as to what his desire is.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I believe the managers are prepared to submit to the Chair a package of amendments. Mr. LEVIN addressed the Chair.

Mr. WARNER. We ask that she withhold it, but will consider it to be within the deadline.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, could I ask the Senator to yield for one administrative announcement? I ask all Senators and their staff to pay attention to a hotline call, which will come very shortly, to clarify the earlier unanimous consent agreement regarding filing of first- degree amendments. That includes the need for the offices to resubmit certain amendments that may have otherwise been informally sent over to the floor staff. So a complete submission is necessary as indicated on the hotline. I thank the Senator.