John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Let me clarify, Mr. President, there still remains some time in opposition to the amendment of the Senator from Mississippi; am I correct in that?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I believe we have all the amendments in under the prescribed time agreement. Two colleagues have been waiting patiently to speak, and there is a third. We will allocate the time that each Senator desires. Could the Senators from Texas and Alabama indicate who will go first and how much time each will take?

Mr. WARNER. How much time for the Senator from Alabama?

Mr. WARNER. I thank both leaders for arranging for this bill to go forward now. Senators will recall, pursuant to an earlier unanimous consent, we asked Senators to send to the desk such amendments and file them, as have not been as yet cleared by the managers. We are continuing to work on those amendments, but we cannot guarantee we will be able to include all of them into the package. So once we finish this debate, it is the intention of the managers to move to third reading unless Senators come down with regard to these amendments that are pending at the desk. I will be on the floor, as will Senator Levin, continuously to try to work out as many as we possibly can. But it is essential, as the majority leader said, we try to vote this bill at 8 o'clock right now.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Chair and yield the floor. Amendment No. 446

Mr. WARNER. I understand 20 minutes is needed by our colleague from New Mexico.

Mr. WARNER. I will withdraw the request. I was asked to enter that. Could my two colleagues complete their remarks and then we will go to the distinguished minority whip?

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent for 2 minutes to speak in support of the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent not to take from the time of the debate and to continue to work on the bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Florida has debated an amendment today. Senator Shelby and Senator Robert Kerrey replied to that debate. I am now informed that they will consider the amendment of the Senator from Florida at such time as the intelligence bill is brought up, and that basically meets the requirements of the distinguished Senator from Florida.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Michigan and I will shortly send a managers' package to the desk. I don't know that that package is ready at this moment. We hope very much to start the final vote before 8 o'clock. There are a number of our colleagues whose plans can be greatly enhanced if we can start this vote as quickly as possible. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I think some time should be reserved. I indicate for the Record, I support the Senator from Mississippi, but I am sure time should be reserved on this side, 10 minutes, and then we will determine whether or not a recorded vote is necessary in this matter, or it may be voice voted. I put that in the form of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Mr. Domenici.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support this historic piece of legislation. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. WARNER. I agree with my good friend from Utah that BRAC procedures should produce reasonable opportunities for communities to turn facilities into productive use. I believe the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 provision does that, by allowing a cost- free transfer for economic development. I don't believe anything in the provision's language poses an obstacle to what the Senator from Utah wishes to accomplish.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask for the third reading of this historic bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President. I thank Senators Smith and Wyden for raising this issue and bringing it to our attention. I understand that Senators Smith and Wyden have serious concerns about this situation, and that the local communities are worried about the impact that this process may have on them. I would be happy to work with the Senators in looking into this situation and helping to obtain information that will provide us with a fuller understanding of the issues relating to chemical demilitarization.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I will be pleased to work with my friend from South Carolina to ensure that this important amendment has its intended affect.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the gentleman from South Carolina is correct in his assessment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am pleased to enter into this colloquy with the distinguished President Pro Tempore and former Chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, of course we include Les Brownlee and David Lyles in those accolades.

Mr. WARNER. I commend the Senator from Texas. This is a very important amendment. I am a cosponsor. I believe it is acceptable on this side.

Mr. WARNER. In the moment I have here, I just want to acknowledge, again, the tremendous cooperation and the spirit with which my distinguished colleague from Michigan and I--we have worked together for these many years--came together. We were supported by superb staffs; our staff directors, I tell you, they are pretty tough. At this moment we will withhold that, but the balance of the staffs on both sides have done magnificent work.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be granted permission to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 27, for purposes of conducting a Water & Power Subcommittee hearing which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on S. 244, a bill to authorize the construction of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System and to authorize assistance to the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System, Inc., for the planning and construction of the water supply system, and for other purposes; S. 623, a bill to amend Public Law 89-108 to increase authorization levels for State and Indian tribal, municipal, rural, and industrial water supplies, to meet current and future water quantity and quality needs of the Red River Valley, to deauthorize certain project features and irrigation service areas, to enhance natural resources and fish and wildlife habitat, and for other purposes; S. 769, a bill to provide a final settlement on certain debt owed by the city of Dickinson, North Dakota, for construction of the bascule gates on the Dickinson Dam; S. 1027, a bill to reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the Deschutes Resources Conservancy; and H.R. 459, a bill to extend the deadline under the Federal Power Act for FERC Project No. 9401, the Mt. Hope Waterpower Project.