John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Addressing No. 382, what amount of time will the Senator require for debate on No. 382?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this is the first time we have known of the Senator's desire to have a rollcall vote on the third amendment. We are prepared to accept it.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I want the opportunity to consult with the chairman of the committee that has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the third amendment and with the majority leader and presumably the minority leader, and set a time for the rollcall vote, which the Senator is entitled to have. For the moment, we are prepared to accept the two amendments and then allow the debate----

Mr. WARNER. On the two amendments from Senator Wellstone.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I believe this debate is taking on excellent participation. I think we can allocate another 10 minutes to both sides--10 minutes under the control of the Senator from Kansas and 10 minutes under the control of my distinguished colleague from Michigan.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I can address that and make a suggestion. On this side, we are prepared to accept the third amendment. I suggest perhaps at the hour of 12:25, the distinguished ranking member and I and Mr. Wellstone can address the three amendments and conclude them before the caucus. Will that be convenient?

Mr. WARNER. May I seek clarification of our colleague from Minnesota, on his third amendment: What number does he designate this being? He just mentioned he wanted to send an amendment--

Mr. WARNER. Correct.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am familiar with that, and the Senator first wishes to amend the text of No. 382?

Mr. WARNER. You just did it.

Mr. WARNER. And the vote will occur, Mr. President, if you continue to read the order.

Mr. WARNER. Having done that, we will now proceed to amendment No. 382, on which the Senator will address the Senate pursuant to the standing order, and then at a time later we will schedule the vote.

Mr. WARNER. Once again, Mr. President, I am advised that the vote on No. 382, the amendment the Senator is about to debate in the Senate under the standing agreement, can be voted as the third vote in sequence this afternoon.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, noting the presence of the Senator from Kansas, the amendment by the Senator from Kansas raises a very good point; that is, at the 50th anniversary of the NATO summit, those in attendance, the 19 nations, the heads of state and government, adopted a new Strategic Concept. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that that Concept does not go beyond the confines of the 1949 Washington Treaty and such actions that took place in 1991 when a new Strategic Concept was drawn. A number of us are concerned, if we read through the language, that it opens up new vistas for NATO. If that be the case, then the Senate should have that treaty before it for consideration. This is a sense of the Senate, but despite that technicality, it is a very important amendment; it is one to which the President will respond. I understand from my distinguished colleague and ranking member, in all probability, we will receive the assurance from the President that it does not go beyond the foundations and objectives sought in the 1949 Washington Treaty. Mr. LEVIN addressed the Chair.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that this vote be limited to 10 minutes and the next vote following it to 10 minutes.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the next amendment is in the jurisdiction of the Finance Committee. Therefore, I have consulted with Chairman Roth. Does Senator Roth have any comments on this?

Mr. WARNER. We yield back such time as we may have.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we yield back our time.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I tried to accommodate the Senator early on on this matter. To be perfectly candid, it was a jurisdictional issue with this committee. It was not a subject with which this Senator had a great deal of familiarity. I did what I could to keep our bill moving and at the same time to accommodate my colleague. The various persons who have jurisdiction over it were notified, and that is as much as I can say. Now, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be 90 minutes equally divided in the usual form prior to a motion to table with respect to amendment 383 and no amendments be in order prior to that vote.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I further ask that following that vote, provided it is tabled, that Senator Gramm of Texas be recognized to make a motion to strike and there be 2 hours equally divided in the usual form prior to a motion to table and no amendments be in order to that language proposed to be stricken prior to that vote.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we find no objection to that. I so amend the request.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, perhaps when I said hours and hours, it could be days and days. But we would come out with the same result. Presidents haven't complied with the act. They have ``complied with the spirit of the act.'' I believe that is how they have acknowledged it in the correspondence with the Congress.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, let me ask another question of my colleague. We will soon be receiving a briefing from the Secretaries of State, Defense and the National Security Adviser and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I will absent myself during that period, and the Senator from Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to control the floor. I hope there would be no unanimous consent requests in my absence. I hope that would be agreeable with my good friend, because I have asked for this meeting.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for that strong statement. I am certainly of the same view. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when all time is used on the pending Specter amendment, the amendment be temporarily set aside with a vote occurring on or in relation to the amendment--there will be a tabling motion.

Mr. WARNER. Let me repeat it in its entirety. I have not asked unanimous consent. I ask unanimous consent that when all time is used on the pending Specter amendment, the amendment be temporarily set aside with a vote occurring on or in relation to the amendment following the debate on the Gramm amendment. That is the time sequence. As I have indicated, I will move to table the Senator's amendment.