John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I continue to be very depressed by the knowledge that this Senator has on the subject. I freely admit that I do not have the depth of knowledge. I understand initially the amendment called for a study. Then, as provided under the rules of the Senate, the Senator modified the amendment, and it is now a very specific piece of legislation that I am advised could well end the program. Somewhere between a study and trying to end the program, should the Senator prevail, there must be a basis on which we can have an accommodation so I can accept some measure to meet the Senator's goals and incorporate it in the bill, assuming my distinguished ranking member will accept my recommendation. Mr. President, why doesn't the Senator go to his next amendment? In the meantime staff can go to work.

Mr. WARNER. I say that is not fair to the men and women of the Armed Forces who use this program. I am not trying to keep in place something that is not adequately serving this constituency and the Department of Defense. I would rather put in a fix if I can get in my mind what that fix can be. The amendment could virtually bring what is in existence at DTS to a standstill.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the cooperation of the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. We certainly want to accommodate the Senator. I suggest at the conclusion of the presentation of this next amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the managers are working to try to resolve a number of issues in the hopes we can complete this bill. I will eventually reply to the Senator from Georgia. I wonder if at this time, without losing the floor, he will yield to his colleague to speak on another matter.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, could those three votes be sequenced, the first vote will take the normal course and the next two votes be 10 minutes each?

Mr. WARNER. I thank the distinguished Presiding Officer. Secondly, there seems to be only one remaining amendment which we are trying to resolve. Then I would approach the leadership jointly for final passage of the bill.

Mr. WARNER. Would the majority leader authorize the chairman to seek final passage when we are ready to go?

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, before we proceed to the next vote, I would like to propound the following unanimous-consent request: I ask unanimous consent that following the next vote, which is on the Sessions amendment, I then be recognized in order to send to the desk a series of amendments that have been cleared on both sides. I further ask unanimous consent that following action on those cleared amendments, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to a vote on final passage of the bill, with no intervening action or debate; provided further, that after passage, the Senate proceed to the votes in executive session as under the previous order.

Mr. WARNER. We have reached an agreement on the pay raise issue. I would prefer to do that following final passage and have the colloquy inserted in the Record prior to.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, have the yeas and nays been ordered?

Mr. WARNER. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this is an amendment by the distinguished Senator from Alabama, Mr. Sessions, and the distinguished Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Frist, and it has been carefully worked and debated. I ask that the vote begin.

Mr. WARNER. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, for those Senators who may not have heard that vote, if I am correct it was 98 yeas, 0 nays. That is a strong voice from the Senate of the United States in support of the men and women of the Armed Forces. I thank each and every one of you.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct.

Mr. WARNER. That is correct. The prior vote being on the missile defense.

Mr. WARNER. I send a series of amendments to the desk which have been cleared by myself and the ranking member. I ask unanimous consent the Senate consider these amendments en bloc, the amendments be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table. Finally, I ask that any statements pertaining to any of these individual amendments be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I understand under the order we now proceed to the final passage of the authorization bill.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, once again I thank colleagues for the unanimous vote, 96 to 0, sending a strong message to the men and women of the Armed Forces.

Mr. WARNER. I thank my distinguished colleague.