John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I was not able, in a busy markup session, to ascertain that.

Mr. WARNER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I thank my distinguished colleague. For years, Senator Graham has been on the Armed Services Committee and has really specialized in health issues and other issues relating to the welfare of the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. I, like him, share concerns about the rising costs of these programs. How well he and I understand that there is only so much money allocated under the process of our budget to the men and women in the Armed Forces. They need equipment. They need training. They need housing. They need medical care. If we constantly begin to chip away, it ends up those moneys are withdrawn from the modernization account. I thank the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I believe we now return to amendment No. 4211.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I wish to advise the Senator that we have carefully examined the amendment and we are prepared to accept it on this side.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, for those following the debate, I certainly would acknowledge that the Senator from New Jersey had a distinguished record in World War II in the U.S. Army in Europe and understands very well, through firsthand experience, the hardships faced by those particularly in the enlisted ranks.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I urge the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. WARNER. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I thank my dear friend, Senator Levin. I am deeply moved by this occasion, as you can tell. This is my last opportunity as chairman of the committee to present a bill to the Congress, and to have this amendment a part of the bill is very special, and to be joined by the distinguished Senator from Michigan to share in the honors of putting this to the Senate. You and I earlier discussed the traditions of naming ships. I draw on my knowledge as former Secretary of the Navy that it more often originates in the executive branch, for which I have the greatest respect. But somehow I felt it appropriate, since President Ford is a truly remembered part of the legislature of America, the legislative branch, having served so long there, that the naming of this ship have its origin here in the Congress which he so dearly loved. So we have joined together for that purpose.

Mr. WARNER. Oh, yes, once upon a time he occupied that chair, I say, with respect to the Presiding Officer, the President of the Senate, the one and only function and duty enumerated in the Constitution of the Vice President. Madam President, I invite any other Senators who so wish to be added as cosponsors. I have asked unanimous consent that their names be added as they indicate to the Chair, the Presiding Officer, their desire and that be kept open until the hour of, say, 5 o'clock tonight.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I think we are concluded on the amendments. We are proceeding in an orderly fashion. The amendment pending is that of the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin; am I correct, or has that been put forward yet?

Mr. WARNER. We ask that following that, we try to alternate amendments. The next amendment would come from our side, and I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Pennsylvania be recognized for purposes of offering an amendment.

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator. Amendment No. 4230

Mr. WARNER. Would the Senator allow me a brief unanimous consent request? The distinguished Senator from Michigan and I wish to alert the Senate that following Mr. Dorgan's amendment comes the amendment of Mr. Santorum and then Mr. Durbin. So the order of amendments is Dorgan, Santorum, then we come back to Senator Durbin, and then I ask unanimous consent that Senator McCain be recognized for the purpose of offering an amendment.

Mr. WARNER. I advise the Senate we are, as we say in the Navy, well underway on this bill. The Senator from Michigan and I are anxious to learn from Senators their desire to have amendments. We will do the best we can to accommodate them because it appears now we will be able to remain in session somewhat longer this evening than originally anticipated due to the cancellation, I understand, of the White House picnic. I will consult with the leadership. It is my hope we can work on into the early evening.

Mr. WARNER. It seems to me that vote preceded some remarkable developments which have taken place in the international forum within our country. With the great leadership of the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, we have taken some strong initiatives to try and resolve primarily the issue of the desire to proceed with the weapons of mass destruction effort, but there are a lot of collateral ramifications to these important talks. The House vote is of record, but we should let our colleagues know that vote took place way before what I regard as rather dramatic developments with respect to the international consortium of nations-- Great Britain, France, United States, and now recently both Russia and China participating in some way. Does the Senator think the amendment is wise in light of what is taking place now?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague. Yesterday, the Senate had an opportunity to visit with the Secretaries of State and Defense. I believe my distinguished colleague from Pennsylvania was there, as was I. And while those discussions are private in nature, I just simply say that with those discussions, combined with other discussions and communications I have had with the Department of State, I am somewhat more encouraged about the prospects of the negotiations now taking place than perhaps my colleague from Pennsylvania. My main concern is, given the fragility of the situation with regard to these negotiations, the almost overriding importance of the question of the weapons-of-mass-destruction issue, and the need to have Iran publicly begin to cooperate with the IAEA and other organizations to prevent the proliferation of that type of weapon--I just wonder, had the Senator thought about maybe an effective date of this amendment to give some reasonable period of time for these negotiations to take place as to the effective date of the amendment?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I certainly respect the views of my colleague who once served on the Armed Services Committee. I regret that the Senator felt there were other areas where he could serve his country other than in our committee. But we still consider him a member of the committee. The Senator is quite accurate that it is likely that this bill will be before this body into next week. I am hoping to conclude next week. Then, of course, there will be a period of time thereafter in which we will have a deliberation between the two bodies in the conference. But I would like to have some additional time today for purposes of consultation. I assure the Senator, he has a right to move forward, as he has sought to do at this time. I say to the Senator, if you can indulge the chairman in trying to schedule such action as may take place on this amendment at some point today, a little later than now, I would be appreciative of that.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague. He is recognized as one of the leaders of our party, and he is very cooperative with regard to all legislative matters. My understanding is the Dorgan amendment is the pending amendment; is that correct?

Mr. WARNER. I see. And we did not move on the Dorgan amendment as of yet.

Mr. WARNER. Set aside. At the appropriate time, will the distinguished Senator from Pennsylvania, when he completes his remarks, move to have this amendment set aside for the time being?

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, I see our colleague from Maine, a member of the committee, and in due course I expect, after the completion of the Senator's remarks, the Senator from Maine can be recognized.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield, I have been trying to work with the Senator from Florida to revise a draft I saw.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it seems to me, if the Senator withdraws the amendment, the managers can work with him and then the Senator from Florida can speak to the generic substance of the amendment, which I believe is a very important amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I say to my colleague, the Senator from Florida is now in the process of rewriting it. I suggest we wait until he has decided on the version he would like to submit at the appropriate time.