[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 158 (Thursday, October 12, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15104-S15105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY [LIBERTAD] ACT OF 1995

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, in a couple of hours, we will be called 
upon to vote on cloture on the pending measure. Let me say that I know 
colleagues on this side of the aisle have different views about the 
substance of the legislation, but I hope that our colleagues could be 
concerned about process as well as substance in this case. When 
legislation comes before this body, we usually have ample time to 
deliberate, ample time to offer amendments, ample time to consider all 
of the ramifications of the pending legislation.
  That is certainly not the case here. I suppose if we had a 
significant list of legislative items to be considered--a backed up 
legislative schedule--and we needed to get on with a number of bills 
before the end of the week or the end of next week, I could understand 
perhaps expediting consideration of this particular bill in an effort 
to accommodate that agenda. But that is not the case either. So 
regardless of how one may feel about the importance of this issue, 
about the substantive provisions incorporated in the bill, I would urge 
my colleagues to think carefully about whether or not this is the 
procedure to which we should subscribe.
  Frankly, I do not think it is. I do not think we ought to be rushed 
into passing this bill. I do not think we ought to be forced to come to 
closure on this legislation prior to the time we have had ample 
opportunity to consider some of the complicated issues involved. I 
personally think there is a lot of merit to some aspects of what the 
sponsors of the bill are attempting to do. Still, I have some very 
grave concerns about some of the provisions, especially title 3 as it 
is written. Of course, addressing such concerns is the whole purpose 
behind good debate and the opportunity Senators should have to offer 
amendments.
  So I urge my colleagues to vote against cloture at this early stage 
in the deliberative process. It is important that we be given the 
opportunity to deliberate in a fair and open way to accommodate the 
rights of every Senator, whether he or she be Democrat or 

[[Page S 15105]]
Republican, so I urge my colleagues to vote no on tonight's cloture 
motion.

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