[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 184 (Saturday, November 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17467-S17468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                PROGRAM

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate, for the information of all 
Senators, that we have presented the Democratic leader with a 
counteroffer on how we can end this impasse as far as the partial 
shutdown of the Government is concerned. I know that Senator Domenici, 
chairman of the Budget Committee, and Congressman Kasich, chairman of 
the House Budget Committee, will be calling Leon Panetta, the 
President's Chief of Staff--may have called him by now or will be 
calling soon.
  Hopefully, they can meet with Mr. Panetta tomorrow, early afternoon, 
about 1 o'clock. So it seems to me, in the event something should 
occur, that we should be at least prepared to act on it in the U.S. 
Senate. Sunday sessions are extraordinary, but in this circumstance I 
think it is very appropriate.
  So we will come in at 2:30 in the afternoon. I hope we can resolve 
this matter tomorrow. The House also would be available, I think within 
a few hours, I am told by the Speaker, to assemble enough House Members 
to take action in the event that it is necessary tomorrow.
  So, if we can, I would say to my colleagues, whose staff may be 
listening, or just for their information, if there should be a rollcall 
vote, we will give everybody adequate time to be here. So I would not 
be concerned about that. If we should reach an agreement, I hope that 
we could do it on a voice vote because some of our Members would have 
to come long distances.
  Of course, if we should reach agreement tomorrow, we will not be in 
session next week. So we will convene tomorrow, hopefully to work out, 
or continue to work out, some agreement on the continuing resolution.
  I yield the floor to the Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I express my appreciation to the majority 
leader. We started out early this morning and, indeed, worked through 
much of the day in very serious meetings, two of those meetings with 
the Speaker of the House. Throughout, the majority leader has expressed 
great compassion for those who have been furloughed.
  Once again, both the leadership of the Senate and the House wish to 
confirm in one way or another that we are going to see that there will 
be no loss of pay, and we express our profound compassion for the 
stress and the strain brought upon families. Repeatedly in the most 
recent meeting of an hour ago with the Speaker, our distinguished 
leader said time and time again, he knows the great concern with these 
individuals and their families. So that will be done.
  Of course, the proposition that we sent down to the President again 
preserves that 7-year balanced budget. That is, in my judgment, the 
keystone and the arch we hope to build to solve this between the 
executive and the legislative branches.
  So, again, I express my appreciation to the leader.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, we do have a continuing resolution that has 
been passed by the House and the Senate which we will be pleased to 
send to the President if there is some indication the President will 
sign it. I think he has indicated to the contrary. So we will not, at 
least at this moment, send it to the President.
  We did send, again for the information of all of our colleagues, 
three appropriations bills to the President today: Defense 
appropriations, a very important bill. If he would sign that bill, I am 
told by Senator Stevens from Alaska, chairman of that subcommittee, 
183,000 people could go back to work. That is a big, big bill. That is 
about a fourth of those presently furloughed.
  So I hope the President will take a careful look at the defense 
appropriations bill. In addition, the White House has now received the 
legislative appropriations bill and the Treasury-Post Office 
appropriations bill. I understand that the President may sign those two 
pieces of legislation which, again, will take off some of the strain. 

[[Page S 17468]]

  But I want to make the point, this is not just about people being 
furloughed. This is about a fundamental difference on how we achieve a 
balanced budget and whether we achieve it in 7 years, as the Republican 
Congress feels we can, or whether it is 8 years, 9 years, 10 years or 
maybe 7 years, if the President would agree.
  So I hope we can continue to work. Most of us will be happy to meet 
later this evening if there is any opportunity to work out a successful 
agreement.

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