[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 185 (Sunday, November 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17487-S17490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1996

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the joint resolution.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A joint resolution (H.J. Res. 122) making further 
     continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996, and for 
     other purposes.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the joint resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the joint 
resolution.


                           Amendment No. 3062

  Mr. DOLE. I send an amendment to the desk modifying the text of the 
joint resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kansas [Mr. Dole] proposes an amendment 
     numbered 3062.

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:

     That the following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any 
     money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of 
     applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, 
     for the several departments, agencies, corporations, and 
     other organizational units of Government for the fiscal year 
     1996, and for other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                       CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS

       Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary under the 
     authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 for continuing 
     projects or activities including the costs of direct loans 
     and loan guarantees (not otherwise specifically provided for 
     in this joint resolution) which were conducted in the fiscal 
     year 1995 and for which appropriations, funds, or other 
     authority would be available in the following appropriations 
     Acts:
       The Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the 
     Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996, 
     notwithstanding section 15 of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956, section 701 of the United States 
     Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, section 313 
     of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 
     and 1995 (Public Law 103-236), and section 53 of the Arms 
     Control and Disarmament Act;
       The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1996, 
     notwithstanding section 504(a)(1) of the National Security 
     Act of 1947;
       The District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996;
       The Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
     Programs Appropriations Act, 1996, notwithstanding section 10 
     of Public Law 91-672 and section 15(a) of the State 
     Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956;
       The Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1996;
       The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and 
     Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996;
       The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996, H.R. 2492;
       The Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 1996;
       The Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government 
     Appropriations Act, 1996;
       The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     1996:

     Provided, That whenever the amount which would be made 
     available or the authority which would be granted in these 
     Acts is greater than that which would be available or granted 
     under current operations, the pertinent project or activity 
     shall be continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the 
     current rate.
       (b) Whenever the amount which would be made available or 
     the authority which would be granted under an Act listed in 
     this section as passed by the House as of the date of 
     enactment of this joint resolution, is different from that 
     which would be available or granted under such Act as passed 
     by the Senate as of the date of enactment of this joint 
     resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall be 
     continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current 
     rate or the rate permitted by the action of the House or the 
     Senate, whichever is lower, under the authority and 
     conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for 
     the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That where an item is not 
     included in either version or where an item is included in 
     only one version of the Act as passed by both Houses as of 
     the date of enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent 
     project or activity shall not be continued except as provided 
     for in section 111 or 112 under the appropriation, fund, or 
     authority granted by the applicable appropriations Act for 
     the fiscal year 1995 and under the authority and conditions 
     provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal 
     year 1995.
       (c) Whenever an Act listed in this section has been passed 
     by only the House or only the Senate as of the date of 
     enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent project or 
     activity shall be continued under the appropriation, fund, or 
     authority granted by the one House at a rate for operations 
     not exceeding the current rate or the rate permitted by the 
     action of the one House, whichever is lower, and under the 
     authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That 
     where an item is funded in the applicable appropriations Act 
     for the fiscal year 1995 and not included in the version 
     passed by the one House as of the date of enactment of this 
     joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall not 
     be continued except as provided for in section 111 or 112 
     under the appropriation, fund, or authority granted by the 
     applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 and 
     under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995.
       Sec. 102. No appropriation or funds made available or 
     authority granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department 
     of Defense shall be used for new production of items not 
     funded for production in fiscal year 1995 or prior years, for 
     the increase in production rates above those sustained with 
     fiscal year 1995 funds, or to initiate, resume, or continue 
     any project, activity, operation, or organization which are 
     defined as any project, subproject, activity, budget 
     activity, program element, and subprogram within a program 
     element and for investment items are further defined as a P-1 
     line item in a budget activity within an appropriation 
     account and an R-1 line item which includes a program element 
     and subprogram element within an appropriation account, for 
     which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not 
     available during the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That no 
     appropriation or funds made available or authority granted 
     pursuant to section 101 for the Department of Defense shall 
     be used to initiate multi-year procurements utilizing advance 
     procurement funding for economic order quantity procurement 
     unless specifically appropriated later.
       Sec. 103. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be 
     available to the extent and in the manner which would be 
     provided by the pertinent appropriations Act.
       Sec. 104. No appropriation or funds made available or 
     authority granted pursuant to section 101 shall be used to 
     initiate or resume any project or activity for which 
     appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available 
     during the fiscal year 1995.
       Sec. 105. No provision which is included in an 
     appropriations Act enumerated in section 101 but which was 
     not included in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal 
     year 1995 and which by its terms is applicable to more than 
     one appropriation, fund, or authority shall be applicable to 
     any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in this joint 
     resolution.
       Sec. 106. Unless otherwise provided for in this joint 
     resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act, 
     appropriations and funds made available and authority granted 
     pursuant to this joint resolution shall be available until 
     (a) enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or 
     activity provided for in this joint resolution, or (b) the 
     enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act by 
     both Houses without any provision for such project or 
     activity, or (c) December 15, 1995, whichever first occurs.
       Sec. 107. Appropriations made and authority granted 
     pursuant to this joint resolution shall cover all obligations 
     or expenditures incurred for any program, project, or 
     activity during the period for which funds or authority for 
     such project or activity are available under this joint 
     resolution.
       Sec. 108. Expenditures made pursuant to this joint 
     resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, 
     fund, or authorization whenever a bill in which such 
     applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization is contained 
     is enacted into law.
       Sec. 109. No provision in the appropriations Act for the 
     fiscal year 1996 referred to in section 101 of this joint 
     resolution that makes the availability of any 
     appropriation provided therein dependent upon the 
     enactment of additional authorizing or other legislation 
     shall be effective before the date set forth in section 
     106(c) of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 110. Appropriations and funds made available by or 
     authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution may be 
     used without regard to the time limitations for submission 
     and approval of apportionments set forth in section 1513 of 
     title 31, United States Code, but nothing herein shall be 
     construed to waive any other provision of law governing the 
     apportionment of funds.
       Sec. 111. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, whenever an Act listed in 
     section 101 as passed by both the House and Senate as of the 
     date of enactment of this joint resolution, does not include 
     funding for an ongoing 

[[Page S 17488]]
     project or activity for which there is a budget request, or whenever an 
     Act listed in section 101 has been passed by only the House 
     or only the Senate as of the date of enactment of this joint 
     resolution, and an item funded in fiscal year 1995 is not 
     included in the version passed by the one House, or whenever 
     the rate for operations for an ongoing project or activity 
     provided by section 101 for which there is a budget request 
     would result in the project or activity being significantly 
     reduced, the pertinent project or activity may be continued 
     under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 by increasing the 
     rate for operations provided by section 101 to a rate for 
     operations not to exceed one that provides the minimal level 
     that would enable existing activities to continue. No new 
     contracts or grants shall be awarded in excess of an amount 
     that bears the same ratio to the rate for operations provided 
     by this section as the number of days covered by this 
     resolution bears to 366. For the purposes of the Act, the 
     minimal level means a rate for operations that is reduced 
     from the current rate by 25 percent.
       Sec. 112. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, whenever the rate for 
     operations for any continuing project or activity provided by 
     section 101 or section 111 for which there is a budget 
     request would result in a furlough of Government employees, 
     that rate for operations may be increased to the minimum 
     level that would enable the furlough to be avoided. No new 
     contracts or grants shall be awarded in excess of an amount 
     that bears the same ratio to the rate for operations provided 
     by this section as the number of days covered by this 
     resolution bears to 366.
       Sec. 113. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except sections 106, 111, and 112, for those 
     programs that had high initial rates of operation or complete 
     distribution of funding at the beginning of the fiscal year 
     in fiscal year 1995 because of distributions of funding to 
     States, foreign countries, grantees, or others, similar 
     distributions of funds for fiscal year 1996 shall not be made 
     and no grants shall be awarded for such programs funded by 
     this resolution that would impinge on final funding 
     prerogatives.
       Sec. 114. This joint resolution shall be implemented so 
     that only the most limited funding action of that permitted 
     in the resolution shall be taken in order to provide for 
     continuation of projects and activities.
       Sec. 115. The provisions of section 132 of the District of 
     Columbia Appropriations Act, 1988, Public Law 100-202, shall 
     not apply for this joint resolution. Included in the 
     apportionment for the Federal Payment to the District of 
     Columbia shall be an additional $16,575,016 above the amount 
     otherwise made available by this joint resolution, for 
     reimbursement to the United States of funds loaned for 
     certain capital improvement projects pursuant to Public Law 
     81-533, as amended; Public Law 83-364, as amended; Public Law 
     85-451, as amended; and Public Law 86-515, as amended, 
     including interest as required thereby.
       Sec. 116. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, the authority and conditions 
     for the application of appropriations for the Office of 
     Technology Assessment as contained in the conference report 
     on the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996, House 
     Report 104-212, shall be followed when applying the funding 
     made available by this joint resolution.
       Sec. 117. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, any distribution of funding 
     under the Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research 
     account in the Department of Education may be made up to an 
     amount that bears the same ratio to the rate for operation 
     for this account provided by this joint resolution as the 
     number of days covered by this resolution bears to 366.
       Sec. 118. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, the authorities provided 
     under subsection (a) of section 140 of the Foreign Relations 
     Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 
     103-236) shall remain in effect during the period of this 
     joint resolution, notwithstanding paragraph (3) of said 
     subsection.
       Sec. 119. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, the amount made available to 
     the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the heading 
     Salaries and Expenses, shall include, in addition to direct 
     appropriations, the amount it collects under the fee rate and 
     offsetting collection authority contained in Public Law 103-
     352, which fee rate and offsetting collection authority shall 
     remain in effect during the period of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 120. Until enactment of legislation providing funding 
     for the entire fiscal year ending September 30, 1996, for the 
     Department of the Interior and Related Agencies, funds 
     available for necessary expenses of the Bureau of Mines 
     are for continuing limited health and safety and related 
     research, materials partnerships, and minerals information 
     activities; for mineral assessments in Alaska; and for 
     terminating all other activities of the Bureau of Mines.
       Sec. 121. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, funds for the Environmental 
     Protection Agency shall be made available in the 
     appropriation accounts which are provided in H.R. 2099 as 
     reported on September 13, 1995.
       Sec. 122. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, the rate for operations for 
     projects and activities that would be funded under the 
     heading ``International Organizations and Conferences, 
     Contributions to International Organizations'' in the 
     Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, 
     and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996, shall be the 
     amount provided by the provisions of sections 101, 111, and 
     112 multiplied by the ratio of the number of days covered by 
     this resolution to 366.
       Sec. 123. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint 
     resolution, except section 106, the rate for operations of 
     the following projects or activities shall be only the 
     minimum necessary to accomplish orderly termination:
       Administrative Conference of the United States;
       Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (except 
     that activities to carry out the provisions of Public Law 
     104-4 may continue);
       Interstate Commerce Commission;
       Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation;
       Land and Water Conservation Fund, State Assistance; and
       Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Rural 
     Abandoned Mine Program.
       Sec. 124. Compensation and Ratification of Authority.--(a) 
     Any Federal employees furloughed as a result of a lapse in 
     appropriations, if any, after midnight November 13, 1995, 
     until the enactment of this Act shall be compensated at their 
     standard rate of compensation for the period during which 
     there was a lapse in appropriations.
       (b) All obligations incurred in anticipation of the 
     appropriations made and authority granted by this Act for the 
     purposes of maintaining the essential level of activity to 
     protect life and property and bring about orderly termination 
     of government functions are hereby ratified and approved if 
     otherwise in accord with the provisions of this Act.

                                TITLE II

     SEC. 201. WAIVER OF REQUIREMENT FOR PARCHMENT PRINTING.

       (a) Waiver.--The provisions of sections 106 and 107 of 
     title 1, United States Code, are waived with respect to the 
     printing (on parchment or otherwise) of the enrollment of any 
     of the following measures of the first session of the One 
     Hundred Fourth Congress presented to the President after the 
     enactment of this joint resolution:
       (1) A continuing resolution.
       (2) A debt limit extension measure.
       (3) A reconciliation bill.
       (b) Certification by Committee on House Oversight.--The 
     enrollment of a measure to which subsection (a) applies shall 
     be in such form as the Committee on House Oversight of the 
     House of Representatives certifies to be a true enrollment.

     SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.

       As used in this joint resolution:
       (1) Continuing resolution.--The term ``continuing 
     resolution'' means a bill or joint resolution that includes 
     provisions making further continuing appropriations for 
     fiscal year 1996.
       (2) Debt limit extension measure.--The term ``debt limit 
     extension measure'' means a bill or joint resolution that 
     includes provisions increasing or waiving (for a temporary 
     period or otherwise) the public debt limit under section 
     3101(b) of title 31, United States Code.
       (3) Reconciliation bill.--The term ``reconciliation bill'' 
     means a bill that is a reconciliation bill within the meaning 
     of section 310 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

     SEC.   . COMMITMENT TO A SEVEN-YEAR BALANCED BUDGET.

       (a) The President and the Congress shall enact legislation 
     in the first session of the 104th Congress to achieve a 
     balanced budget not later than fiscal year 2002 as estimated 
     by the Congressional Budget Office, and the President and the 
     Congress agree that the balanced budget must protect future 
     generations, ensure Medicare solvency, reform welfare, and 
     provide adequate funding for Medicaid, education, 
     agriculture, national defense, veterans, and the environment. 
     Further, the balanced budget shall adopt tax policies to help 
     working families and to stimulate future economic growth.
       (b) The balanced budget agreement shall be estimated by the 
     Congressional Budget Office based on its most recent current 
     economic and technical assumptions, following a thorough 
     consultation and review with the Office of Management and 
     Budget, and other government and private experts.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The question is on agreeing to the 
amendment.
  The amendment (No. 3062) was agreed to.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the joint 
resolution be read a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So, the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 122), as amended, was passed.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, that was the compromise language that would 
extend until December 15 the date agreed upon. In fact, I ask that a 
copy 

[[Page S 17489]]
of the resolution--I might just read it quickly. This is the agreement 
reached. I want to thank my colleague, Senator Daschle, and thank 
Senator Exon. Also, of course, I want to thank my colleague, Senator 
Domenici, and the others who have been working on this throughout the 
day and throughout yesterday. There have been Members on each side. I 
know Senator Warner has been involved, as have others. But what we have 
agreed to now, in a bipartisan, nonpartisan way, I think, is a very 
satisfactory conclusion to what has been a rather tense situation the 
past several days.

       (a) The President and the Congress shall enact legislation 
     in the first session of the 104th Congress to achieve a 
     balanced budget not later than fiscal year 2002 as estimated 
     by the Congressional Budget Office, and the President and the 
     Congress agree that the balanced budget must protect future 
     generations, ensure Medicare solvency, reform welfare, and 
     provide adequate funding for Medicaid, education, 
     agriculture, national defense, veterans, and the environment. 
     Further, the balanced budget shall adopt tax policies to help 
     working families and to stimulate future economic growth.
       (b) The balanced budget agreement shall be estimated by the 
     Congressional Budget Office based on its most recent current 
     economic and technical assumptions, following a thorough 
     consultation and review with the Office of Management and 
     Budget, and other Government and private experts.

  We also take care of back pay in this resolution. And the continuing 
resolution will be at 75 percent. I will ask the chairman of the 
Appropriation Committee to explain this in more detail. And it will 
extend until December 15.
  I would be happy to yield to the distinguished Democratic leader.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The able minority leader is recognized.
  Mr. DASCHLE. I thank the President pro tempore.
  I want to commend the distinguished majority leader for his 
leadership in the effort he has made in the last 24 hours to achieve 
this agreement. I also commend the distinguished Senator from New 
Mexico, our chairman of the Budget Committee, for his effort. It was 
the Senator from New Mexico and the Senator from Nebraska, our ranking 
member, who have done a great deal of work in the last couple of days 
to get us to this point. I appreciate very much their efforts.
  I have discussed this with the President. He fully supports it and 
will sign it. As the majority leader has indicated, this resolution 
will allow us to continue to fund the Government until the 15th of 
December at a level of 75 percent. It reopens the Government and gets 
people back to work. It reaffirms our commitment to balancing the 
budget, it spells out our commitment to protecting our priorities--
Medicare and Medicaid, education, the environment, defense, 
agriculture, and veterans. There will be consultation on economic 
assumptions with the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of 
Management and Budget and private experts. It really presents the 
framework for negotiations.
  Now that this is behind us, I think the time for us to negotiate the 
real balanced budget is at hand. This gives us that opportunity. I am 
very pleased that we were able to reach the agreement tonight.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, before I yield to the Senator from Oregon, 
Senator Hatfield, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, let me also 
thank Senator Lott who has been on the telephone the last hour or two 
checking with Members who had problems.
  Also, Senator Gorton who helped us with some editorial comment and 
corrected a few things which were not quite accurate.
  Senator Mack and Senator Cochran were there yesterday afternoon and 
again today helping us bring this together.
  And, of course, Senator Warner has been on the floor and in the 
meetings. We appreciate that very much. Coming from Virginia he has a 
number of concerns about Federal employees.
  As I said earlier, the Senator from New Mexico deserves great credit. 
I think it is fair to say it indicates again if we can reach out we can 
come together.
  I think we preserved a very important principle: a balanced budget in 
7 years. That was very important to Members on this side and I think to 
a number of Members on the other side.
  Also, obviously the Presiding Officer has been in the thick of this 
from the start. We appreciate the President pro tempore's discussions, 
and a number of other colleagues, Senator McCain, who is not on the 
floor, and Senator Pressler, who was there for a few hours this 
afternoon. We had a lot of people come and go and a lot of input.
  I yield now to the chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, will the distinguished Senator yield for 
30 seconds?
  I also think a number of staff people, including Bill Hoagland and 
John Hilley, deserve special commendation for the terrific work they 
have done. They and many other members of the staff have worked for the 
last couple of weeks to achieve this. I appreciate very much their 
effort and all the work they have done to make this happen.
  On our side, Senator Reid and Senator Dorgan and Members of our 
leadership have also been extremely helpful and demonstrated a 
significant level of leadership.
  Let me also thank Leon Panetta and members of the White House for the 
cooperation and tremendous effort that they also made to make this 
happen tonight.
  A number of people are responsible for the fact we are here tonight. 
I think it is fair to say we have shared in a great deal of effort to 
make it happen, and we are very pleased.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Senator Hatfield is recognized.
  Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I, first, would like to add my word of 
congratulations to our leadership, Senator Dole, Senator Daschle, the 
chairman and ranking member of the Budget Committee, and others who 
have been very much involved.
  Let me just say, we now have 6 appropriations bills of the 13 signed. 
So this continuing resolution will cover the seven bills not signed. I 
think it is very important to note we have now extended until December 
15. We must act upon these remaining bills in order to get agreement 
between the White House and the Congress. And the most important bill, 
in my view, is the Labor-HHS. That is the only appropriations bill the 
Senate has refused to consider, and we must move on that bill in order 
to get it covering the important programs of education, health and 
public services.

  Also, for those programs that have been terminated by either the 
House or the Senate, this will fund those programs at 75 percent of 
level until that date. Also, it restores the back pay. That may be the 
best news of all for some of those who are getting down to the end of 
their resources and need this assurance they will be paid for those 
days they have been furloughed.
  So I want to, again, say this is a great occasion to see this impasse 
brought to an end, and through the extraordinary bipartisan effort of 
both sides of the aisle and the White House, this achievement is very 
significant.
  I thank the Chair.
  Mr. DOMENICI addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The able Senator from New Mexico is 
recognized.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, this agreement will allow all Federal 
workers to return to their jobs tomorrow morning and all Government 
operations will return to normal. This is not a win for Republicans or 
Democrats, this is a win for the American people.
  This will ensure the first balanced budget plan in more than a 
quarter century. Up until today, Republicans in Congress had passed and 
committed to a 7-year balanced budget, but after today, the President 
is now on board. He and his administration are now committed to 
achieving a balanced budget in 7 years using the nonpartisan 
Congressional Budget Office. While this is a giant first step, there is 
a lot of work to getting it done, and I pledge my full effort to try to 
get this done in the next 3 to 4 weeks.
  I yield the floor.
 Mr. GRAMM. Mr. President, I am concerned that we are in the 
process of jimmying the numbers so that President Clinton can spend 
tens of billions of dollars that we do not have on programs that we 
cannot afford.
  It appears that we are laying the predicate for assuming away the 
deficit problem. 

[[Page S 17490]]

  I intend to oppose any budget which increases total spending above 
the level we set out in our budget.
  Mr. CONRAD addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The distinguished Senator from North 
Dakota is recognized.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I yield to the ranking member of the 
Budget Committee, Senator Exon, who is seeking to make a statement.
  Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I thank my friend from North Dakota. I just 
want to add my voice of thanks for the true bipartisan effort that was 
made, especially over the last 2 days, certainly under the effective 
leadership of Senator Daschle, on this side, and Senator Dole on the 
other, in cooperation with my friend and colleague, the chairman of the 
Budget Committee, Senator Domenici, the excellent staffs on both sides, 
Bill Hoagland on the Republican side and Bill Dauster over on our side, 
and all associated therewith. We came to many points on the cliff when 
I was not sure we were ever going to jump across, but we did on many, 
many occasions.
  I am very pleased with the fact that, as Senator Domenici just said, 
it was a bipartisan effort. We were not trying to make political 
points, we were trying to reach an agreement to balance the budget in 7 
years that this Senator has stood for for a long, long time and 
accommodate as many as we could.
  The main thing, of course, is that finally, as I have been suggesting 
for the last few days, what we did was have a breakthrough today, 
finally, by extending the argument, if you will, to December 15. That 
means that everybody can go back to work, if we can get this passed in 
both the House and the Senate this evening, and the Government can 
return to full functioning by tomorrow morning. This has not been easy, 
but it has been rewarding, once again, that after a lot of effort and 
understanding among friends who sometimes have different views on how 
we get from point A to point B, we do get together and accomplish what 
we want to do.

  Mr. President, I simply say and emphasize that while this is a good 
agreement, it really requires a lot of heavy lifting between now and 
the 15th day of December, because we have all of these contentious 
areas remaining with regard to how we do meet the 7-year balanced 
budget goal and the different parts of the budget and how we allocate 
the funds are going to be contentious.
  I just hope that the bipartisan spirit that brought this short-term 
agreement together can be carried on to a considerable degree with the 
heavy lifting that we have yet to do.
  I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.

                          ____________________