[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 188 (Tuesday, November 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17602-S17603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION SUNSET ACT

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.


                      Amendment No. 3067 Withdrawn

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I have conferred with individuals whose 
interest in the amendment which I had proposed has been expressed, and 
they have been very cordial in their willingness to work to try and 
accommodate the objectives which I have expressed in filing the 
amendment, and because we have an opportunity to work toward those 
objectives together--and I would hope that we can do so effectively--I 
at this time withdraw my amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has the right to withdraw his 
amendment. The amendment is withdrawn.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Missouri 
does have a real problem, and some of that language looked as if he had 
a good solution but in some instances could have gone too far. The 
truth of the matter is I am not positive about it, but I am delighted 
to work with the distinguished Senator and I hope we can get that 
problem solved for him. I appreciate it.
  Mr. EXON. Mr. President, now that we are about where we were at 3 
o'clock this afternoon, maybe we will be successful at this time. I 
think we are ready to pass this bill if the Chair would see fit to 
recognize the Senator from South Dakota.
  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I commend my colleague from Missouri for 
his leadership, and we look forward to him revisiting this issue again.
  At this time, I ask that the bill be read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill is open to further amendment. If 
there be no further amendment to be proposed, the question is on 
agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
2539, the House companion, and that the Senate immediately proceed to 
its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill will be stated by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2539) to abolish the Interstate Commerce 
     Commission, to amend subtitle IV of title 49, United States 
     Code, to reform economic regulation of transportation, and 
     for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask further that all after the 
enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 1396, as amended, be 
inserted in lieu thereof and that H.R. 2539 be read a third time, and 
the Senate then immediately vote on passage of H.R. 2539.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. EXON. We have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment of the amendment and third reading 
of the bill.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall it pass?
  The bill (H.R. 2539), as amended, was passed, as follows:
  (The text of the bill will be printed in a future edition of the 
Record.)
  Mr. EXON. I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. PRESSLER. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. PRESSLER. I finally ask unanimous consent that S. 1396 be placed 
back on the calendar.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. PRESSLER. Finally, Mr. President, I want to take just a moment to 
thank some of the staff and individuals who worked so hard to make this 
legislation possible. They have been working for many months and 
deserve our thanks. First, let me thank Chris McLean of Senator Exon's 
staff and Clyde Hart and Carl Bentzel of the committee's minority 
staff. On the committee's majority staff, I want to thank Tom 
Hohenthaner and Mike King for their hard work in bringing us to this 
point. Each of these staff members demonstrated the kind of bipartisan 
initiative that epitomized the process and the professionalism that 
made the legislation possible. Finally, I wish to give the highest 
praise to Ann Begeman for her diligent work on this bill. She displayed 
great persistence and leadership and I want to especially recognize her 
efforts.
  Let me also thank Linda Morgan, chairman of the ICC, for all her 
guidance and expertise. Her efforts are much appreciated. I also want 
to thank a staff member of the ICC, Ellen Hansen, who was generously 
detailed to the committee by the agency and who has worked very hard, 
and provided the technical expertise necessary to produce legislation 
that provides a reasonable and orderly transition. I very much 
appreciate the professional work done by all these dedicated 
individuals.
  Mr. President, I note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  
[[Page S 17603]]


                            MORNING BUSINESS

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now 
be a period for morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________