[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 194 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S18228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORDER OF PROCEDURE

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, I wish to state a couple of questions 
and ask for the majority leader's response, if I could, at this time.
  Madam President, I know that there has been an agreement worked out 
with regard to the voting on the nominations and on the START II 
Treaty. I know that yesterday we had another discussion on the Senate 
floor, and the majority leader referred to his intention to, also in 
addition to the nominations for ambassadors, clear the rest of the 
items on the Executive Calendar before we left.
  I just wanted to once again ask for his assurance that that is his 
desire and his intention before we adjourn this fall.
  Mr. DOLE. Madam President, if the Senator will yield, I will just 
say, as I did yesterday, that it is certainly my hope that we can clear 
everything on the Executive Calendar before we leave this year.
  I cannot give a 100 percent guarantee. Somebody might have a hard 
hold on something. They may not be able to get it up, and we might not 
be able to get cloture. But my view is we ought to accommodate where we 
can the executive branch, and I have always tried to do that.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. I appreciate that very much. I certainly agree that 
that is an important thing to do.
  The other issue I wanted to clarify is that the agreement calls for 
us to proceed to consider START II before we go out of session this 
year. Yesterday, again the majority leader said that it was his intent 
that we complete action on START II. I think it is very important that 
we do that.
  Again, I would just ask if it is his view that we can go ahead and 
get that treaty voted on and sent on before we go off on the holidays.
  Mr. DOLE. Again, let me indicate that I hope to take it up before 
Christmas. I would like to complete action before Christmas. If not, we 
will do it as quickly as we can when we are back here.
  But I think we need to take a look at the calendar. A week from today 
will be the 15th. One week later is the 22d. Next week we have this 
State Department reorganization, Bosnia, and rangeland reform. Again, 
it is a question of whether we can do it.
  I am advised by the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Relations 
Committee that he does not know of any amendments to the START II 
Treaty. There may be amendments. But it may not take more than a couple 
of hours.
  So, certainly, I would like to dispose of it before we leave from 
here this year. We will make every effort to do so.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, let me just say that I appreciate the 
fact that we do have an agreement in this unanimous-consent agreement 
to bring it up before we conclude the session and move to the 
consideration of it.
  I am encouraged by the statement and by the indication of the Senator 
from North Carolina, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, 
that he thinks we can move to it very expeditiously.
  I appreciate the majority leader's very good work on the issues. I 
appreciate the Senator from North Carolina, and I also, of course, 
appreciate the Senator from Massachusetts, who I know has worked very 
hard to get this agreement and, of course, the Democratic leader as 
well.
  So thank you all.
  I no longer object to proceeding on the flag amendment. I know the 
majority leader intends to do that tomorrow.
  I have no objection.

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