[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S19182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           ORDER OF PROCEDURE

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I think the Democratic leader and I want to 
be in a position to announce that there probably will be no more votes 
today.
  I think on the START II Treaty, which is now pending under an 
agreement, I promised the Senator from New Mexico a couple of weeks ago 
that we would try to do this before we left.
  It is my understanding--in fact, the Presiding Officer is one of the 
principal players--the bill will be managed on this side by the 
distinguished Senator from Indiana, Senator Lugar, and he advises me 
that it may not be necessary to have a rollcall. There may be one 
amendment in the process of being resolved.
  Senator Thurmond has suggested that we go only as far as presentation 
of the resolution of ratification--that would be satisfactory with me 
if it is satisfactory with the Democratic leader--because he would like 
to have the President sign the Defense authorization bill and not 
finally dispose of the START II until the President has made a 
determination.
  But I think, based on what I have been able to find out in the last 
few minutes, if it is satisfactory with the Democratic leader, I think 
we could announce that there will no more votes today.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I appreciate the majority leader's 
cooperation on this issue.
  It appears that there is one outstanding issue that may or may not be 
resolved with a rollcall vote. If we could make it in order that the 
amendment and presentation of the resolution of ratification be the 
only matters pending relating to START and the return, I think we can 
accommodate the schedule and it will please all of those involved in 
the negotiations.

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I believe we can also dispose of nearly all 
of the nominations on the Executive Calendar. Of course, anything that 
we can do by unanimous consent--I think the Senator from Delaware and 
the Senator from Utah have a bill that will take 1 hour, and it will 
not require a rollcall vote, on victims' restitution.
  Mr. BIDEN. That is correct.
  Mr. DOLE. Perhaps that can be disposed of today, and any other 
matters that we can dispose of on a consent basis--obviously, we will 
be here later today.
  So, based on that comment from the Democratic leader, I think we will 
announce there will be no more votes today, no votes tomorrow, no votes 
on Sunday, no votes on Monday, and no votes on Tuesday.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, will the distinguished leader yield?
  Mr. DOLE. I am happy to yield.
  Mr. BYRD. I hope we will have a rollcall vote on the treaty. So, we 
can be assured of that at some point.
  Mr. DOLE. Yes.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank the leader.
  Mr. DOLE. I think it is a very important treaty. We should have a 
rollcall vote.
  Mr. THURMOND. May I make inquiry? As I understand, there will be no 
votes before Christmas, final vote on this treaty? Is that correct?
  Mr. DOLE. That is correct, according by the wishes of the 
distinguished Senator from South Carolina.
  Mr. THURMOND. Does that give the President a chance to sign the 
defense bill?
  Mr. DOLE. I think once he recognizes the merit of it, certainly he 
will be disposed to sign it.
  Mr. THURMOND. It is to his advantage and to the advantage of the 
troops and to the advantage of the defense for him to sign it.
  Mr. DOLE. I thank the Senator.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Will the majority leader yield?
  Mr. DOLE. Yes.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield for a 
question, I just wanted to ask about the House resolution that will 
cover veterans.
  Mr. DOLE. We are working on that. The two leaders have discussed not 
only that provision, but the District of Columbia, foster care, and 
AFDC. It is our hope that before we leave here today, we can reach some 
accommodation.

  I have also discussed that with the distinguished Senator from New 
Hampshire, Senator Smith, who is very interested particularly in the 
veterans part having had a phone call this morning from a veteran 
friend of his.
  So, hopefully, we can resolve that. The Senator from Massachusetts 
has an interest in that, too.

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