[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 213 (Sunday, December 31, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S19323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      VETOED APPROPRIATIONS BILLS

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I know there is an effort here by both sides 
to make a record. Even though we both agree that something is going to 
be done, I think we have Members on both sides of the aisle who may 
have different views. I am not going to ask consent that we reconsider 
all the appropriations bills that the President has vetoed. I have here 
a consent form prepared.
  But I think we must keep in perspective that the reason many Federal 
employees are not working is because the President has vetoed the 
Interior bill, the State, Justice, and Commerce bill, and the HUD-VA 
bill; and, also the fact that Labor-HHS has been tied up on the Senate 
floor--I say this in no disrespect--because my colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle refuse to allow us to bring it up. We need 60 votes 
to do that. We only have 53.
  So I want to continue to make the record that many Federal employees 
would be working today had the President signed the bills.
  In the meantime what we thought we might do--we tried to do this one 
other time and it was objected to--is in essence--we are in these very 
serious negotiations, good-faith, bipartisan negotiations--send the 
bills back to the President, which he vetoed, and then see if he will 
sign those bills, put people back to work, not temporarily but on a 
permanent basis, and then make the changes in this big agreement we 
hope to reach on each of those bills. But Senator Leahy objected to 
that.
  And then I was prepared to go through them one at a time and just 
say, Well, let us send the Interior bill, and let us send the next bill 
and the next bill, for a total of six bills. But I am certain those 
would be objected to.
  But I just want the record to reflect that while we are not in 
agreement yet, I believe the White House, and I certainly believe the 
Democratic leader, Senator Daschle, and I know this Republican, and I 
know the Presiding Officer because he expressed his views earlier to 
me, would like to see this thing ended and Government employees go back 
to work and get paid. That is not going to happen, unfortunately, 
today. So it is not going to be a happy new year.
  But we will meet the day after New Year's Day, on the 2d, and 
hopefully by then we will have some agreement that will pass the House, 
and they can start work by midweek.
  Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I share the view of the distinguished 
majority leader that it is important to come back on Tuesday and make 
our best effort to resolve the impasse. I am confident that at least on 
this side that can be done.
  I would only remark very briefly that the President has indicated the 
way in which those bills could be signed. There is no reason why we 
would have to have the impasse. We can negotiate our differences on 
those bills just as we are negotiating our differences on the budget 
resolution. I hope we can do that sooner rather than later. We do not 
need the impasse on these appropriations bills.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I thank my colleague.

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