[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 87 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6253-S6254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--S. 1745

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 10 a.m. on 
Tuesday, June 18, 1996, the Senate proceed to the consideration of 
Calendar No. 433, S. 1745, the DOD authorization bill for debate only 
prior to recess.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, let me 
just point out that when we considered the scheduling of the State 
Department authorization bill some time ago--in fact, as I understand 
it, it was December 7, 1995--I had an opportunity to conduct a colloquy 
with the majority leader at the time, Senator Dole. I asked him if it 
was his intention to bring up the chemical weapons convention at some 
point during the second session of Congress. His answer was that it was 
his intention to consider the convention in a reasonable time period, 
once the convention is on the Executive Calendar.
  It has been on the calendar now since April 30. I fully appreciate 
that the distinguished majority leader is just beginning to put his 
plans for the legislative schedule together and I would not expect that 
he would have a date certain, but I ask the majority leader whether the 
chemical weapons convention could be considered, and if it is his 
intention to consider the treaty at some point in the future as we take 
up this particular bill that is very important to many of our Members, 
and I think some clarification with regard to his intent would be very 
helpful.

[[Page S6254]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to respond to the distinguished 
Democratic leader. I think that is a reasonable request.
  He is right. I have been on the job as majority leader for a little 
more than 24 hours, and there are a lot of issues that we are working 
together on. We are making some progress on those. We will continue to 
work on the health care reform, and we have not been able to get the 
budget resolution passed so we can move on to the appropriations 
calendar.
  This is an issue that I had done some work on as the whip, just 
trying to get an agreement on some other issues, including the missile 
defense issue. I had never really discussed it, in terms of its 
relationship to the DOD authorization bill. I know that there are a 
couple of Senators who have some concerns about it. I have not had a 
chance to sit down and be briefed with them.
  I have a meeting of our committee chairmen scheduled for early next 
week, Tuesday. I would like to ask the chairman of the committee 
exactly what his situation is on this legislation. It is obviously very 
important. The chemical weapons convention is something that we are all 
concerned about. I think it should be given proper consideration. I 
hate to use the words reasonable time, because that is what the leader 
did use in his response to your question at that time, and I believe it 
was reported out of committee on April 30.
  It is not my intention to withhold this convention, but I do want to 
understand what the problems are, how much time we would be talking 
about in bringing it up. As the Senator knows, we have a limited number 
of days in which to do a lot of important work. But I will say this, I 
am going to talk to those Senators, hopefully tomorrow if they are 
here, but certainly early next week. And I will get back to the 
Democratic leader and we will talk about how we can work out an 
agreement on this issue.
  I cannot make a commitment on a date certain at this time because I 
do not know what the situation is. If you will give me the benefit of a 
few days, I will try to give a more responsive answer at that time.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, under the circumstances think that is an 
appropriate answer and I appreciate the majority leader's willingness 
to work with us in finding a mutually acceptable time.

  With that, I have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank very much the distinguished Democratic leader.

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