[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S6313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I want to say, before I yield the floor, 
that I am very pleased that we are ready to go now with the Department 
of Defense authorization bill. The committee has been ready to go for 
about 3 weeks. There have been some problems that are being ironed out 
with other committees. I know that in the years I have been on the 
Armed Services Committee this has been the most cooperative atmosphere 
we have had in the committee.
  I think we have a good bill. I know there are going to be some very 
serious amendments offered and debated. We will have plenty of 
opportunity to express our concerns and to change the bill in ways that 
Members feel strongly about.
  I commend, again, the chairman of the committee, Senator Thurmond 
from South Carolina, for the leadership he has shown on this bill. He 
said that we were not going to wait way into the summer and get tangled 
up into the appropriations process. We are going to have the 
authorization bill ready. He did that. The bill was ready by the 
Memorial Day recess. I appreciate him and have enjoyed so much working 
with him. I know he is raring to go, so, Mr. Chairman, it is yours.
  I yield the floor.

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