[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 98 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7265-S7267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1997

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.


                           Amendment No. 4420

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, at this time I would like to send an 
amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the pending amendment is 
laid aside. The clerk will report.
  The assistant clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Conrad] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 4420.

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end of Subtitle C of Title II, insert the following:

     SEC.   . AIR FORCE NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE PLAN.

       (a) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that--
       (1) the Air Force proposal for a Minuteman based national 
     missile defense system is an important national missile 
     defense option and is worthy of serious consideration; and
       (2) the Secretary of Defense should give the Air Force 
     national missile defense proposal full consideration.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the enactment of 
     this act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide the 
     Congressional Defense Committees a report on the following 
     matters in relation to the Air Force National Missile Defense 
     Proposal:
       (1) The cost and operational effectiveness of a system that 
     could be developed pursuant to the Air Forces' plan.
       (2) The Arms Control implications of such system.
       (3) Growth potential to meet future threats.
       (4) The Secretary's recommendation for improvements to the 
     Air Force's plan.

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, this is the amendment we discussed earlier 
that says the Air Force plan for national missile defense is an 
important option and is worthy of serious consideration, and that the 
Secretary of Defense should give the Air Force national missile defense 
proposal full consideration.
  It further calls on the Secretary of Defense to produce a report 
within 120 days on the following matters in relation to the Air Force 
national missile defense proposal:
  First, the cost and operational effectiveness of a system that could 
be developed pursuant to the Air Force plan;
  Second, the arms control implications of such a system;
  Third, the growth potential to meet future threats;
  And finally, fourth, the Secretary's recommendation for improvements 
to the Air Force's plan.
  I do not think too much more needs to be said. I outlined at some 
length earlier what I think are the great strengths of the Air Force 
plan: First, it is treaty compliant; second, it is affordable; third, 
it uses existing technology.
  I ask for support from my colleagues for this amendment and ask for 
its consideration at this point.

[[Page S7266]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the amendment? The 
Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, this amendment has been worked on carefully 
by both sides of the aisle. It calls attention of the Congress and the 
American people to the Air Force proposal for a Minuteman-based 
national defense system. It states this is an important national 
missile defense option worthy of serious consideration. I certainly 
concur in that. Then it calls for a report.
  I urged adoption of the amendment. I think the Senator should be 
commended for bringing this to our attention and bringing it to the 
attention of the American people. I think this is an option that 
deserves serious consideration.
  I urge the amendment be adopted.
  Mr. McCAIN. I echo the views of the Senator from Georgia; however, we 
do have an objection from our cloakroom. So I ask unanimous consent to 
set the Conrad amendment aside so we can get whatever that objection is 
worked out. I appreciate the patience of my friend from North Dakota.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Hearing none, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Mr. LEVIN. Will the Senator withhold that?
  Mr. CONRAD. I will be pleased to withhold.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I, at this 
time, engage in a colloquy with Senators McCain and Nunn.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                         F-16's and Helicopters

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, very briefly, I was considering offering an 
amendment which would have attempted to remove some of the funds in 
this authorization bill for two F-16's which were not requested by the 
Air Force either in the original budget request or in the supplemental 
list requested by the Committee, what we sometimes call, wish list of 
the Air Force. These are two F-16's which appear in none of the Air 
Force requests to this body, either the formal budget or the later so-
called wish list.
  It was also my intent to try to remove the approximately $120 million 
for conversion kits for the OH-58 helicopters, the so-called AHIP's, 
which also was not requested by the Army either in its original budget 
request or in the supplemental wish list which it submitted at our 
request.

  I have been supported in this effort by Senator Nunn and Senator 
McCain. What I have decided, and they concur, is that I not make the 
effort to offer this amendment on the authorization bill but will make 
any such effort during the appropriations process. I think they are 
supportive of this approach.
  I yield to them for any comments they might wish to make.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
  Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, I support the Senator on this. I believe we 
voted on this in committee. It was a very close vote, as I recall. 
There is a divided committee on this one. Both in the case of the Air 
Force, where the number of F-16's exceeds the Air Force request, not 
only their request but their informal guidance, and in the case of the 
helicopters, where this exceeds the Army request, I think there is 
serious doubt that this is the highest priority for our funding. This 
probably comes under the category ``nice to have but not essential.''
  I join the Senator in this. I am sure I will be supporting his 
amendment on the appropriations bill when it comes up.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to express my appreciation to 
the Senator from Michigan for significant progress in this effort in 
trying to do away with this practice, which has been going on so long, 
of earmarking for the Guard and Reserve. I think we are making progress 
in that direction. I found it one of the more egregious practices that 
we have engaged in. I thank him for his efforts in that area.
  I also agree with him, when we start adding on equipment, even though 
I might point out all F-16 training takes place in the State of 
Arizona, without justification or request from the Department of 
Defense, I think we skew the process. I know there were requests from 
the Department of Defense for procurement of things that we decided not 
to do, not to put into the authorization bill. So I do not understand, 
unless we can make a compelling argument, which we can from time to 
time, that this is not needed or that this equipment is needed, that it 
is not appropriate. I must say I saw no argument made for these add-ons 
of the F-16's and helicopters. I agree with Senator Levin.
  Could I just say, overall, also, thanks to the efforts of Senator 
Levin and Senator Nunn and Senator Thurmond and Senator Warner and 
others, I think we are making progress in reducing this kind of thing. 
I hope we can continue to make the effort both in the authorization and 
the appropriations process. Frankly, what the Senator from Michigan has 
done by putting some sunshine on the issue is the best way we are going 
to cure it.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan is recognized.
  Mr. LEVIN. Let me close by thanking my good friend from Arizona and 
the Senator from Georgia. Both have been active in trying to avoid 
these kind of add-ons. If I could single out in this body, particularly 
the Senator from Arizona, he has taken extraordinarily courageous 
positions in a whole host of areas, some of which even affect his own 
State, where the Congress has been adding on items which just simply 
cannot be justified in terms of the requirements of the military. I 
commend both of them for their support.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Amendment No. 4422 to Amendment No. 4388

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, there is pending an amendment by the 
Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold, amendment No. 4422. We have 
reached an agreement.
  I send an amendment to the desk as a substitute for the one presently 
there.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Virginia [Mr. Warner] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 4422 to amendment No. 4388.

  The amendment is as follows:

       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 223. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF F/A-18E/F AIRCRAFT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Report on Program.--Not later than March 30, 1997, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report on the F/A-18E/F aircraft 
     program.
       (b) Content of Report.--The report shall contain the 
     following:
       (1) A review of the F/A-18E/F aircraft program.
       (2) An analysis and estimate of the production costs of the 
     program for the total number of aircraft realistically 
     expected to be procured at each of three annual production 
     rates as follows:
       (A) 18 aircraft.
       (B) 24 aircraft.
       (C) 36 aircraft.
       (3) A comparison of the costs and benefits of the program 
     with the costs and benefits of the F/A-18C/D aircraft program 
     taking into account the operational combat effectiveness of 
     the aircraft.
       (c) Limitation on Use of Funds Pending Transmittal of 
     Report.--No more than 90% of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated by this Act may be obligated or expended for the 
     procurement of F/A-18E/F aircraft before the date that is 30 
     days after the date on which the congressional defense 
     committees receive the report required under subsection(a).

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the amendment sent to the desk is in the 
nature of a substitute. It has been accepted on both sides. I urge its 
adoption.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the substitute 
amendment, amendment No. 4422.
  The amendment (No. 4422) was agreed to.

[[Page S7267]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the first-degree amendment, 
No. 4388, as now amended.
  Mr. WARNER. I urge adoption.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the amendment is agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 4388), as amended, was agreed to.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the 
amendment was agreed to, and I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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