[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 125 (Thursday, September 12, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10365-S10366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT--CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the agreement entered into on June 28, 1996, with respect 
to Executive Calendar No. 12 be vitiated.
  I further ask unanimous consent that the majority leader, after 
consultation with the Democratic leader, may turn to the consideration 
of Calendar No. 12.
  Before the Chair rules, I know that the Democratic leader would like 
to comment, but I would like to comment, too.
  First of all, just a little history on this. We worked on both sides 
of the aisle to come to this unanimous-consent agreement back in June. 
It was related to the defense authorization bill. We came to an 
agreement, and I felt compelled to honor that agreement. I fully 
intended to go to the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty this morning, 
to go to conclusion today or tomorrow, as provided under the unanimous-
consent agreement.
  After consultation with the Democratic leader, and having gotten 
indications from the administration, including just now from the 
Secretary of State, that their preference would be at this time that we 
not proceed with the previous agreement, I have prepared the pending 
unanimous-consent agreement. I understand their request, and I am 
prepared to comply with it.
  I want to say to the leader that I think we ought to continue working 
on it. The parties involved who have interest on both sides of the 
aisle should communicate on amendments, and examine if potential 
amendments to the resolution of ratification can be worked out. 
Hopefully that can happen. It may not happen.
  We have to recognize the period of time that we are in. There are 
lots of interests, and lots of time pressures. The important thing is 
to be careful what we do and to make sure that we do it the right way 
with as little partisan rancor as possible. We will keep working with 
you on that.
  I want to emphasize that we are not setting a time certain for a vote 
on the convention this year. I am not going to be in a position to be 
intimidated or to have other matters held hostage in an effort to force 
a vote before we adjourn. To say in the future what we can or can't do 
in an effort to force a vote would be irresponsible and demonstrate a 
lack of good faith. It is at the request of the administration that we 
are not voting tonight on the convention. But I will say--and I think I 
now have a record to back it up--that I will work with the Democratic 
leader, and we will see what we can do, and we will keep working to see 
if agreement between both sides can be reached.
  I renew my unanimous-consent request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader is recognized.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me say that the decision we have made 
represents our best effort to try to deal with the circumstances we 
currently have before us. The amendments that are contemplated during 
the debate on the chemical weapons treaty have not yet been shown to 
the administration or to Members of this side of the aisle, and for 
good reasons. They have been working on them, and I do not fault them 
necessarily for not showing them to us, but we are concerned that the 
amendments have the opportunity to be considered carefully, that we 
work with the authors of the legislation over the next few days to see 
whether we can't resolve the differences that the amendments represent.
  The administration is desirous of attempting to find some resolution 
to those amendments so that we can send a clear message as a country 
about the importance of this treaty as is possible.
  I appreciate very much again the cooperation of the majority leader 
in coming to this conclusion. I think it is the right one. He and I had 
anticipated bringing the treaty up this afternoon and having a good 
debate, but I think a 1-hour time limit under these circumstances may 
not be the definition of a good debate on issues of this import.

  So we will continue to work to continue to try to find ways in which 
to resolve these differences and, subject to the agreement of both 
leaders, perhaps bring it up later. It would be my hope that we will 
bring it up later, but that will be subject, of course, to our success 
in these negotiations on the amendments themselves and the schedule. 
But we will address that and issues relating to the treaty at a later 
day.
  So, again, let me thank the majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I renew my request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Two points I would like to make before the leader leaves. 
We are still requesting additional information with regard to the 
convention. I have been corresponding with the White House and 
communicating with the administration. I think that there is additional 
information that could be obtained and perhaps be declassified. I am 
going to continue to work on that. I may ask the minority leader to 
give me a hand with that as part of the ongoing process. I think there 
is some more information that could be made available and could be 
declassified which could be helpful on both sides, quite frankly.
  The other thing is that we are going to proceed on the Treasury-
Postal appropriations bill to try to make some progress on that. I am 
not going to try to get another unanimous-consent agreement at this 
point. But it is my intention to keep working on that and come back 
here after further consultation to see if we can't get some further 
narrowing of the amendments and some way to complete this bill tonight.
  Is that your understanding, or your intention?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I just came from a caucus meeting and 
encouraged our colleagues to come to the floor to offer the essential 
amendments, to wait for another day to offer those that may not be 
essential, to agree to time limits, recognizing there is a real 
possibility we could finish this bill tonight. I would like to work 
with that goal in mind with the majority leader and with an expectation 
that we can accommodate Senators' schedules on Friday and on Monday. 
But we will do our best to see if we cannot get additional cooperation 
and narrow that list more completely this afternoon.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank the Senator very much.
  Mr. President, I yield to the Senator from Massachusetts. He has a 
question.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts is recognized.
  Mr. KERRY. I should like to ask the majority leader, if I may, Mr. 
President, is it my understanding that it is the majority leader's 
intention to try to work through the amendments with the specific 
notion of bringing the convention, the treaty, back within the 
timeframe that we are here in September?
  Mr. LOTT. That is not the way I stated it. I gave my assurance that 
we will continue to work with interested parties on both sides of the 
issue and to see if amendments could be agreed to or not. It was 
obvious that to proceed at this time was not the right thing to do.
  Mr. KERRY. I understood that.
  Mr. LOTT. I am not making a commitment on a specific time or even 
this September. It will depend on what happens.
  Mr. President, while other Senators are conferring, I do want to 
encourage the managers of this legislation to

[[Page S10366]]

keep working to move amendments and to see if we can find a time to get 
votes. I reiterate, I am not making any commitments on times, and I am 
not going to be threatened in how we do this. But I am prepared to work 
in good faith with both sides of the issue and both sides of the aisle, 
and I think that is all that can be expected of me at this time.
  With that, Mr. President, unless there are further questions, I will 
observe the absence of a quorum so the managers can return to the floor 
and proceed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Snowe). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam 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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