[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S130-S131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT--BILLS PLACED ON CALENDAR PURSUANT TO RULE 
                                  XIV

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, pursuant to rule XIV, I shall shortly send 
to the desk eight bills to be considered en bloc and considered to have 
been read for the first time and be objected to following their second 
reading en bloc. I ask unanimous consent that be in order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I send the bills to the desk. I ask 
unanimous consent that the statements with each be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, today I will introduce a series of eight 
bills to: First, restore the right of our children to pray; second, 
restore the rights of the unborn; third, strengthen the penalties for 
drug dealers and violent acts of crime; fourth, restore the supremacy 
of the individual over Government-imposed quotas; and fifth, protect 
the constitutional right to hold and express moral beliefs.
  Mr. President, our traditions, our children, and our institutions 
which made this country great, are all under assault. They are not 
threatened in the military sense--instead they are threatened by moral 
decay. This Nation simply must regain its moral footing.
  We are less than 4 years away from a new century full of promise for 
this great country. New technologies abound and unprecedented 
discoveries in medicine are within our grasp. Yet, if America is to 
continue to prosper in the next century, Americans must retain the 
values and traditions established by our Founding Fathers.
  Since the beginning, America has been protected by the moral 
foundations on which she was established. Values like personal 
responsibility, liberty, respect for human life, and an abiding faith.
  These values have made America a shinning beacon on a hill and the 
envy of the world.
  Sadly though, we have seen a steady erosion of these values and 
beliefs. This raises a significant question: Where are we headed? Quo 
vadis America?
  Mr. President, I believe we are in a battle--in the sense that we are 
engaged in a struggle for the soul of America. The moral decay has also 
chewed away at the institution of the family and led to soaring rates 
of illegitimacy and drug abuse.
  The liberal establishment has turned a blind eye to what has been 
going on in America. Their supporters from the Hollywood crowd to 
Planned Parenthood set forth an agenda that eroded the values of this 
country.
  We live in an era when it is fashionable to pretend that our Founding 
Fathers did not build this country upon biblical principles.
  Mr. President, on September 7, 1864, Abraham Lincoln thanked a group 
of citizens for a Bible he was given saying, ``In regard to this Great 
Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All 
the good the Savior gave to this world was communicated through this 
book. But for it we could not know right from wrong.''
  It is imperative, that as we look to the next century, we not forget 
what brought us to this point in history--the faith and ideals of our 
forefathers. Alexis de Tocqueville, after traveling throughout this 
country, found the source of America's strength. He stated that 
America's greatness lies in its churches and synagogues.
  Mr. President, the legislation that I will introduce today will go a 
long way to ensuring that America's foundations remain secure.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the bills will now 
be placed on the calendar pursuant to rule XIV.
  Mr. ROTH addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware is recognized.
  Mr. ROTH. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Roth pertaining to the introduction of S. 2 are 
located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and 
Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. ROTH. I yield the floor.
  Mr. CHAFEE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. CHAFEE. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Chafee and Mr. Smith pertaining to the 
introduction of legislation are located in today's Record under 
``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
  (The remarks of Mr. Coverdell pertaining to the introduction of S. 1 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah is recognized.
  (The remarks of Mr. Hatch and Mr. Craig pertaining to the 
introduction of Senate Joint Resolution 1 are located in today's Record 
under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  (The remarks of Mr. Hatch pertaining to the introduction of S. 3 are 
located in today's Record under ``Statements and Introduced Bills and 
Joint Resolutions.'')
  (The remarks of Mr. Hatch pertaining to the introduction of S. 10 are 
located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and 
Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I also want to note that I have filed three 
other bills today; in particular, the Curt Flood Act of 1997, which is 
the baseball antitrust bill that I believe now is coming to fruition, 
which is something that we have tried to do for a long time. We have 
named it after Curt Flood, who died a day or so ago, and who really 
deserves the recognition because of the fights that he led on this act 
in organized baseball. That is S. 53.
  We have also filed S. 54, which is the Federal Gang Violence Act of 
1997, a bill by Senator Feinstein and myself. She has worked very hard 
with me and others on the Judiciary Committee, and we certainly want to 
mention her sterling work on that bill.
  Finally, the Civil Justice Fairness Act of 1997, which is already 
introduced.
  (The remarks of Mr. Hatch pertaining to the introduction of S. 53 and 
S. 54 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. HATCH. I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.
  Mr. ASHCROFT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri is recognized.
  (The remarks of Mr. Ashcroft pertaining to the introduction of S. 4 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  (The remarks of Mr. Ashcroft pertaining to the introduction of S. 5 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. MACK addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
  (The remarks of Mr. Mack pertaining to the submission of Senate 
Resolution 15 are located in today's Record under

[[Page S131]]

``Submission of Concurrent and Senate Resolutions.'')
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the minority has 1 
hour under their control. The Senator from Massachusetts is recognized.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I thank the Chair.

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