[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S619-S627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




NOMINATION OF WILLIAM COHEN OF MAINE TO BE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OF THE 
                             UNITED STATES

  The legislative clerk read the nomination of William Cohen of Maine 
to be Secretary of Defense of the United States.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I have just one bit of clarification. We had 
hoped to have a full discussion of support for Senator Cohen on 
Thursday. But we do have the wake and funeral of our former colleague, 
Senator Tsongas. We are trying to accommodate Senators who need to 
leave this afternoon to go up to Massachusetts for the wake and for 
other commitments that were made tonight. We needed to go ahead and get 
this done today because Senators would not get back until late tomorrow 
afternoon. I apologize to Senators who may not have as much time as 
they wanted. I encourage those Senators to stay after the vote to speak 
on this, if they wish.
  So for the information of all Senators, another vote is expected on 
the confirmation of our former colleague, Senator Cohen, at 
approximately 3:25 p.m. today.
  Following that confirmation vote, there will be an additional period 
for morning business in which to introduce bills and make statements. 
However, there will be no further rollcall votes today. The next 
opportunity the Senate will have for votes, at this point, looks like 
Tuesday of next week. But we will further confirm that when we do our 
closing statement later today.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I yield myself 2\1/2\ minutes.
  I want to thank the majority leader, Senator Lott, and the minority 
leader, Senator Daschle, for taking up the nomination of our former 
Colleague Senator Bill Cohen to be Secretary of Defense. As all 
Senators know, Secretary Perry, who has ably led the Department of 
Defense for the past 3 years, has departed. It is therefore essential 
that we fill the position of Secretary of Defense as quickly as 
possible.
  The Armed Services Committee met this afternoon in an executive 
session and unanimously voted to recommend the confirmation of Senator 
Cohen as the 20th Secretary of Defense. Senator Cohen is well known by 
all Members of the Senate for his distinguished 18 years of service in 
the Senate representing the people of Maine. Each of us is aware of his 
character, ability, and dedication to providing unquestioned support 
for our men and women in uniform. Senator Cohen has repeatedly 
demonstrated a vision for how the United States must meet its defense 
needs. I believe that as the Secretary of Defense, Bill Cohen will 
continue to demonstrate the strong independent characteristics of New 
England gentlemen and will lead the Clinton administration to provide 
adequately for the security of the Nation and those who serve in our 
Armed Forces.
  Mr. President, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, I urge 
the Senate to confirm William S. Cohen, a dedicated public servant, as 
the next Secretary of Defense.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. LEVIN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Mr. President, I am pleased to join the chairman of the Armed 
Services Committee in supporting the nomination of our former 
colleague, Senator Bill Cohen, to be Secretary of Defense.
  I want to commend President Clinton for his willingness to reach 
across party lines to select a creative and independent thinker like 
Senator Cohen to serve as his Secretary of Defense. With this 
appointment, the President has shown his commitment to a bipartisan 
foreign policy and a strong national defense. He has selected someone 
who has very strong feelings about the role of Congress in making 
national security and foreign policy, and on the need for close 
consultation between the President and Congress in this area. I hope 
that Congress will reciprocate by working closely and constructively 
with the President and his new Secretary of Defense.
  Mr. President, I come from a State that was represented in the Senate 
for 23 years by Senator Arthur Vandenberg, who perhaps more than any 
other Senator in history stands for bipartisanship in national security 
and foreign policy. I also sit on the Armed Services Committee where 
Senator Cohen, for 18 years, served with me and displayed to me over 
and over and over again, as he did to all of our colleagues during this 
period, his instinct to be a true American patriot--not a Republican, 
not a partisan, but a patriot when it comes to American security and 
foreign policy issues. I look forward to working with him in his new 
capacity to continue that tradition.

  Senator Cohen's experience in the Senate should serve him well as he 
moves on to his new position. In his capacity as a member of the Armed 
Services Committee, Senator Cohen has been a leader in virtually every 
major

[[Page S620]]

national security debate in the Congress for the past two decades. He 
was a forceful advocate for improving the quality--and the quality of 
life--of the All Volunteer Force in the late 1970's. He played a key 
role in the Armed Services Committee in drafting and passing the 
landmark Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act in 
the mid-1980's, as well as the legislation that strengthened our 
Special Operations Forces. He has been an innovative thinker in the 
area of arms control, and he helped force a bipartisan compromise on 
antiballistic missile policy in the last Congress.
  Senator Cohen has also shown his ability to work in a constructive 
manner across party lines on the Governmental Affairs Committee, where 
he and I served on the same subcommittee for 18 years, alternating as 
chairman and ranking minority members. We worked together on all of the 
recent acquisition reform legislation, including the Competition in 
Contracting Act, the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, and the 
Information Technology Management Reform Act. We cooperated on 
oversight hearings that led to significant savings in defense 
inventory, the purchase of commercial items, and DOD travel costs --
everything from the purchase of commercial items--where we worked 
closely together to make sure we buy more commercial items, to DOD 
travel costs--where we worked to try to reduce the administrative costs 
associated with DOD.

  Outside the defense arena, we worked side-by-side on the Senate floor 
to enact the Independent Counsel Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, 
and the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
  The Department of Defense and the Nation are fortunate to have been 
served by a long line of capable and effective Secretaries of Defense. 
I look forward to working with Senator Cohen to help him continue that 
tradition of effective leadership, and I am confident that my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle share this view.
  Mr. President, at this morning's hearing of the Armed Services 
Committee, I shared with Senator Cohen my experience from a visit that 
I recently made to Bosnia with Senator Jack Reed, during which we met 
with our military personnel--the men and women of our Armed Forces 
serving there--and our leadership, as well as the governmental 
leadership inside Bosnia and Serbia.
  We met with the three Presidents and two Prime Ministers of Bosnia 
and Hercegovina, with General Crouch, the Stabilization Force or SFOR 
Commander, and the United States and French sector commanders and 
troops, the Dayton Agreement High Representative Carl Bildt, and United 
States Embassy personnel.
  As a result of these meetings, I have reached a conclusion, which I 
shared with Senator Cohen this morning, that two things are going to be 
true relative to Bosnia. One, that we are going to need some kind of an 
outside force at the end of the 18-month period which is currently the 
mission length in Bosnia. For a number of reasons, in my judgment, 
there is no way that the current so-called stabilization force can 
leave Bosnia at the end of 18 months with any other result but that the 
same situation will return to Bosnia as previously existed there.
  Conclusion No. 1: There will need to be some form of an outside armed 
force to help maintain the stabilized situation which we are now 
creating in Bosnia.
  But, No. 2, we should not have our ground forces in Bosnia at the end 
of 18 months. Europe should take a greater responsibility, and there is 
a new development inside of NATO which makes that a possibility.
  There is a new development inside of NATO which is very fortuitous, 
which makes it possible for Europe to take over the leadership of any 
follow-on force after 18 months. That fortuitous development is that 
NATO is developing a European security and defense identity within the 
alliance which will permit European NATO nations, with NATO consent, to 
carry out operations under the political control and strategic 
direction of the western European Union, using NATO assets and NATO 
capabilities. That European initiative inside of NATO is the 
appropriate follow-on force after this 18-month period is over, should 
a follow-on force be necessary. In my judgment, at least, it will be.
  I was pleased that Senator Cohen shared my view that U.S. combat 
forces should not remain on the ground in Bosnia for more than 18 more 
months, and that he shared my optimism that it was at least possible 
that this new European security and defense initiative would be the 
right follow-on force in Bosnia should an outside armed force continue 
to be necessary.
  Although Senator Cohen has served on the Armed Services Committee for 
the past 18 years, the committee carried out the same thorough review 
of this nomination that we do for all nominations that come before the 
committee. We carefully reviewed his financial disclosure and his 
responses to the standard committee questionnaire. In late December, 
the committee submitted an extensive set of policy questions to Senator 
Cohen. His written answers were made available to all committee members 
and are part of the committee's written record of this nomination. 
Earlier today, the committee conducted a lengthy hearing with the 
nominee and examined his views on the full range of national security 
issues facing the United States.
  Mr. President, based on the committee's review of this nomination, 
and based on my own experience working with Senator Cohen over the past 
18 years, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, how much time do I have on my side?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina has 18 
minutes.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I now yield 10 minutes to the able 
Senator from Maine, Senator Snowe.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Senator Snowe is recognized.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I thank the chairman of the Armed Services 
Committee for yielding me this time this afternoon.
  Mr. President, today the Senate will have the opportunity to vote on 
the confirmation of America's next Secretary of Defense.
  This is, of course, a position of tremendous importance and 
responsibility--particularly as we look toward a new millennium and the 
national security challenges that it will present. These challenges 
will be many: restructuring our forces, modernizing our defense, 
reconciling our defense needs with the realities of our budget, our 
ongoing interests in the Mideast and Bosnia, and the potential for 
other conflicts yet unknown. And as always, the world will be looking 
to us--the greatest democracy on Earth--for strong and just leadership.
  So the individual who will hold this office must be of the highest 
moral and intellectual fiber. This is why I am pleased and honored to 
rise today in strong support of the nomination of William S. Cohen to 
be our next Secretary of Defense.
  While there are now Senators in this Chamber who have never served 
with Bill, I feel confident in saying that every one of them is 
nonetheless familiar with his contributions to this institution.
  And yet, as we approach the time when we will confirm Bill Cohen as 
Secretary of Defense, I feel compelled to share with you my thoughts 
about Bill as a person, as a Senator, and as a leader.
  It seemed just yesterday that I stood on this very floor to pay 
tribute and respect to a friend and colleague who was bidding farewell 
to the institution he had served so well for 18 years. I talked about 
Bill Cohen the man, and how he helped perpetuate the Senate's claim as 
the greatest deliberative body on Earth. And I talked about how he made 
Maine and the Nation proud. Little did I know--but little am I 
surprised--that I would soon stand before you speaking of how the 
country has lost a Senator but soon will gain an outstanding Secretary 
of Defense.
  It has been said that the world is divided into those who want to 
become someone, and those who want to accomplish something. The irony 
is that in setting out to accomplish something, Bill Cohen has also 
become someone--someone we admire, someone we respect, and someone who 
can be entrusted with one of the toughest and most demanding jobs in 
the world.
  Like the historic Maine lighthouses that dot Maine's coastline, 
Bill's

[[Page S621]]

record has been a beacon of light. His vision and resolve stood fast 
against the buffeting winds of political change. In a volatile and 
stormy climate, Bill Cohen and his rich experience in public service 
helped guide us to calmer waters. But while skillful in getting things 
done, politics is not what moves Bill. Principles and ideas are what 
Bill Cohen is really about.
  That's why Bill became the standard-bearer for modern Maine politics 
from his first days in public service.
  Born and raised in Bangor, where his parents ran a bakery, he 
graduated from Bowdoin College and from Boston University Law School 3 
years later. After practicing law in Bangor for several years, Bill was 
elected to the Bangor City Council in 1969 and then served as mayor of 
Bangor. It was clear early on that he would have a distinguished career 
in public service.
  In 1972, he was elected to the House from Maine's Second 
Congressional District and faced the toughest challenge of his 
fledgling tenure in Congress.
  In the stormy sea of the Watergate scandal, while America was 
suffering a crisis of confidence, Bill Cohen charted a course straight 
through the heart of the storm as a member of the House Judiciary 
Committee, which was considering Articles of Impeachment against a 
President of the United States. A freshman, Bill was already a man of 
conscience and courage--someone who was willing to make the tough calls 
and risk his political future for the sake of truth and America's 
honor. And these values ultimately launched him here--to the U.S. 
Senate.
  Back in our home State of Maine, people believe the ultimate measure 
of a person is how close they remain to their principles precisely when 
it is most difficult to do so.
  It is a tradition that Margaret Chase Smith and Edmund Muskie 
followed in their personal and political lives and consistent with the 
ideals of Maine. Bill Cohen followed in their footsteps.
  Throughout Bill's career, Maine and America have come to know that 
they can count on Bill to approach issues with thoughtfulness and 
reason. And Senators on both sides of the aisle developed a tremendous 
respect for the virtues Bill brought to this body because, above all, 
Bill Cohen voted his mind and his conscience. And that is what 
Americans want in their leaders. He has the intellect, the integrity, 
and the strength to know the right thing to do and the right way to do 
it. And he is a leader who believes in his solemn responsibility not 
simply to echo conventional wisdom but to seriously deliberate on the 
issues of the day.
  This is the kind of person we need at the helm of the most powerful 
defense force in world history. We need someone with a firm grasp of 
history and a solid vision for the future, someone with both experience 
and a track record that engenders unflagging trust. Mr. President, Bill 
Cohen is such a person.
  The defense of our Nation is one of the most sacred responsibilities 
of the Federal Government. ``Life, liberty and the pursuit of 
happiness'' is a meaningless concept unless we have the desire and the 
ability to defend those rights against those who would subvert them. We 
entrust the person who oversees our Armed Forces with nothing less than 
the defense of the Constitution and the greatest democracy the world 
has ever known. That is a tall order, but it is without reservation 
that I will put my full faith and trust in Bill Cohen to be that 
person.
  As we all know, Bill is a respected and expert voice on intelligence 
and national security issues. As chairman of the Armed Services 
Subcommittee on Seapower and chairman of the Senate Intelligence 
Committee, he played a leadership role in defense policy at a critical 
time in our Nation's history, through some of the most trying days of 
the cold war and the challenging moments thereafter. Bill authored the 
nuclear arms build-down proposal which became the United States 
position in negotiations with the Soviet Union. He forged a bipartisan 
compromise on an antiballistic-missile policy, and his unwavering 
commitment to a strong national defense helped lay the groundwork for 
the fall of the Soviet empire and the end to the cold war.
  Closer to home, Bill was instrumental in bringing about significant 
reforms of the Defense Department, including reorganizing the Pentagon 
and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be more effective and prepared for 
combat situations and streamlining acquisition policies to ensure cost 
efficiency. His legislation also created a special operations 
antiterrorism unit designed to counter this growing scourge.
  While serving on the Armed Services Committee, Bill was visionary in 
reshaping our military forces to be responsive to the post-cold-war 
threats that we face globally as well as sizing and equipping forces to 
carry out our national security policy. Bill has also been a leader in 
shaping our policy and forces to meet the future challenges we will 
face in the 21st century.
  Bill Cohen also put forward a detailed proposal for reorienting our 
defense structure in the nineties in a way that would reduce the burden 
on the Federal budget and recognize changes in the threats facing the 
United States. It called for sacrificing conventional forces and 
programs primarily designed to defeat Soviet aggression in Europe in 
favor of those, such as power projection forces and sealift, that will 
be needed to meet the variety of challenges the United States is likely 
to face in our changed global arena.
  It is precisely this kind of responsible, visionary leadership that 
will be required for the next Secretary of Defense, so I can think of 
no finer nominee than Bill Cohen to lead and prepare the Department of 
Defense for this coming century. I commend President Clinton for his 
bold and wise and thoughtful selection of Bill Cohen to be our next 
Secretary of Defense, and I am thankful that Bill Cohen has decided to 
continue his commitment to public service.
  Bill Cohen brings to the Pentagon not just a sense of bipartisanship. 
He also brings to the Cabinet expertise in working with Congress. And I 
expect we are going to be hearing a lot from Bill because he is 
familiar with this end of Pennsylvania Avenue. He knows that to be an 
effective Secretary of Defense one must have a strong and trustworthy 
relationship with the U.S. Congress.
  Mr. President, my fellow colleagues, the world today is much 
different than the world of even 10 years ago. The Berlin wall has now 
been relegated to its rightful place--our museums. The Soviet Union is 
no more. And young Americans no longer go to sleep fearing that morning 
may never come. But let us make no mistake. The world is still a 
volatile and dangerous place, and that is why we need a person of Bill 
Cohen's caliber standing watch, willing to fight, willing to stand up 
for his principles, willing to take the time to do what he believes is 
right.
  These are some of the qualities that Bill Cohen will bring to the 
Pentagon, and so I urge you to join with me in proudly casting your 
vote to confirm President Clinton's nomination of William S. Cohen to 
be the next Secretary of Defense for the United States of America.
  Thank you. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). Who yields time?
  The Senator from South Carolina.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I now yield 2 minutes to the able 
Senator from Texas, Senator Hutchison.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas is recognized.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. I thank the Chair and I thank the Senator from South 
Carolina.
  I support Senator Bill Cohen, now Secretary of Defense-designate Bill 
Cohen, because I believe he believes in a strong national defense, and 
he will fight to make sure that commitment remains true. He believes 
that the President should consult with Congress before deploying 
American troops into harm's way. He believes that mistakes have been 
made in Bosnia, and I think he will keep his word when he gives it to 
Congress and to the American people regarding our role and the clear 
mission that must be stated in Bosnia. He believes that we should move 
into the expansion of NATO very carefully, understanding that this is a 
mutual defense pact, and that we want to always keep our treaty 
obligations and therefore we must be very careful as we give them to 
make sure that we are covered.
  Bill Cohen believes in privatization so that we will be able to 
maximize the use of our defense dollars for the readiness of our 
forces, the greatest forces on the face of the Earth today.

[[Page S622]]

  I am pleased to support the nomination of Bill Cohen, and I do wish 
to commend the President for making this kind of bold move because I 
think he has heard many of the things Senator Cohen has said over the 
past few years about the role of defense, about the role of our 
military in this great country, and I hope the President will listen as 
we move forward together in a bipartisan way to the good advice I know 
Bill Cohen will give him regarding the issues that are going to be 
before us. We cannot go separately when we are talking about the troops 
and the strength of our American Armed Forces.
  So I do support this nomination, and I have every confidence that 
Bill Cohen will lead us into a strong national defense and also for 
America to keep all of its treaty obligations and to make sure that we 
have the missile defense technology to protect us and our shores and 
our troops when they are in the field.
  I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, it is a tremendous honor to be able to 
cast my second vote as a U.S. Senator to confirm my friend and mentor, 
Senator Bill Cohen, as this Nation's Secretary of Defense.
  In describing the characteristics that make Senator Cohen so well 
qualified for this job, it would be presumptuous and unnecessary for me 
to detail his expertise in defense matters to his former colleagues in 
the Senate. Most of you have worked closely with him on defense issues 
for many years, and all of you are certainly aware of the depth of his 
knowledge and experience in this arena. Simply put, Bill Cohen's 
understanding of the complexities of defense policy is unassailable.
  But I do want to attest personally to Bill Cohen's integrity and 
character, and on that basis there is simply no one more qualified for 
this enormous responsibility. Bill Cohen embodies the patriotism, the 
thoughtfulness, the steadfastness, and the intellect that the task of 
overseeing our Nation's security requires. He brings to the job a 
fierce dedication to his principles, a level-headed ability to never 
make a rash or uninformed decision, and the desire to make the Nation's 
defense stronger while at the same time making it more effective and 
more efficient.
  Most important of all, Bill Cohen will never put Americans troops at 
risk unnecessarily. In every decision involving the deployment of our 
men and women in uniform, he will see the faces of our troops, not just 
the statistics and logistics. He will bring to the Pentagon the 
reasoned, thoughtful approach that matters as weighty as war and peace 
require.
  I have known Bill Cohen for more than 24 years. I first met him when 
he was running for Congress in 1972, seeking the seat representing 
Maine's Second District. He was walking more than 600 miles across the 
sprawling district, introducing himself to the voters. I volunteered to 
drive the campaign car as he criss-crossed the roads of northern Maine. 
I was inspired by his determination to meet the people whom he wanted 
to serve in Washington and by his sincere interest in their hopes and 
fears.
  I was also impressed then, as I am now, by his commitment to public 
service, to doing what was best for the people he represented. Over the 
years, I saw countless examples of that commitment, whether he was 
representing the people of the Second District as a House Member, or 
the people of the whole State as a Senator. Now I have no doubt that he 
will bring the same dedication for public service to a job at the 
highest levels of public service, one that answers to the largest 
constituency of all--the Nation.
  In the more than two decades since I first met Bill Cohen, he has 
been my inspiration, my guide, and my friend. It gives me great pride 
to be able to be here today to endorse his nomination. I am delighted 
that the President has made such an outstanding nomination for such a 
critical Cabinet post. This morning I testified before the Senate Armed 
Services Committee to urge its prompt and favorable consideration of 
Bill Cohen's nomination. I am pleased that the committee was able to 
act so quickly to bring this outstanding nomination to the Senate 
floor. And I know my colleagues will join me in unanimously approving 
Bill Cohen's nomination.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to wholeheartedly support 
the nomination of former Senator Bill Cohen to be Secretary of Defense. 
Senator Cohen will be taking on a great responsibility in carrying out 
his duties as Secretary of Defense. When confirmed, he will be 
providing the President with essential advice about planning for the 
defense of our Nation and in making sure that America's finest men and 
women have all of the assets they require to carry out their mission. I 
am pleased that the President has chosen Senator Cohen for this 
position. The vast experience and knowledge he gained as a 
distinguished member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence 
Committees, and this body, will serve the President and the Nation 
well. He is highly qualified for this important position.
  I have worked with Senator Cohen on many issues and have always found 
him to be knowledgeable, thoughtful, and a constructive consensus 
builder. He has demonstrated an ability to think issues through 
carefully and thoroughly. His record on critical defense matters during 
his tenure in the Senate speaks for itself. He has demonstrated that he 
is able to analyze the critical issues and make decisions based upon 
what his conscience tells him is that right thing to do for the 
country.
  During this time of severe budget constraints I know that he will be 
able to help the President align budgets with priorities. Fundamental 
questions will have to be answered as we prepare our military for the 
future wars they will have to fight. The world is still a dangerous 
place. The recent missions the Department has undertaken are proof of 
that fact. As we move into the 21st century, and as the United States 
becomes more involved in crisis spots around the world, Senator Cohen's 
challenge will be help ensure that our Armed Forces remain the best 
trained, best equipped fighting force in the world. This is no small 
task, but he has consistently supported these objectives in his 
position as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He played 
an important role in calling for the Quadrennial Defense Review, has 
shown keen insights into the importance of weapons modernization, and 
has been a stalwart supporter calling for ballistic missile defenses.
  I have been very pleased to know many Secretary's of Defense in my 24 
years in the Senate, but I must say that I have been especially proud 
to know Secretary Designate Cohen. We began our legislative careers in 
1973. He first started in the House of Representatives, But I watched 
his career develop there and then in the Senate where he won the 
respect of his colleagues and became a giant here on Defense and 
Intelligence issues.
  I have enormous respect for Secretary of Defense Designate Cohen. I 
believe his confirmation will be good for the country. I think it is 
fair to say that he enjoys the respect of every Member of this body. I 
look forward to working with Senator Cohen in his new position as 
Secretary of Defense. I think the President has made an excellent 
choice in nominating him. The people of Maine can be truly proud of his 
accomplishments, as I am proud to support his nomination.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of 
William Cohen to be Secretary of Defense. After watching the Armed 
Services Committee hearings on his nomination I am not sure whether the 
Senate is voting in confirmation or coronation of my friend from Maine.
  I can certainly understand how the committee provided such 
overwhelming support for this nomination. I have enjoyed working with 
Bill Cohen on a wide range of issues. He and I have served together on 
the Intelligence Committee and we have traveled together on arms 
control delegations. I am gratified by the support he has lent to 
efforts I have brought before the Senate to limit the export and use of 
land mines. He has that unique New England philosophy, increasingly 
rare these days, of working in a bipartisan fashion to build support 
for legislative initiatives for the good of the country. There will be 
a void in the Senate without him but the nation is fortunate to have 
his leadership on defense issues.
  There are two distinct qualities about Bill Cohen that I am confident

[[Page S623]]

will serve him well as Secretary of Defense. As all of us who have had 
the honor to serve with him know, Bill Cohen is his own individual. He 
is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is best for the Nation. 
He also possesses one of the most formidable intellects that I have 
worked with in my 22 years in the Senate. I know that these qualities 
will serve him well as he guides the Department of Defense and advises 
the President in the coming years.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to speak today in support 
of President Clinton's nomination of former Senator William Cohen as 
Secretary of Defense. I truly believe that Senator Cohen has an 
extraordinary grasp of all defense matters, especially issues of 
concern to the Navy, and will be an asset as Secretary of Defense.
  I have always found Senator Cohen to be a fair and thoughtful public 
servant who takes the time to understand all issues. In fact, I am 
happy to say that when Senator Cohen speaks on matters of our national 
defense and foreign policy, I turn up the volume on my television so 
that I can catch every word.
  Since coming to the Senate, I have stressed the need to be more 
bipartisan in all that we do. This is especially true when considering 
what is necessary for our Nation's security. I am convinced that with 
the Senator's nomination as Secretary of Defense our ability to work 
together as Democrats and Republicans will be enhanced as will 
Congress' ability to work with the executive branch. The value of this 
cooperation cannot be underestimated.
  I am also pleased that Secretary-designate Cohen has a keen 
understanding of international security issues across the board. He is 
particularly knowledgeable about the Asia-Pacific region and has 
traveled there many times. Secretary-designate Cohen supports 
continuing Secretary Perry's strong policy of engagement with China, 
including extensive military-to-military contacts. This kind of one-on-
one relationship with our Asian counterparts is vital to the continued 
progress in our foreign policy relationship. We, however, must continue 
to maintain a strong military presence in the Pacific to protect our 
interests. I am convinced that Senator Cohen will continue to support 
this effort during his tenure as Secretary of Defense.
  Eliminating sexual harassment and all forms of discrimination in our 
Armed Forces is another issue to which I know the Secretary-designate 
will dedicate his efforts. He was a leader during the scourge of 
Tailhook and I am confident that he will continue to monitor the Army's 
investigations into sexual harassment and assault inside its ranks.
  Finally, I know that the Secretary-designate and I will have the 
opportunity to discuss and to work on those matter on which we do not 
see eye to eye. As a Senator, Secretary-designate Cohen had differing 
views on the administration's current Department of Defense 
privatization efforts. I look forward to working with him as we 
continue to explore the best ways to preserve the readiness needs of 
our military and the most cost-effective means to support our 
military's depot maintenance activities. I am positive that we will 
have, as we have always had, the ability to discuss these differences 
openly and honestly.
  In closing, I was pleased to hear that Senator Cohen mentioned the 
problem of access to bombmaking information on the Internet during his 
testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee today. This is a 
widespread problem for which I have been seeking a solution and I am 
pleased that the Secretary-designate understands its gravity.
  I am happy to give my support for the nomination of former Senator 
William Cohen to the office of Secretary of Defense. I am positive he 
will be an asset to the Clinton administration and to our Nation as a 
whole.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am very pleased to vote for Senator 
Bill Cohen's confirmation to serve as Secretary of Defense. We are all 
very familiar with Senator Cohen's experience and commitment to the 
Nation's defense as a member of the Armed Services Committee and I am 
confident he will put those qualities to good use in leading the 
Department of Defense into the next century.
  In the 8 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Department has 
guided our Armed Forces through a challenging and often painful 
downsizing, while maintaining the preeminent position of our forces as 
the world's strongest, best led, best trained, and finest performing 
military. And we have done so while making major progress toward 
balancing the budget.
  Senator Cohen is eminently qualified to carry on these important 
responsibilities.
  We continue to face major challenges in maintaining a sound defense 
strategy to forthcoming years in the post-cold-war world.
  Our nuclear arsenal and that of the four other nuclear powers are 
larger and are operated on higher alerts than the threats now justify. 
The threat from terrorists who seek to obtain and use weapons of mass 
destruction demands more of our attention and resources.
  The Pentagon is embarking on a quadrennial defense review to 
determine the proper balance of size, structure, and funding to keep 
our forces equipped, trained, and ready. We all look forward to working 
with Senator Cohen and the President to deal with these critical issues 
for our national security.
  Another vital challenge is to ensure that our military personnel have 
the quality of life to which their service entitles them. Health care, 
child care, and adequate housing are all initiatives on which the 
committee works closely with the Department, and I know these will 
continue to be priorities for the Pentagon under Secretary Cohen's 
leadership as well.
  Finally, it was a special privilege for me to work with Senator Cohen 
on the Seapower Subcommittee for many years on issues of special 
importance to the Navy and Marine Corps. I commend him on his 
nomination and I look forward to continuing to deal with him on 
safeguarding our national defense.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the Senator from West Virginia [Mr. 
Rockefeller] asked me to submit his statement in support of William 
Cohen for Secretary of Defense. As with the earlier vote on the 
nomination of Madeleine Albright to be Secretary of State, he is 
necessarily absent for this vote because of responsibilities he has in 
leading a trade mission from his State of West Virginia to Asia. He 
regrets not being here to cast his own vote for his former colleague, 
Senator Cohen, and asks that his support for this outstanding nominee 
be noted.
  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)
 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I am submitting this statement 
to express my support for the nomination of my former colleague, 
William Cohen, to be the Secretary of Defense of the United States of 
America. Unfortunately, as with today's earlier vote for Madeleine 
Albright to be Secretary of State, I am necessarily absent from the 
Senate, and am unable to cast my vote for Senator Cohen. Again, because 
of plans that had to be scheduled long ago, I am presently leading a 
group of more than 30 West Virginians on a trade mission to Japan and 
Taiwan that is called Project Harvest II.
  I personally regret, however, that I am missing a chance to vote on 
the nomination of William Cohen. Senator Cohen and I served together in 
the Senate for twelve years, and in that time he distinguished himself 
as a serious legislator with a keen intellect who continually 
transcended party boundaries to build bridges and advance America's 
national interests.
  The challenges facing Senator Cohen today are no less daunting than 
those faced by Secretaries of Defense in times of war and cold war. The 
United States stands today as the only military superpower in the 
world. That brings with it great responsibility to lead in all corners 
of the globe. Bill Cohen is uniquely talented to take on these 
challenges, and like my colleagues I applaud him for agreeing to take 
on this challenge, and the President for nominating him. 
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, the Honorable William S. Cohen was a 
great Senator and I am confident that he will carry on his outstanding 
record in public service as Secretary of Defense.
  I compliment President Clinton both for his bipartisanship for 
nominating Bill Cohen and for his wisdom in selecting this man of 
unique ability and integrity.

[[Page S624]]

  I have worked closely with Bill Cohen for the past 16 years and have 
found him to be brilliant, tenacious, honest, and hardworking. If Bill 
Cohen finds all the others in a Cabinet meeting about to make an 
erroneous decision, I am confident he will be smart enough and strong 
enough to persuade them to the correct course.
  I look forward to working with Secretary Cohen on many matters in the 
future.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I enthusiastically support the 
nomination of our colleague Senator Bill Cohen to be Secretary of 
Defense.
  I salute President Clinton for reaching out beyond party lines. I 
salute Bill Cohen for being ready to join the Democratic 
Administration. They both know that when it comes to the national 
defense of our country--we have no party interest--just national 
interest.
  Senator Cohen has shown that he cares deeply about the national 
interest--and that means a lot more to him than party politics. He has 
proven this time and time again, not just on national security issues 
but when he worked on behalf of senior citizens, when he sought to 
reach a consensus on health care reform, when he supported affirmative 
action and when he fought for lobbying reform. His is a voice of 
independence, integrity, and moderation.
  As a member of the Armed Services Committee, he was one of the 
Senate's most articulate voices for a strong and efficient national 
defense. He cares deeply about the men and women of our Armed Forces. 
He has long fought to make sure that while we downsize our military--we 
do not downgrade our military.
  Mr. President, I believe Senator Cohen is the ideal person to lead 
our Armed Forces into the new century. I am proud to support his 
nomination, and I look forward to working with him to ensure that we 
maintain the best equipped, best trained, and most ethical military in 
the world.
  Mr. ROBB. Madam President, in my 8 years of service in the Senate, 
and in particular during my time on the Armed Services Committee and 
the Intelligence Committee, I have had the privilege and honor of 
working with Bill Cohen. His expertise and thoughtfulness, as well as 
his ability to put the national interests above partisan politics, have 
made him an invaluable asset to this body. Whether regarding arms 
controls, missile defense, or acquisition reform, Bill Cohen's 
independence and reasoned approach have resulted in passage of major 
pieces of legislation on highly complex and politicized matters. Those 
same qualities will enable our next Secretary of Defense to guide the 
Nation through an uncertain future, and to make the many difficult 
choices we face in reconciling protection of our vital interests 
overseas with ever-increasing demands on our Federal budget here at 
home.
  Bill Perry has proven himself as one of the most capable Defense 
Secretaries ever, and Bill Cohen will have a remarkable legacy to 
follow. But I am confident he shares the same kind of dispassionate, 
in-depth analytic qualities and measured, even-keeled leadership 
qualities that will keep America safe well into the 21st century. I 
wish him much success in his new position, and with that, Madam 
President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I yield 3 minutes to the able Senator 
from Virginia, Senator Warner.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Collins). The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. I thank the chairman.
  Madam President, President Clinton performed an act of political 
courage in reaching across the aisle and getting a proven Republican 
warrior to take on this important post. But that act is matched by the 
independence and, indeed, the courage that Bill Cohen brings to this 
office.
  For 18 years, it has been my privilege to be seated next to him on 
the Senate Armed Services Committee, and to travel with him throughout 
the world.
  The hearing today was thorough, the questions were tough, and that is 
the way Bill Cohen would have wanted it. That is the way the committee 
dealt with him today. It was not easy. It was a thorough and careful 
hearing, and I commend the chairman and Senator Levin.
  In the course of the questioning, by myself and others, I think 
Senator Cohen made--I do not think, I know he made a commitment to the 
Congress that he will try to work in this next Clinton administration 
to improve the consultation between the President and his advisers and 
the Congress in a timely manner before we commit the men and women of 
the Armed Forces of the United States into harm's way.
  On that point, I questioned him about what standard should be 
employed when U.S. troops are deployed into hostile situations. I drew 
Senator Cohen's attention to responses given by the Secretary of State-
designate Albright at the time of her confirmation hearing on January 
8. Ambassador Albright spoke of a series of situations when ``our 
interests and those of our allies may be affected.'' In those 
instances, our new Secretary of State would recommend the use of U.S. 
forces. I felt that we should be more explicit in defining the standard 
for using U.S. troops in hostile situations. In my view, the men and 
women of the Armed Forces should know, before they are deployed by the 
President and the Secretary of Defense, that the mission of these fine 
troops is in our vital national security interest.
  Senator Cohen came close defining the standard that I have applied on 
this issue--that is, that U.S. vital national security interests must 
be threatened before we agree to put U.S. troops in harm's way. But he 
said he wanted to leave room for the use of United States troops in 
those instances where there was a potential for a situation to approach 
a vital national security interest, such as in Bosnia. While he clearly 
stated that Bosnia was not in the vital national security interests of 
this country, he pointed out that, by virtue of the intervention of our 
troops and others, we avoided a situation where the conflict could have 
spread beyond the borders of Bosnia, thereby creating a situation which 
would be in the vital security interests of this country and indeed 
other nations. I will continue to work with my good friend to further 
tighten his standard regarding the use of U.S. troops.
  There were several other issues I explored with our Secretary of 
Defense-designate during this morning's hearing that I would like to 
discuss at this time for the benefit of the entire Senate. The first is 
the critical issue of congressional involvement in international 
agreements which substantively modify the ABM Treaty. I reminded 
Senator Cohen that during the last Congress--and, indeed, dating back 
to 1991--he was my partner in our efforts to provide adequate missile 
defenses for our troops deployed overseas and to Americans here at 
home. One issue which has been of paramount concern to many Republican 
Members of Congress is the Clinton administration's repeated attempts 
during its negotiations with the Russians on a demarcation agreement to 
apply the limitations of the ABM Treaty to our shorter range, theater 
missile defense systems. I was in Moscow in 1972 when the ABM Treaty 
was signed. I know that the ABM Treaty was never envisioned to restrict 
our shorter range systems.
  Unfortunately, the battle with the administration over the 
demarcation issue continues. Senator Cohen joined me in 1994 in 
cosponoring an amendment to the Fiscal Year 1995 Defense Authorization 
Act which states that any international agreement which substantively 
modifies the ABM Treaty must be submitted to the Senate as a treaty. 
During last year's conference on the Fiscal Year 1997 Defense 
Authorization Act, National Security Advisor Tony Lake came before the 
conferees and stated unequivocally that the administration had 
determined that the demarcation agreement the administration had 
tentatively concluded with the Russians was indeed a substantive 
modification of the ABM Treaty. Despite this position, and--in my 
view--the clear legal requirement that flows from the law enacted in 
1994, the Clinton administration refuses to acknowledge that it must 
submit the final demarcation agreement to the Congress for approval.
  To his credit, Senator Cohen reaffirmed his view that agreements 
which represent substantive modifications to the ABM Treaty must be 
submitted to the Senate for consideration. I am hopeful that from his 
new position, he can help us in resolving this

[[Page S625]]

longstanding dispute between the Congress and the Clinton 
administration.
  The final issue I would like to mention concerns the negative impact 
that the Bosnia operation and other similar contingency operations are 
having on the overall level of military readiness, and on defense 
funding levels. I pointed out to Senator Cohen that our troops deployed 
to such operations as those in Bosnia are distracted from their normal 
training evolutions which are critical to maintaining their combat 
readiness. This problem is compounded by the ad hoc way the 
administration has been funding these contingency operations. As 
Senator Cohen acknowledged, we will soon be faced with a supplemental 
budget request of over $2 billion to fund our continued involvement in 
Bosnia. That $2 billion will be taken out of the critical readiness and 
procurement accounts which are already at dangerously low levels. 
Senator Cohen recognized the problems I outlined, and agreed to work 
with the Congress to find solutions. I look forward to that dialog.

  Madam President, Bill Cohen will not only be a valuable adviser to 
the President, but I think to the Cabinet as a whole. His hallmark in 
the U.S. Senate was to bring disparate factions together and to try to 
strike a common ground of understanding between the strongest of 
differing viewpoints. Therefore, in those Cabinet meetings, I 
anticipate he will take on an added responsibility and role. He will 
quickly gain the respect, not only of the President, but of his other 
colleagues.
  Lastly, Madam President, might I say, on the question of sexual 
harassment, he came down with a zero tolerance standard. And that was a 
message that I think all Americans wanted to hear. I reminded him of 
the success of the military in handling a very serious drug problem at 
the time he and I first came to the Senate. That is the benchmark for 
him to follow in dealing with the sexual harassment problem, as he 
institutes that zero tolerance policy, which I hope he will succeed in 
attaining.
  I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Madam President, I yield myself 3 minutes.
  I am honored to stand to support the nomination of our former 
colleague, Bill Cohen, to be the Secretary of Defense. Being a member 
of the Armed Services Committee, watching Senator Cohen testify before 
us this morning, you could not help but be impressed. It was a tour de 
force--no pun intended here--for our future Secretary of Defense. He 
was thoughtful, he was well informed, he was strong, and he was, I 
believe, ready to innovate. I think you could not help but conclude, 
though much has been made of Senator Cohen's party affiliation, that 
President Clinton chose Bill Cohen to be our next Secretary of Defense 
because he was the best person to be our next Secretary of Defense. 
And, incidentally, he happened to be a Republican.
  This, obviously, is serious business and a serious responsibility 
Secretary-designate Cohen now undertakes, the security of our country, 
the first responsibility of our Government; the power, along with the 
Commander in Chief, to put American soldiers in harm's way. I am 
confident, because all of us know Bill Cohen. In fact, we are in an 
unusual position, an advantage that we normally do not have when we 
consider nominees. We know this person. We know his values. We know his 
balance. We know his strength, and therefore we know how well prepared 
he is to be the Secretary of Defense.
  He comes in at a time when America is the unchallenged, strongest 
nation in the world. Yet, to remain that way, not just for today and 
tomorrow but for the decades ahead, we must continue to innovate and 
lead and make tough decisions. Just like America's strongest companies 
who, after they have completed years in which they have made record 
profits, their CEO's come back and look for ways to innovate to make 
sure they will stay successful. That is exactly what Secretary-
designate Cohen must, and I am sure will, do as our next Secretary of 
Defense. This morning he strongly supported the quadrennial defense 
review and national defense panel as aids to him and us in carrying out 
that responsibility.
  Madam President, let me conclude simply by saying that this new 
assignment will test Senator Cohen's strength, his foresight, and his 
courage. I am absolutely convinced that he is ready to pass those tests 
and serve our Nation brilliantly.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, how much time do we have left?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There are 5 minutes remaining on both sides.
  Mr. THURMOND. Five minutes?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On both sides.
  Mr. THURMOND. I yield 3 minutes to the able Senator from Oklahoma.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma is recognized.
  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I am pleased to share my feelings on a 
bipartisan basis for the man who is probably the best qualified 
individual going into the job of Secretary of Defense in a very 
difficult time in this Nation's history. I will single out four areas 
where he has demonstrated, in my opinion, a type of courage that many 
do not have, not to be encumbered by partisan politics or by politics 
in general, but to be concerned only with protecting this Nation from 
attack from outside.

  The first area is, under the BRAC Commission, he has made the 
statement in the past that the burden of BRAC, the Base Realignment And 
Closure Commission, was to reduce the excess capacity and move that 
excess capacity into consolidated functions. I have no doubt in my mind 
but he will do this and keep that system free from political 
interference.
  The second area is we really cannot afford in this Nation to have 
more defense cuts than we have already cut. I read a quote this morning 
out of a new book by Caspar Weinberger called ``The Next War.''

       Even to think about, much less propose, further cutting our 
     Armed Forces, betrays a clear lack of real world thinking 
     bordering on denial and delusion.

  I believe Bill Cohen understands this.
  The third area is the practice of sending our troops into areas where 
we do not have vital strategic interests at stake. This is something we 
have had a chance to talk about. We stood on the floor with Bill Cohen 
as a U.S. Senator, and he expressed himself very clearly that we not 
dilute our very scarce military assets by sending our troops to places 
that are not strategic, vital security interests of the United States.
  Very closely associated with that is I am hoping we are going to be 
able to get away from a problem we have had for quite some time, and 
that is the administration coming in, encumbering us, putting our 
troops into areas such as Bosnia and approximating what it will cost, 
which was supposed to cost somewhere between $1.5 and $2 billion and 
now we are finding out it is going to be closer to $6 billion, $6.5 
billion. This is in a way disenfranchising the U.S. Senate. We should 
be in on that decision, and I have every confidence we will be in on 
those decisions from this point forward.
  Then the last area is one I have been very much concerned with, and 
that is our need for a sophisticated theater missile defense system and 
a national missile defense system. I have stood on this floor and 
shared thoughts with Senator Bill Cohen concerning this problem. This 
morning during the confirmation hearings I was just delighted to hear 
Senator Cohen make his statement as he characterized the proliferation 
of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction to be the gravest 
problem facing the world today.
  I am looking forward to voting for his confirmation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. LEVIN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. I yield to the distinguished Senator from West Virginia 4 
minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I compliment the Presiding Officer, 
Senator Susan Collins, who presides over this body at this moment with 
a degree of dignity and skill and efficiency that is so rare as a day 
in June.
  I strongly support the nomination of Senator Bill Cohen to be our 
next Secretary of Defense. He is highly qualified for this important 
position from the perspective of the long, creative, and intense years 
he has studied and

[[Page S626]]

put into effect his ideas regarding a strong defense from the position 
of his membership on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
  I have worked with Senator Cohen on many issues of war and peace, of 
foreign policy, national security actions and have always found him to 
be knowledgeable, thoughtful, with excellent insight and a distinct 
lack of partisanship, and always with an unusual dose of excellent 
judgment and innovation.
  He has always attempted to build consensus across the aisle on vital 
defense matters, and I have had this experience in working with him 
when I served as the Democratic leader and in the context of our 
membership together on the Armed Services Committee.
  I commend President Clinton for submitting this outstanding--truly 
outstanding--nomination. I suggest that the nomination reflects highly 
on both the Senator and the President. It highlights the need for 
bipartisan national security decisionmaking, and I feel that it will be 
constructive in taking politics out of defense budgeting and defense 
policy.
  It is an act of political courage on the part of the President, and 
it is matched by the independence of judgment and courage on the part 
of Bill Cohen over the years. Senator Cohen has demonstrated an ability 
to think a problem through carefully and clearly and reach consistently 
wise and independent judgments.
  In this regard, I commend his comment in the committee's confirmation 
hearing today that there should be an end to our Bosnia deployment 
within the near term and that our European allies need to finally step 
up to the plate and assume whatever further military peace-enforcing 
responsibilities remain at the end of that period.
  I know that Senator Cohen is a strong advocate of regular substantive 
consultations between the administration and the Congress on critical 
defense matters, and in particular on the question of the deployment of 
American Armed Forces into harm's way. I know that he urged President 
Bush to come to Congress on the matter of deploying our forces to Saudi 
Arabia in preparation to remove Iraq's forces from Kuwait. He has 
indicated that it is not sufficient for an administration to go only to 
the United Nations for such approval, and he supports his argument with 
both constitutional and practical reasons.
  It is far sounder to deploy forces when an adversary knows that a 
national decision in the United States has been taken which has been 
validated by the people's representatives. America's credibility is 
stronger under such circumstances, and we are more likely to sustain a 
difficult operation and to prevail.
  The nomination of Bill Cohen for Secretary of Defense is an unusually 
good one. I look forward to working closely with Secretary of Defense 
Bill Cohen on the very weighty and diverse responsibilities that come 
with that high and critical office.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, how much time do we have left?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There are 2 minutes for the Senator from South 
Carolina and 1 minute for the Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. THURMOND. I now yield 1 minute to the able Senator from New 
Hampshire, Senator Smith.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.
  Mr. BOB SMITH. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Armed 
Services Committee very much and also thank you, Madam President. It 
isn't often you get the opportunity to preside over your predecessor's 
new job. So it is a great honor. You will learn when Senator Byrd gives 
out compliments, he means them. So I think you should take it in that 
vein.

  I am very honored and pleased and proud to support the nomination of 
Bill Cohen, with whom I have worked on the Armed Services Committee for 
the past 6 years on a number of issues. I compliment the President of 
the United States for having the courage to make a bipartisan 
selection. I don't think he could have picked a better one.
  If you want to bridge the gap, if you will, that sometimes occurs 
between those of us on the Republican side on defense matters and the 
administration, I think if anybody can do it, Bill Cohen can do it. He 
is very knowledgeable, and I think one of the things that adds a 
different, perhaps a unique, dimension to Bill Cohen as Secretary of 
Defense is his experience in foreign policy.
  I have been on some trips with him around the world, as many of my 
colleagues have, and he is very knowledgeable on Europe and NATO. His 
knowledge of the world is pretty well unequaled. I am proud to support 
his nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. BIDEN addressed the Chair.
  Mr. LEVIN. I yield 10 seconds to the Senator from Delaware.
  Mr. BIDEN. Madam President, the only thing I can say in 10 seconds is 
it is an inspired choice of a great man at the right time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. CONRAD addressed the Chair.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, to Senator Conrad I yield 10 seconds.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I was in the centrist coalition with 
Senator Cohen. I have enormously high regard for his integrity, his 
honesty, and his ability to work with others. A superb choice.
  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I now yield a half-minute to the able 
Senator from Rhode Island, Senator Chafee.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. CHAFEE. Madam President, I join in the congratulations both to 
the President, for having chosen Bill Cohen, and Bill Cohen, for making 
himself available. Bill Cohen is one of the really great Senators with 
whom I have had the privilege of serving in this body.
  As the Senator from North Dakota mentioned, he and I and others were 
part of a centrist coalition that was bipartisan, which reached across 
the aisle. We are going to see Bill Cohen conduct his office in the 
same fashion. It is going to be an office that will provide for all 
Americans.
  It is with great pleasure that I second the nomination of Bill Cohen 
for Secretary of Defense.
  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I now yield the remainder of the time 
to the able Senator from Idaho, Senator Kempthorne.
  Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Madam President, I thank the Senator from South 
Carolina very much.
  I enthusiastically support the nomination of Bill Cohen for Secretary 
of Defense and commend the President for his decision. One of the 
encouraging things Bill Cohen said today, among all the other 
impressive things he said, was his commitment to the men and women in 
uniform.
  We have the best fighting force in the world, but you have to take 
care of them. So the quality of life issues that are so important to 
those men and women, whether they are four-star generals or new 
privates or midshipmen coming in, we need to take care of them, and we 
have a Secretary of Defense who will continue what Bill Perry was 
doing, and that is improving the life of our men and women.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired. The Senator 
from Michigan has 4 seconds.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, this morning, there were three wonderful 
introductions of Senator Cohen to the Armed Services Committee. The 
Presiding Officer, Senator Snowe, and Senator McCain made really 
stirring introductions of our former colleague, Senator Cohen. Not only 
were they wonderful, but it is a wonderful fact, indeed, that the 
person who is presiding over the Senate at this moment when he will be 
confirmed--I am sure overwhelmingly if not unanimously--is not only 
someone who is the successor to Senator Cohen, but someone who has 
Senator Cohen still no doubt as a mentor and was, indeed, on Senator 
Cohen's staff where she served so brilliantly as a subcommittee staff 
director on a subcommittee that I also chaired and was ranking member.
  So I want to congratulate the Presiding Officer for being where she 
is at this moment. It must be a treat, indeed, for her to be sitting 
there.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time has expired.

[[Page S627]]

  Mr. LEVIN. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of William S. Cohen, of Maine, to be 
Secretary of Defense? On this question, the yeas and nays have been 
ordered, and the clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. FORD. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia [Mr. 
Rockefeller] is necessarily absent.
  The result was announced--yeas 99, nays 0, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 2 Ex.]

                                YEAS--99

     Abraham
     Akaka
     Allard
     Ashcroft
     Baucus
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boxer
     Breaux
     Brownback
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Cleland
     Coats
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coverdell
     Craig
     D'Amato
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dodd
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Faircloth
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Ford
     Frist
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Graham
     Gramm
     Grams
     Grassley
     Gregg
     Hagel
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Helms
     Hollings
     Hutchinson
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnson
     Kempthorne
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McCain
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Reed
     Reid
     Robb
     Roberts
     Roth
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Smith Bob
     Smith Gordon H
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Torricelli
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Rockefeller
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. LOTT. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the President 
be immediately notified that the Senate has given its consent to the 
nomination and that the Senate then return to legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________