[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2095-S2096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The able majority leader, Senator Lott, is 
recognized.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank the Chair.


                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. Today, the Senate will resume consideration of Senator 
Glenn's amendment to Senate Resolution 39, the Governmental Affairs 
funding resolution reported by the Rules Committee. I hope the Senate 
will continue and hopefully complete debate on the Glenn amendment so 
that we may vote sometime this afternoon on or in relation to the 
amendment. Of course, I want to notify the Senate that we, as always is 
the case, reserve our right to offer second-degree amendments to 
amendments that may be offered. I understand that additional amendments 
may be offered to Senate Resolution 39, and I presume that there will 
be a substitute that will be included among those to replace the 
resolution that is before us.
  I am sure we will have full debate on all the amendments that may be 
offered as well as a possible substitute and the underlying funding 
resolution. Therefore, Senators can expect rollcall votes throughout 
the day.
  I hope we will be able to conclude action on this measure today or 
early tomorrow. I talked with the Democratic leader last night. He 
indicated that he hoped that would be possible. And when we do finish 
this, then there are some nominations we hope to take up and get a vote 
on, including the nomination of Federico Pena to be Secretary of 
Energy. We would do that hopefully in the morning or tomorrow 
afternoon.
  After that, after consultation with the Democratic leadership, we 
would expect to go to the Hollings constitutional amendment concerning 
free speech. So that could take the balance of the week, maybe even 
going over into Friday with some debate, with votes likely occurring--
and, again, we will have to work this out--maybe on final passage late 
Monday afternoon. But we will notify Senators as we go along exactly 
when the votes will occur on Wednesday and Thursday and if any on 
Friday.

  We will recess between the hours of 12:30 to 2:15 for the weekly 
policy conference and the caucus to meet. I also remind our colleagues 
that this week we may have to go late into the night one night, which 
will probably be Thursday night, but we will work with the leadership 
again and notify the Members exactly what they can expect in that 
regard.
  Mr. President, before I yield the floor, I thank our colleagues for 
the debate yesterday. I thought it went well. I want to commend and 
congratulate the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee. I think 
he is being very positive in his remarks. He is trying to get this to a 
conclusion, and I think we need to do that. I thank the ranking member 
from Ohio for the way he has handled himself.
  There are big problems in this city; it is sort of like the city is 
burning, and we do not want to appear to be fiddling any longer with 
getting a resolution that would allow this committee to go forward and 
do its work with a reasonable amount of money and a reasonable amount 
of time and with the emphasis on illegal activities as it might apply 
to the Presidential candidates or Members of Congress.
  I want to emphasize again that anything that might come out with 
regard to Senators doing something inappropriate or unethical, that, as 
has always been the case, would go to the Ethics Committee under the 
resolution that we are considering.
  Also, I want to assure my colleagues that it is my intent that we 
look into the question of campaign reform. The Rules Committee has the 
authority, has the jurisdiction and under this resolution has 
additional money, $450,000 additional funds, to look into how the 
campaigns were conducted last year, how legal activities were handled 
and whether or not changes need to be made.
  It is my intent in due time after proper hearings and after a lot of 
consultation that we will take up this

[[Page S2096]]

issue. The inference continues to be that our goal is just to block it. 
We do not intend to set a magic date, whether that date is May 1, April 
15, or Labor Day, for that matter. That may be a good time to set up a 
magic date. But we should not get locked in on dates certain. Let us 
just do our job.
  That is what I hope the Senate will do on this resolution. That is 
what we intend to do in the committee of the distinguished chairman 
from Virginia, to have hearings on campaign finance reform and look at 
all these questions in regard to how soft money is used, independent 
expenditures, and how labor union dues are used without labor union 
members' permission.
  What is the situation with illegal foreign contributions? Do we, in 
fact, have in this case, as has been suggested, the possibility of even 
espionage? This is serious. What we need is for a committee of 
credibility and jurisdiction to get started with their work, and I hope 
that we can do that with as little rancor today as possible.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. GLENN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Smith of Oregon). The Chair recognizes the 
Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, a question of the majority leader, if I 
might. With the debate proceeding this morning on my amendment and the 
possibility that we may be able to complete that debate this morning 
and move on to discussion of another amendment and knowing the 
schedules of all the other Senators are very tight, too, and letting 
them plan their activities here in the Chamber as well as other places, 
would it be agreeable to put the vote off until after the caucus?
  Mr. LOTT. It is our intent, and I believe the minority leader has no 
objection--I have not discussed that with him--to have our first votes 
at 2:15 after the conference and caucus.
  Mr. GLENN. That would be fine. I would make that as a unanimous-
consent agreement, that any votes that might normally occur this 
morning following debate on my amendment and other amendments that 
might be brought up at least be stacked until--the vote on my amendment 
be delayed until after the caucus this afternoon.
  Mr. LOTT. I reserve the right to object, Mr. President. I would like, 
if I could, to ask the ranking member to defer in that request for a 
moment and allow us to have a chance to discuss it with him and with 
the Democratic leader. I think that is probably what we want to do, but 
I just want to make sure everybody is in tune with what we are doing 
here.
  Mr. GLENN. I would be glad to do that. I withdraw the request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The request is withdrawn.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I observe the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. 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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