[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9443-S9448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1998--CONFERENCE REPORT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the hour of 10:45 
having arrived, the Senate will now proceed to consideration of the 
conference report that accompanies H.R. 2016, which the clerk will 
report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 
     two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 
     2016) having met, after full and free conference, have agreed 
     to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses this 
     report, signed by all of the conferees.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the conference report.
  (The conference report is printed in the House proceedings of the 
Record of September 9, 1997.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 5 
minutes' debate each for the Senator from Montana, the Senator from 
Washington, and the Senator from Arizona.
  The distinguished Senator from Montana is recognized.
  Mr. BURNS. I am pleased to bring before the Senate the military 
construction conference report for fiscal year 1998.
  Mr. President, this conference report was passed by the House of 
Representatives yesterday by a vote of 413 to 12 and sent to the Senate 
last night. Now it awaits final passage here.
  Mr. President, we worked very hard with our House colleagues to bring 
this military construction conference to a successful conclusion. Both 
sides did take a little bit different perspective on the allocation of 
military construction funding for the Department of Defense, but in the 
final conference report we met our goals of promoting the quality of 
life, other initiatives, and enhancing the mission for readiness.
  Mr. President, this bill has some points I want to highlight. It 
provides a total of $9.2 billion for military construction. Even though 
this is an increase of $800 million over the President's budget for 
fiscal year 1998, it is still a reduction of $600 million from what was 
appropriated just a year ago. That is an overall reduction of 6 
percent.
  Some 42 percent of this bill is allocated to family housing, for a 
total of $3.9 billion, so this includes new construction, improvement 
in existing housing, and funding for operation and maintenance of 
housing.
  The base realignment and closure part of the bill accounts for 23 
percent of our total funding, about $2.1 billion. Yes, there is talk of 
another round of BRAC, and I want to tell my colleagues that base 
closure does take up a lot of funds. This encompasses funding for 
environmental cleanup of the closing of those bases and for the 
construction of new BRAC-related facilities.
  Mr. President, I continue to be concerned about the growing cost of 
the environmental cleanup of our BRAC installations. These costs 
frequently continue long after the base is closed. In some way or 
another we have to get a handle on that cost. But right now it seems 
like it is almost impossible to do.
  We strongly protect the quality-of-life initiatives. We provide $724 
million for barracks, $32 million for child development centers, $163 
million for hospital and medical facilities.
  We provide a total of $640 million for guard and reserve components, 
a reduction of $100 million from the Senate-passed bill. Overall, this 
represents an increase of $290 million from the President's budget 
request. Many of those projects will enhance our readiness and mission 
capabilities of our reserve and guard forces. I have to say, they are 
vital in the overall national defense scheme. It seems like every year 
when the budget comes down from the administration, those two parts of 
our military complex are forgotten about.
  I thank my ranking member, Senator Murray of Washington State, for 
her assistance and support through this process. She and her staff have 
been extremely cooperative. I also want to commend our colleagues in 
the House, because we went through the conference, and I think it is a 
good lesson on get your work done before you go and it makes it a lot 
easier when coming to an understanding and bringing all the minds 
together.
  I commend this product to the Senate. I recommend that it be signed 
by the President without modification.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am pleased to strongly support and 
recommend to the Senate this military construction appropriations 
conference report. The final amount, $9.18 billion, is slightly below 
the Senate-passed amount, and is about $800 million above the budget 
request. Nevertheless, it is a frugal bill, some $600 million, or 6 
percent below last year's appropriated amount.
  We have added $800 million to the bill to correct what the 
subcommittee perceived to be serious shortfalls in quality-of-life 
initiatives particularly housing and also including child care centers 
and medical facilities, as well as what has been the annual 
shortchanging of our guard and reserve forces. In particular, the 
budget request was for approximately $172 million for our guard and 
reserve forces, and the conference result was about $460 million, some 
$290 million over the request. I would point out that the Senate 
conferees reduced the Senate-passed figure for our guard and reserve 
forces by over $100 million in order to reach an acceptable compromise 
with the House.
  In the housing area, the conferees added some $210 million over the 
requested amount, for a total of $3.9 billion, or 42 percent of the 
total bill. Even so, the committee ended up approximately $250 million 
below last year's appropriated amount.
  Furthermore, the committee worked to satisfy the request of Senators 
on both sides of the aisle for worthy projects that were not included 
in the request, and I believe we ended up with a very balanced 
recommendation.
  I do hope that the President will support the bill as passed, and not 
disturb the balance that we carefully constructed to satisfy the needs 
of our Nation from coast to coast.
  Mr. President, I would point out to my colleagues that the conference 
report protected all the design, minor construction, and reporting 
initiatives that we included in the Senate report, so my colleagues may 
be assured that those initiatives which were included in the Senate 
report have been preserved.
  Fully 23 percent of the bill is for the base realignment and closure 
accounts, and we have included $153 million for NATO initiatives. I 
would point out, however, that the Senate report includes a requirement 
for a report on future costs of NATO expansion, as well as a burden-
sharing report regarding our initiatives in Southwest Asia. The 
committee expects these requirements to be taken seriously and to have 
a full report from the Department of Defense on these matters.
  I am particularly pleased that the conference was able to retain the 
funding that we included in the Senate-passed bill for new quality-of-
life initiatives in Washington, in particular a new library/education 
center at Fairchild Air Force Base, a barracks replacement at Fort 
Lewis, health clinics at Fort Lewis and Everett Naval Station, an 
expansion of an important dining facility and a new child development 
center at Bremerton Naval Shipyard, and housing at Whidbey Island Naval 
Air Station.
  I thank the distinguished Senator from Montana, Senator Burns, for 
the excellent cooperation that he has extended to me throughout this 
process. I want to thank him for all of his courtesies and for the 
congenial and cooperative way that his staff, particularly Ms. 
Ashworth, has extended to all of us. We have enjoyed working with them 
and all their staff. And I thank Dick D'Amato, from my staff, and Ben 
McMakin for a job well done.

[[Page S9444]]

  I commend this product to the Senate and to the President. I yield 
the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana has 1 minute 9 
seconds remaining.
  Mr. BURNS. I reserve the remainder of my time.
  Senator McCain wanted to make a statement on this bill, and I 
understand he is on his way. As a courtesy to him, I suggest the 
absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent to address the Senate for 
approximately 6 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                         Privilege of the Floor

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Ron 
Moranville, a fellow working on my staff, be granted privileges during 
the debate of H.R. 2016.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. For 5 straight years, President Clinton has submitted a 
defense budget to Congress that reflects the low priority given by this 
administration to our men and women serving in the Armed Forces. For 
the past 3 years the Republican Congress has added over $20 billion to 
the administration's requests in order to provide the resources 
necessary to ensure the readiness of our forces to protect our Nation's 
security.
  I fully supported the congressional add-ons for national defense 
because I have seen the dangerous effects of declining defense budgets 
on military modernization and readiness.
  However, I simply cannot support the diversion of nearly $1 billion 
of the $2.6 billion added this year for unrequested, low-priority 
military construction projects.
  This conference agreement on fiscal year 1998 military construction 
spending earmarks funding for 129 building projects totaling $941 
million. This figure includes a plus-up of $268 million for National 
Guard and Reserve projects, including 12 Reserve centers.
  I ask unanimous consent to have that list printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

              FISCAL YEAR 1998 CONFERENCE REPORT, APPROPRIATIONS FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION ADD-ONS              
                                          [Dollar amounts in millions]                                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Budget                             
         State and installation                   Project title             request       Change    Appropriated
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama:                                                                                                        
    Maxwell AFB........................  Maint Facility.................        $0            $9.3          $9.3
    Redstone Arsenal...................  Engineering Annex..............         0            13.0          13.0
    Dannelly Field \1\.................  Munitions Complex..............         0             4.8           4.8
Alaska:                                                                                                         
    Eielson AFB........................  Water Storage Upgrade..........         0             6.0           6.0
    Elmendorf AFB......................  Electrical System Upgrade......         0             6.1           6.1
    Bethel \1\.........................  Army Guard OPS Facility........         0             4.6           4.6
Arizona:                                                                                                        
    MCAS Yuma..........................  Bachelor Enlisted Quarters.....         0            12.3          12.3
    Luke AFB...........................  Land Acquisition...............         0            10.0          10.0
Arkansas                                                                                                        
    Little Rock AFB....................  Control Tower..................         0             3.4           3.4
    Pine Bluff.........................  Ammunition Facility............         0            10.0          10.0
California:                                                                                                     
    Fort Irwin.........................  Live Fire Control Facility.....         0             2.7           2.7
    Fort Irwin.........................  Rotational Wash Point..........         0             8.5           8.5
    MCB Camp Pendleton.................  Enlisted Quarters..............         0            16.1          16.1
    MCB Camp Pendleton.................  Child Development Center.......         0             4.5           4.5
    NAB Coronado.......................  Waterfront OPS Building........         0            10.1          10.1
    NCBC Port Hueneme..................  Storm Water Runoff Improvements         0             3.2           3.2
    Sacramento \1\.....................  USARC/OMS/AMSA.................        13.1           7.9          21.0
    Fresno Air Terminal \1\............  Base Supply Complex............         0             7.0           7.0
    Psasdena \1\.......................  Reserve Center.................         0             6.7           6.7
Colorado:                                                                                                       
    Fort Carson........................  Rail Yard Expansion............         0            16.0          16.0
    Greeley \1\........................  Mobile Ground Maint Complex....         0             4.7           4.7
Connecticut: New London................  Child Development Center.......         0             3.7           3.7
Delaware: New Castle Airport \1\.......  OPS Facility...................         0             7.0           7.0
Florida:                                                                                                        
    NAS Whiting Field..................  Runway Upgrades................         0             1.3           1.3
    NS Mayport.........................  Pier Improvements..............         0            17.9          17.9
    MacDill AFB........................  Child Development Center.......         0             3.4           3.4
    MacDill AFB........................  Education Center...............         0             4.8           4.8
Georgia:                                                                                                        
    Fort Stewart.......................  Barracks Complex Renewal.......         0            11.5          11.5
    Moody AFB..........................  HH-60 OPS Facility.............         0             6.8           6.8
    Robbins AFB........................  Physical Fitness Center........         0             9.1           9.1
Hawaii:                                                                                                         
    Fort Derussey......................  Asian Pacific Center...........         0             9.5           9.5
    Pearl Harbor NS....................  Seal Delivery System...........         0             7.4           7.4
    Bellows AFB \1\....................  Army Guard Training Facility...         0             5.2           5.2
Idaho:                                                                                                          
    Mountain Home AFB..................  B-1B Avionics Bldg.............         0             9.2           9.2
    Mountain Home AFB..................  F-15 OPS Facility..............         0             3.8           3.8
    Boise Air Terminal \1\.............  C-130 OPS Facility.............         0             8.8           8.8
Indiana:                                                                                                        
    NSWC...............................  CHEM-BIO Warfare Center........         0             4.1           4.1
    Grissom ARB........................  Civil Engineering Complex......         0             8.9           8.9
Kansas:                                                                                                         
    McConnell AFB......................  Transportation Complex.........         0             5.0           5.0
    McConnell AFB......................  Child Development Center.......         0             2.9           2.9
    McConnell AFB \1\..................  Maint Shop.....................         0             2.0           2.0
Kentucky:                                                                                                       
    Fort Knox..........................  Training Range.................         0             7.2           7.2
    Fort Campbell......................  Education Center...............         0             6.7           6.7
    Fort Campbell......................  Tactical Equip Shop............         0             9.9           9.9
    Greenville \1\.....................  Training Range (Phase III).....         0             3.6           3.6
Louisiana:                                                                                                      
    Camp Beauregard \1\................  Machine Gun Range..............         0             1.3           1.3
    NAS New Orleans \1\................  Engineering & Comm Complex.....         0             5.9           5.9
    NAS New Orlenas \1\................  Enlisted Quarters..............         0             4.5           4.5
    NAS New Orleans \1\................  Physical Fitness Center........         0             3.6           3.6
Maine:                                                                                                          
    Bangor IAP \1\.....................  Upgrade Base Facilities........         0             6.5           6.5
Maryland:                                                                                                       
    NAVELEX St. Inigoes................  Maint Hangar...................         0             2.6           2.6
    Annapolis \1\......................  Army Guard Readiness Center....         0             2.9           2.9
Massachusetts:                                                                                                  
    Barnes ANGB \1\....................  Dining Hall/Fitness Center.....         0             3.0           3.0
    Westover ARB.......................  Building Renovation............         0             4.1           4.1
Michigan:                                                                                                       
    Augusta \1\........................  Army Guard Readiness Center....         0             6.4           6.4
    Selfridge AGB \1\..................  Air Guard Maint Complex........         0             9.0           9.0

[[Page S9445]]

                                                                                                                
Minnesota: Minneapolis IAP \1\.........  Civil Engineering Complex......         0             4.6           4.6
Mississippi:                                                                                                    
    Army Ammo Plant....................  OPS and Maint Facility.........         0             9.9           9.9
    Gulfport-Biloxi....................  Training Quarters..............         0             9.5           9.5
    Nas Meridian \1\...................  Enlisted Quarters..............         0             7.0           7.0
    Key Field \1\......................  KC-135 Sim Training Center.....         0             2.0           2.0
    Key Field \1\......................  Dining Hall....................         0             3.2           3.2
    Senatoba \1\.......................  Army Guard Readiness Center....         0             4.4           4.4
Missouri:                                                                                                       
    Fort Leonard Wood..................  Fire Station...................         0             3.2           3.2
    Macon \1\..........................  Armory.........................         0             3.2           3.2
Montana:                                                                                                        
    Malmstrom AFB......................  Dining Facility................         0             4.5           4.5
    Billings \1\.......................  Army Guard Reserve Center......         0            15.0          15.0
Nevada:                                                                                                         
    Nellis AFB.........................  Maint Facility.................         0             2.0           2.0
    Reno/Tahoe IAP \1\.................  C-130 Aerial Port..............         0             3.0           3.0
New Jersey:                                                                                                     
    Fort Monmouth......................  Fire Station...................         0             2.0           2.0
    McGuire AFB........................  Large Fire Station.............         0             8.8           8.8
New Mexico:                                                                                                     
    White Sands Range..................  Launch Complex.................         0             6.9           6.9
    Kirtland AFB.......................  Sim Training Facility..........         0            14.0          14.0
    Kirtland...........................  Bridge Replacement.............         0             6.3           6.3
New York:                                                                                                       
    Fort Drum..........................  Gunnery Range (Phase I)........         0             9.0           9.0
    Fort Drum..........................  Training and Education Center..         0             6.9           6.9
    Stratton ANGB \1\..................  Support Complex................         0             7.5           7.5
    Niagara Falls IAP \1\..............  Training Facility..............         0             2.1           2.1
North Caolina:                                                                                                  
    Fort Bragg.........................  Mountain Training Complex......         0             7.9           7.9
    Fort Bragg.........................  Barracks Renewal...............         0             9.8           9.8
    Fort Bragg.........................  SOF Medical Training Barracks..         0             8.3           8.3
    Pope AFB...........................  Family Services Center.........         0             2.6           2.6
North Dakota:                                                                                                   
    Minot AFB..........................  Fire/Crash Rescue Station......         0             5.2           5.2
Ohio:                                                                                                           
    Wright-Patterson...................  Child Development Center.......         0             8.6           8.6
    Rickenbacker ANGB \1\..............  Corrosion Control Facility.....         0             5.7           5.7
    Springfield ANGB \1\...............  Base Supply Complex............         0             5.5           5.5
Oklahoma:                                                                                                       
    Fort Sill..........................  Barracks Renewal...............         0             8.0           8.0
    Altus AFB..........................  Land Purchase..................         0            11.0          11.0
    Vance AFB..........................  Base Engineering Complex.......         0             6.7           6.7
    Will Rogers Airport \1\............  Training Facility..............         0             3.1           3.1
Pennsylvania:                                                                                                   
    Johnstown \1\......................  Reserve Hangar.................         0            14.0          14.0
    Oakdale \1\........................  Maint Support Activity.........         0             6.0           6.0
South Carolina:                                                                                                 
    Leesburg \1\.......................  Simulation Center..............         0             3.8           3.8
    McEntire ANGB \1\..................  Dining Facility................         0             7.0           7.0
    MCAS Beaufort......................  Enlisted Quarters..............         0            15.3          15.3
    MCAS Beaufort......................  Vehicle Maint Shop.............         0             2.4           2.4
South Dakota:                                                                                                   
    Ellsworth AFB......................  Fire/Crash Rescue Station......         0             6.6           6.6
    Rapid City \1\.....................  Aviation Support Facility......         0             5.2           5.2
Tennessee:                                                                                                      
    Arnold AFB.........................  Air Dryer Facility.............         0             9.9           9.9
    Knoxville..........................  USARC/OMS/AMSA.................         0             8.3           7.9
    Nashville Map \1\..................  Maint Complex..................         0             3.4           3.4
Texas:                                                                                                          
    Fort Bliss.........................  Ammunition Supply Expansion....         0             7.7           7.7
    Fort Hood..........................  Force XXI School...............         0            12.8          12.8
    NAS Corpus Christi.................  Boiler Plant Replacement.......         0              .8            .8
    Dyess AFB..........................  B-1B Squadron OPS..............         0            10.0          10.0
    Laughlin AFB.......................  Corrosion Control Facility.....         0             4.8           4.8
Utah: Camp Williams \1\................  USARC/OMS......................         0            12.7          12.7
Vermont: Camp Johnson \1\..............  Maint Shop.....................         0             6.7           6.7
Virginia:                                                                                                       
    Fort Story.........................  Post Chapel....................         0             2.0           2.0
    NAS Norfolk........................  Air OPS Building...............         0             4.0           4.0
    Portsmouth Hospital................  New Hospital (Phase IX)........         0            17.0          17.0
    NSY Norfolk........................  Waterfront Improvements........         0            19.9          19.9
    NWS Yorktown.......................  Tomahawk Magazine..............         0             3.3           3.3
Washington:                                                                                                     
    Fort Lewis.........................  Medical Clinic.................         0             5.0           5.0
    Fairchild AFB......................  Fire Station...................         0             4.8           4.8
    Fairchild AFB......................  Education Center...............         0             8.2           8.2
    Fairchild AFB \1\..................  Upgrade KC-135 Flightline......         0             9.5           9.5
West Virginia: Camp Dawson \1\.........  Reserve Center.................         0             6.8           6.8
Wisconsin: Mitchell ARS \1\............  Training Facility..............         0             4.2           4.2
                                                                         ---------------------------------------
      Active Duty Milcon add-ons........................................         0           560.4         560.4
      Reserve/Guard Milcon add-ons......................................         0           268.2         268.2
                                                                         ---------------------------------------
      Total U.S. based Milcon add-ons...................................         0           828.6         828.6
      Total Milcon and family housing add-ons...........................  ...........        941.6  ............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Denotes Reserve/National Guard construction projects.                                                       


                           FISCAL YEAR 1998 CONFERENCE REPORT--FAMILY HOUSING ADD-ONS                           
                                          [Dollar amounts in millions]                                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Budget                              
         State and installation                   Project title             request      Change    Appropriation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona: Fort Huachuca.................  Family housing.................           0         $8.0          $8.0 
California: NC San Diego...............  Family housing.................           0         13.5          13.5 
Hawaii: NC Pearl Harbor................  Family housing.................           0         13.0          13.0 
Kansas: McConnell AFB..................  Family housing mangt office....           0           .6            .6 
Louisiana: NC New Orleans..............  Family housing.................           0         11.9          11.9 
Montana: Malmstrom AFB.................  Management office..............           0         13.0          13.0 
New Jersey: Picatinny Arsenal..........  Family housing.................           0          7.3           7.3 
Texas:.................................                                                                         
    NAS Kingsville.....................  Replace family housing.........           0         22.3          22.3 
    Lackland AFB.......................  Replace family housing.........           0          7.4           7.4 
Washington: Whidbey Island.............  Family housing.................           0         16.0          16.0 
                                                                         ---------------------------------------

[[Page S9446]]

                                                                                                                
      Total family housing add-ons......................................           0        113.0         113.0 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, pork barrel spending in the defense 
budgets is not only unwise but potentially dangerous to our national 
security.
  Wasting scarce defense dollars on unnecessary construction projects 
takes away from the Pentagon's ability to fund the high-priority 
modernization and operational requirements identified by the military 
Services.
  I cannot disagree with those of my colleagues who believe that the 
active military has failed to allocate the resources necessary to 
ensure the readiness of the reserve forces. However, by diverting more 
than one-third of the congressional add to construction projects for 
the Reserves, Congress is ignoring the most urgent unfunded 
requirements that the Reserve components themselves have identified.
  Certainly, the Pentagon has not been responsive to congressional 
direction to redress the underfunding of the Reserve components. But I 
think this bill clearly demonstrates that Congress is over-zealous in 
adding money for the Guard.
  For example, last year, the Appropriations Committee directed the 
Army to budget $75 million for Army National Guard military 
construction in fiscal year 1998. Unfortunately, the Army failed to 
follow the committee's direction and budgeted only $45.1 million in the 
budget request for Army Guard construction projects. But I fail to see 
how that gap of $30 million should become an add of over $70 million. 
This conference report provides $118.3 million for Guard construction--
$43 million more than the Congress said last year should be provided.
  Another example--The budget request for Air National Guard projects 
was $60.2 million. This conference report more than tripled that 
number, providing $190.4 million in fiscal year 1998 alone for Air 
Guard construction.
  Mr. President, I am sure there are many programs on the list of add-
ons in this bill. These programs may well be high priorities for 
individual unit commanders of adjutants general. Undoubtedly, these 
projects are high priorities for the Members of Congress who requested 
that they be added to this bill.
  But, Mr. President, the simple fact is that military training 
exercises continue to be cut back, backlogs in aircraft and ship 
maintenance continue to grow, there is a shortage of funds for flying 
hours, military health care is underfunded by $600 million, and 11,787 
servicemembers and their families are reportedly on food stamps.
  It is unconscionable for the Congress to ignore these urgent 
priorities that directly correlate to military readiness and personnel 
quality of life. I might add, we are now experiencing a hemorrhage of 
qualified pilots out of the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
  It is wrong to divert much-needed funds from truly high-priority 
needs to instead fund these building projects.
  Mr. President, last year, Congress provided the executive branch with 
an important tool to prevent wasteful spending--the line-item veto. 
Today, I am sending a letter to President Clinton urging him, in the 
interest of national security and fiscal responsibility, to exercise 
his line-item veto authority and eliminate the $941 million set aside 
for the 129 unrequested military construction projects contained in 
this bill.
  I intend to vote against the bill, and I urge my colleagues to 
consider very carefully whether they wish to vote in favor of wasting 
nearly $1 billion on these low-priority construction projects.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my letter to the 
President be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:


                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                               September 17, 1997.
     Hon. Bill Clinton,
     The President,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: Today, the Congress completed action on 
     the first regular appropriations measure for Fiscal Year 
     1998, the Military Construction Appropriations Act. I am 
     writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to 
     exercise your line item veto authority to eliminate $941 
     million in unnecessary spending contained in this bill.
       This bill contains earmarks for 129 projects which were not 
     included in the Department of Defense budget request because 
     they are lower priority projects than those that were 
     requested by the military Services. As I promised in my 
     August 6, 1997, letter, I am providing a list of the 
     unrequested projects in this bill.
       As the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces, you bear the 
     primary responsibility for ensuring that our troops are 
     trained, equipped, and ready to protect the security of our 
     nation. Because of the continuing push toward a balanced 
     budget and taxpayer relief, the resources available for vital 
     defense priorities are limited, as are resources for almost 
     every other government priority. Wasting these scarce defense 
     dollars on unnecessary construction projects takes away from 
     the Pentagon's ability to fund its high-priority 
     modernization and operational requirements. This spending 
     habit is not only unwise, but potentially dangerous to our 
     national security.
       While your exercise of the line item veto to eliminate 
     wasteful earmarks in this bill would not unfortunately make 
     these funds available for other pressing defense needs, it 
     would certainly send a pointed message to Congress from the 
     Commander-in-Chief that this wasteful spending of defense 
     dollars must stop.
       I recall that, several years ago, you proposed to rescind 
     funding for Congressional add-ons in the military 
     construction accounts. That proposal was defeated by 
     Congressional inaction, but you now have an important tool 
     that increases the prospects for successfully eliminating the 
     add-ons in this military construction bill. Therefore, I urge 
     you again to take advantage of this opportunity to line item 
     veto the $941 million earmarked by Congress for unrequested, 
     low-priority military construction projects.
           Sincerely,
                                                      John McCain,
                                                     U.S. Senator.

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, we take note of the Senator from Arizona. I 
just made a comment here that the complete emphasis on military 
construction has probably doubled toward the quality of life, just 
since I have been on this committee. We can make those moves as long as 
we are allowed to make those moves and to continue to fund those things 
that we think are important in the overall makeup of our military 
readiness.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise to express my strong support 
for this bill. I am pleased that the conferees included several 
projects important to the quality of life and safety at New Jersey's 
military installations, and I thank the conferees for their efforts to 
ensure that New Jersey's defense infrastructure needs received adequate 
funding.
  I appreciate the willingness of the conferees to provide funding for 
three important projects at McGuire Air Force Base. The bill includes 
$9.954 million for an Air Mobility Operations Group Warehouse, which 
will increase the efficiency of the base's mobility operations. 
Additionally, it includes $35.217 million for an ambulatory health care 
center replacement. This new facility will house a full-service 
outpatient operation and provide adequate space for clinics, ambulatory 
surgery, ancillary services, storage, offices, and administration. It 
will improve the quality of care provided to our military personnel.
  I am also pleased the conferees included $8.8 million for a new fire 
station at McGuire. McGuire's current fire station is inadequate to 
provide the fire protection and response to aircraft casualties that 
its mission requires. This facility has inadequate communication and 
alarm equipment, insufficient vehicle storage areas, deficient living 
quarters, and inadequate space for training and administrative duties. 
Due to these conditions, in certain situations, I am told that the base 
cannot respond simultaneously to a fire emergency and a 911 call. The 
funding provided for a new fire station will improve the base's ability 
to respond more adequately and will allow firefighters to execute 
emergency response operations in a more efficient and timely manner.

[[Page S9447]]

  For Fort Monmouth, another important military installation in New 
Jersey, I am pleased the conferees included $2.05 million for a new 
fire station. The fort's fire station is currently housed in a World 
War II vintage structure. This station is charged with protecting the 
base's numerous research and development facilities, as well as its 
over 1,000 military family housing units. The funding provided for a 
new fire station will ensure that facilities on the base are adequately 
protected, and that the Fort Monmouth community has access to the 
timely response and fire protection services it deserves. This project 
is vital to the safety of the entire Fort Monmouth community, and I am 
pleased the conferees agreed to provide funding for this important 
project.
  I also appreciate the willingness of the conferees to include funding 
for two important projects at Picatinny Arsenal. I am pleased they 
provided $7.3 million to build 35 units of family housing on the base. 
The existing units have deteriorated since they were constructed in 
1940. Most of these units are undersized and lack basic conveniences 
such as air-conditioning. Their electrical, plumbing, and heating 
systems are poorly configured and inefficient. The funding provided by 
the conferees will improve the existing living conditions and the 
quality of life for the enlisted and their families. It will produce 
units of family housing that meet current standards of quality of life, 
energy conservation, size, and safety.
  I am also pleased the conferees agreed to provide $1.3 million in 
design funding for a new software engineering facility at Picatinny. 
This funding will allow Picatinny to consolidate the design, 
development, testing, configuration control, field release and 
maintenance of weapon systems, simulators, and trainers. It will result 
in reduced cost for the Army and will improve efficiency in the 
software engineering process.
  These projects are vital to the safety and quality of life of New 
Jersey's defense infrastructure. Again, I thank the conferees for their 
support of these important projects in the fiscal year 1998 military 
construction bill.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, the pending military construction 
appropriations conference agreement provides $9.183 billion in new 
budget authority and $3.024 billion in new outlays for military 
construction and family housing programs for the Department of Defense 
for fiscal year 1998.
  When outlays from prior-year budget authority and other completed 
actions are taken into account, the outlays for the 1998 program total 
$9.862 billion.
  This legislation provides for construction by the Department of 
Defense for U.S. military facilities throughout the world, and it 
provides for family housing for the Active Forces of each of the U.S. 
military services. Accordingly, it provides for important readiness and 
quality of life programs for our service men and women.
  The conference report falls within the current section 602(b) 
allocation for the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee. I 
commend the distinguished subcommittee chairman, the Senator from 
Montana, for bringing this bill to the floor within the subcommittee's 
revised allocation.
  The bill provides important increases over the President's request 
for 1998, and I urge the adoption of the conference report.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a table displaying the 
Budget Committee scoring of the conference report be placed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the table was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

            H.R. 2016, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS, 1998--SPENDING TOTALS--CONFERENCE REPORT           
                                   [Fiscal year 1998, in millions of dollars]                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Category                              Defense  Nondefense   Crime  Mandatory   Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conference report:                                                                                              
  Budget authority..............................................    9,183        --        --        --    9,183
  Outlays.......................................................    9,862        --        --        --    9,862
Senate 302(b) allocation:                                                                                       
  Budget authority..............................................    9,183        --        --        --    9,183
  Outlays.......................................................    9,920        --        --        --    9,920
President's request:                                                                                            
  Budget authority..............................................    8,384        --        --        --    8,384
  Outlays.......................................................    9,839        --        --        --    9,839
House-passed bill:                                                                                              
  Budget authority..............................................    9,183        --        --        --    9,183
  Outlays.......................................................    9,909        --        --        --    9,909
Senate-passed bill:                                                                                             
  Budget authority..............................................    9,187        --        --        --    9,187
  Outlays.......................................................    9,902        --        --        --    9,902
                                                                                                                
CONFERENCE REPORT COMPARED TO:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                
Senate 302(b) allocation:                                                                                       
  Budget authority..............................................       --        --        --        --       --
  Outlays.......................................................      -58        --        --        --      -58
President's request:                                                                                            
  Budget authority..............................................      799        --        --        --      799
  Outlays.......................................................       23        --        --        --       23
House-passed bill:                                                                                              
  Budget authority..............................................       --        --        --        --       --
  Outlays.......................................................      -47        --        --        --      -47
Senate-passed bill:                                                                                             
  Budget authority..............................................       -4        --        --        --       -4
  Outlays.......................................................      -40        --        --        --      -40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding. Totals adjusted for consistency with current scorekeeping  
  conventions.                                                                                                  

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I commend the bill to the Senate, ask for 
its passage, and I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Gregg). Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the conference 
report. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 3, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 240 Leg.]

                                YEAS--97

     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
     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
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Reed
     Reid
     Robb
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Roth
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Smith (NH)
     Smith (OR)
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Torricelli
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden

                                NAYS--3

     Feingold
     Kyl
     McCain
  The conference was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, we have now passed our first conference 
report of the year, and I am hoping that within the next 10 days we 
will pass at least a half dozen more. I know the chairman is working 
with Members on both sides of the aisle and with our colleagues on the 
other side of the Capitol to do that. I appreciate the cooperation we 
have received on appropriations bills, although we seem to be a little 
stalled out here on the Interior appropriations bill. I am not sure the 
Members are back from the August State work period; we seem to have 
difficulty in getting Senators to come forward and offer amendments 
that they say are important.
  Now, we were on this some last week. We were on the bill yesterday. 
We have been on it today. We did not have a vote on an amendment all 
day Monday, and I am being told now that, well, we have several very 
important amendments. I want to say this is not just directed to our 
colleagues on the Democratic side. We have four amendments cooking on 
the National Endowment for the Arts. My answer is, great, let's have a 
debate and let's vote. And let's do it in the daylight or we will have 
to do it tonight.
  Now, I have tried very hard for us to do our work during normal 
working hours like normal people. I know that's very difficult, but 
that would be helpful. It keeps you from being cranky. It allows us to 
live somewhat normal lives with our families. But if we refuse to come 
forward with our amendments and agree to reasonable time agreements--
how many of you think you are going to change anybody's mind by giving 
a 90-minute speech? How many of you think you are going to change

[[Page S9448]]

somebody's mind on NEA by giving a 30-minute speech on NEA?
  Come forward, my colleagues, offer your amendments, agree to a 
reasonable time, and let's vote. If we are not going to do it now, we 
will have to do it tonight because we need to get this appropriations 
bill done.
  We have made good progress. We have worked together. We have had good 
cooperation. Let's not bog down. If we have a mining amendment, 
grazing, NEA, let's get them up, let's have reasonable debate with 
hopefully not more than an hour on anything, and let's vote. I believe 
we can complete this tonight and go on to the FDA reform package that I 
believe at least 94 Senators want to do. The Democratic leader has 
agreed to work with me to try to get that done this week, so I urge my 
colleagues, let's get going here.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for helping in 
getting this debate going. We already have a unanimous-consent 
agreement for a debate on the Ashcroft amendment on the National 
Endowment for the Arts of a maximum of 145 minutes beginning at 1:30. 
So there will be a vote on or in relation to the Ashcroft amendment 
before 4 o'clock. Personally, I hope it is much before 4 o'clock if not 
all of that time is used. There are 2 hours between now and the time at 
which that amendment starts.
  My friend, Senator Bryan, from Nevada, seems perhaps, I hope, ready 
for a 1\1/2\ hour debate on his amendment on forest roads. I am 
attempting to clear that on this side of the aisle and hope I can have 
it done so that we can complete that amendment and have the vote before 
the NEA debate begins. I do know there are several other National 
Endowment for the Arts amendments that will succeed the Ashcroft 
amendment, and maybe one or two others that require votes. Senator 
Bumpers may have one on mining.
  The majority leader is correct; we have been on this bill off and on, 
mostly on, since last Friday. We have yet to have our first rollcall 
vote on the bill or on any amendment to the bill. It is time to get 
going, and I believe my colleagues are about ready to do just that.

                          ____________________