[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1998

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I come to the floor to make a statement 
concerning the bill that has been approved by--really an amendment 
approved by the Appropriations Committee. This afternoon we met, and 
the Appropriations Committee has authorized me--and Senator Byrd--to 
present an amendment to the District of Columbia appropriations bill. 
It is before the Senate. And this will be an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute.
  We had hoped to be able to proceed at this time and get an agreement 
with regard to that. I have asked the distinguished Democratic leader 
to join me. And I have discussed the matter with our leader.
  The difficulty is that several Members still want to read over 
portions of that proposed amendment before we seek to proceed on it. 
After discussing it with the distinguished Democratic leader, I think 
that is the better part of valor.
  I had previously made the announcement that we would offer it tonight 
and hope to have debate tonight and vote tomorrow. We have a continuing 
resolution that expires tomorrow evening. But if the Democratic leader 
agrees, I think we will just hold off, and it would be the intention of 
the leadership to try and move to bring this matter before the Senate 
tomorrow, as I understand it, sometime around 1 or 1:30 tomorrow 
afternoon.
  If that meets with the Democratic leader's approval, we will just not 
proceed tonight.
  Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, first of all, let me commend the 
distinguished chairman for the work that they have put into this 
effort. I must say, this has moved us farther than I would have thought 
we could have gone in the time that we have had.
  These are very difficult issues, very controversial in some respects. 
I think the chairman and the ranking member have done a very good job. 
I intend to support the work product at the appointed time. But it is 
multihundred-pages long, and we have, I think, a need to look through 
it, not necessarily as much for the issue content as it is the 
grammatical content. And we are doing that now.
  I think we will be ready to have a vote on it one way or the other in 
early afternoon. Senator Lott and I have consulted with the 
distinguished chairman. I personally would be prepared to go to a vote 
early afternoon. I think we can accommodate that schedule. So I think 
the distinguished chairman's recommendation is a good one. I hope we 
can work in good faith in the remaining hours tonight to be able to be 
ready to have that vote early tomorrow afternoon.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Democratic 
leader. Because of the expiration of the continuing resolution tomorrow 
night, and the desire of Members not to be here next week on matters 
that would require votes, I hope that we will be able to get to it 
tomorrow, and get it to the House in time for the House to consider it 
and dispose of it. We may face this bill coming back to us with an 
amendment from the House before we are through tomorrow. So it would 
have been my wish that we could have done it tonight, but under the 
circumstances we will defer until tomorrow.
  I thank the Chair, and I thank the distinguished Senator.
  Mr. CRAIG addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.

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