[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 39 (Thursday, March 11, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE ACT OF 1999

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now turn 
to S. 257, the Missile Defense Act.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 257) to state the policy of the United States 
     regarding the deployment of a missile defense system capable 
     of defending the territory of the United States against 
     limited ballistic missile attack.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, then, 
the Senate will be able to have the initial statement by Senator 
Cochran, the manager, tonight. We will resume the missile defense bill 
on Monday, and it is our hope that an agreement can be reached on a 
time agreement and that amendments will be offered during Monday's 
session.
  I urge that Members be present on Monday to make their statements on 
this legislation and to offer amendments, if they have them. This is a 
very important defense initiative. I am pleased that we are going to be 
able to go straight to the bill, and I hope that within short order 
next week we will be able to get to the conclusion of this very 
important national defense issue.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, let me thank the distinguished majority 
leader for calling up the national missile defense bill and also 
compliment the Democratic leader for refraining from objecting to 
proceeding to consider this bill at this time.
  Senators may remember that this is the bill that was brought up on 
two occasions during the last session of the Senate and objections were 
made to considering the bill, a motion to proceed to consider the bill 
was filed, and then it was necessary to file a cloture motion to shut 
off debate to get to the bill. On both of those occasions we fell one 
vote short of invoking cloture on the motion to proceed to consider the 
bill. So this Senate has agreed to take up this legislation without 
objection. This is progress, and we are very proud to see this momentum 
to address this issue that is so important for the national security 
interests of the United States.
  For the information of Senators, the operative part of this 
legislation is simply a statement of policy as follows:

       It is the policy of the United States to deploy as soon as 
     is technologically possible an effective National Missile 
     Defense system capable of defending the territory of the 
     United States against limited ballistic missile attack 
     (whether accidental, unauthorized, or deliberate).

  I look forward to discussing questions that Senators might pose about 
this bill when we reconvene on Monday. The Armed Services Committee has 
considered it and reported it out without amendment, and we are ready 
to proceed to consider the bill. We look forward to discussing this 
important issue.

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