[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6645-S6648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now
resume consideration of S. 1122, which the clerk will report.
The legislative assistant read as follows:.
A bill (S. 1122) making appropriations for the Department
of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and
for other purposes.
Pending:
Stevens (for Grassley) amendment No. 540 to reduce to
$500,000 the threshold amount for the applicability of the
requirement for advance matching of Department of Defense
disbursements to particular obligations.
Amendment No. 540
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will now be 15
minutes of debate relative to the Grassley amendment No. 540 with a
vote to follow thereon.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, do I control that 15 minutes?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator controls the time.
Mr. GRASSLEY. I will not use all of that time for my amendment.
First of all, as to the amendment that is pending, authored by the
Senator from Iowa, I thank the Senator from Alaska for offering my
amendment yesterday, and I thank the Senator from Alaska for asking for
a rollcall vote on my amendment, although this amendment has been
offered 5 previous years and adopted 5 previous years without a
rollcall. So, personally, I do not think it is necessary to have a
rollcall vote. But if the chairman of the committee and the ranking
member of the committee want such a rollcall vote, that is OK with me.
So I will take then just a few minutes to speak about my amendment on
matching disbursements with obligations.
The American taxpayers would take for granted, they would expect, the
nurturing of their tax dollars to be so well done at the Federal level
that Congress would not have to pass a special amendment which would
say that the Department of Defense cannot pay out $1 of taxpayers'
money without being able to match it with an invoice and contract that
specified what goods or services they were buying. I hope in most of
Government that is the case, but it has not been so with the Defense
Department. In fact, I have been speaking for years on the subject of
the tens of billions of dollars that have actually been spent, and at
the time of payment, the department failed to match the particular
service or goods that are being paid for with their corresponding
contract.
I have had the support of the chairman of the Appropriations
Committee in setting in place policies that would gradually reduce the
amount of money that could be paid out without an invoice and contract
to match. This policy has been incorporated in the last
[[Page S6646]]
five appropriations bills--fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and
1999. We are now working on the fiscal year 2000 appropriations bill.
It is my understanding that the committee supports the amendment again
this year.
Under current law, the matching threshold is set at $1 million
effective this month. This means that the Department of Defense
disbursing officials must match each payment of $1 million or more with
a corresponding obligation or contract before the payment is made. My
pending amendment would continue the process of ratcheting down the
threshold began 5 years ago. It would lower the threshold then from the
$1 million in present law to $500,000. Reports of the General
Accounting Office and inspectors general consistently show that this
policy is helping to reduce DOD's unmatched disbursement problems. As I
understand it, the DOD has lowered the threshold to zero in most
disbursing centers.
I thank the Department of Defense for having adopted a policy that
every taxpayer would assume is a principle of good Government
management, and that is that they would not pay out one penny without
being able to show what they ordered and received for that penny. That
has become a policy at some of the disbursing centers but not at all
the centers. So we want to see the threshold lowered to zero at all
locations because we think it is just sound business management that
not one penny of the taxpayers' dollars should be paid out if there is
not an invoice and contract for what has been bought and received,
either goods or services, for that amount of money.
So we are not quite at zero all over the country with all of the
centers. Some Department of Defense disbursing centers still have
problems. This amendment will help keep the pressure on and hopefully
in time will help the Department of Defense eliminate in the future all
unmatched disbursements, so that the Senator from Iowa will never have
to come to the Senate floor again and say we have these billions of
dollars that the Pentagon paid out and they have never been able to
show exactly what they ordered and received.
If the threshold specified in this amendment is unworkable, then I
have asked the chairman to adjust the dollar level in conference, but I
hope it is so obvious that we will be able to tell the taxpayers of
this country that we know what they are buying; that at least for the
next year we should keep the pressure on for the still fantastically
high level of $500,000 that could be paid out under certain
circumstances without the invoice and contract immediately available.
I do not want to stand before the Senate and be embarrassed by saying
that we can somehow justify even a $500,000 check being written without
knowing what goods and services were, in fact, ordered and received and
being paid for.
I thank the chairman of the committee, Senator Stevens, and I thank
the ranking minority member, Senator Inouye, for their continuing
support of this amendment. Every year for the last 5 years I have
offered this amendment, and every year for the last 5 years they have
put the amendment in the bill, kept it there and protected it in
conference. This effort, particularly with their respected leadership
in the area of defense, is very positive toward the Department of
Defense changing their attitude about unmatched disbursements and
leading us to a point where we are reducing the amount of unmatched
disbursements.
I thank the chairman and ranking member for their unwavering support,
and I hope all my colleagues will support this simple but important
amendment. I yield the floor.
I have time left over, and if the Senator from Alaska wants some of
my time, he can have it.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I will take a couple of minutes.
I was pleased to offer this amendment for my good friend from Iowa,
Senator Grassley. Senator Grassley's determined effort to improve the
Department of Defense financial accounting standards, by demanding that
funds disbursed are matched by funds obligated--simply meaning that
they balance their checkbook and they let us know so the taxpayers will
know what the checks have been written for--his efforts has already
yielded results in lowering the Department's unmatched disbursements.
To those who may be unfamiliar with this problem, as of the fiscal
year 1998, according to the Department's own inspector general, the
Department reported a substantial problem with disbursements. That
means that funds were reported having been disbursed to the Treasury
but not processed, or, in other cases, the Department's employees could
not match a disbursement to an obligated item.
There is a conflict here. We are trying to make certain those who
provide services to the Department of Defense are promptly paid. On the
other hand, there is a requirement for the taxpayers that we know what
they have paid and what we have bought with the funds, as the Senator
said.
The Appropriations Committee is pleased to work with Senator Grassley
and the Department of Defense to ensure the Department makes steady
progress in reducing these problem disbursements. I do support the
amendment of the Senator from Iowa, and I believe all Senators seek to
improve the Department's control over the appropriation of taxpayers'
funds to the Department of Defense.
What time will the vote take place, Mr. President?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska has 6 minutes
remaining.
Mr. STEVENS. I remind Senators that first-degree amendments to this
bill must be offered by 2:30 p.m. Additional amendments and votes are
expected through today's session. My colleague and I are working on a
package of amendments which we will submit as soon as this time has
expired and this amendment has been voted upon. At least we will
discuss this package. It is my hope we will be able to finish this bill
today. I am going to work to achieve that goal.
Does the Senator from Hawaii wish to make any comments on this
amendment?
Mr. INOUYE. No.
Mr. STEVENS. How much time remains?
Mr. GRASSLEY. I yield back my time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time has been yielded back.
Mr. STEVENS. I ask for the yeas and nays, Mr. President.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, what time is the vote scheduled to take
place?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. At 9:45.
Mr. STEVENS. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to amendment No.
540. The yeas and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. NICKLES. I announce that the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Crapo), the
Senator from Arizona (Mr. McCain), and the Senator from Minnesota (Mr.
Grams) are necessarily absent.
Mr. REID. I announce that the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Dodd),
the Senator from New York (Mr. Moynihan), and the Senator from New
Jersey (Mr. Torricelli) are necessarily absent.
I also announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Biden) is absent
due to a death in the family.
I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from New
York (Mr. Moynihan) would vote ``aye.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bunning). Are there any other Senators in
the Chamber desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 93, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 155 Leg.]
YEAS--93
Abraham
Akaka
Allard
Ashcroft
Baucus
Bayh
Bennett
Bingaman
Bond
Boxer
Breaux
Brownback
Bryan
Bunning
Burns
Byrd
Campbell
Chafee
Cleland
Cochran
Collins
Conrad
Coverdell
Craig
Daschle
DeWine
Domenici
Dorgan
Durbin
Edwards
Enzi
Feingold
Feinstein
Fitzgerald
Frist
Gorton
Graham
Gramm
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
Harkin
Hatch
Helms
Hollings
Hutchinson
Hutchison
Inhofe
Inouye
Jeffords
Johnson
Kennedy
Kerrey
Kerry
Kohl
Kyl
Landrieu
[[Page S6647]]
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Lieberman
Lincoln
Lott
Lugar
Mack
McConnell
Mikulski
Murkowski
Murray
Nickles
Reed
Reid
Robb
Roberts
Rockefeller
Roth
Santorum
Sarbanes
Schumer
Sessions
Shelby
Smith (NH)
Smith (OR)
Snowe
Specter
Stevens
Thomas
Thompson
Thurmond
Voinovich
Warner
Wellstone
Wyden
NOT VOTING--7
Biden
Crapo
Dodd
Grams
McCain
Moynihan
Torricelli
The amendment (No. 540) was agreed to.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mrs. BOXER. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Mrs. BOXER addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California is recognized.
Amendment No. 541
(Purpose: To substitute for section 8106 (relating to operational
support aircraft) a requirement for a report)
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask
for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from California [Mrs. Boxer], for herself, Mr.
Harkin, and Mr. Wyden, proposes an amendment numbered 541.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike section 8106, and insert the following:
Sec. 8106. Not later than March 1, 2000, the Secretary of
Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the inventory
and status of operational support aircraft, Commander-in-
Chief support aircraft, and command support aircraft of the
Department of Defense. The report shall include a detailed
discussion of the requirements for such aircraft, the
foreseeable future requirements for such aircraft, the cost
of leasing such aircraft, commercial alternatives to use of
such aircraft, the cost of maintaining the aircraft, the
capability and appropriateness of the aircraft to fulfill
mission requirements, and the relevancy of the missions of
the aircraft to warfighting requirements.
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my amendment
be laid aside for further debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The
amendment will be laid aside.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Amendments Nos. 542, 543, 544, And 545, En Bloc
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I would like to send to the desk a series
of amendments which provide adjustments in the bill brought about by a
review made by the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of
Management and Budget. These amendments allocate funds in a different
manner under the bill.
The first change is an increase in funds for the Army Test Range
Facilities Program.
The second readjusts one account in the Navy, and moves $51.84
million into the Joint War Fighting Experimental Program, and leaves it
under the control of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs reporting to the
defense committees of the House and the Senate.
The third will appropriate funds to meet the authorization bill's
provision of funds to assist the Red Cross in providing Armed Forces
emergency services.
The fourth is to deal with the addition of $10 million from cockpit
modifications to the U2.
I send them to the desk, and I ask unanimous consent that they be
considered en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Alaska (Mr. Stevens) proposes amendments
numbered 542, 543, 544, and 545, en bloc.
The amendments (Nos. 542, 543, 544, and 545), en bloc, are as
follows:
AMENDMENT NO. 542
(Purpose: To provide funds for Research, Development, Test and
Evaluation, Army)
In the appropriate place in the bill, insert the following
new section:
``Sec. . In addition to any funds appropriated elsewhere
in Title IV of this Act under the heading ``Research,
Development, Test and Evaluation, Army'', $9,000,000 is
hereby appropriated only for the Army Test Ranges and
Facilities program element.''
____
AMENDMENT NO. 543
At the appropriate place in the bill, insert the following:
``Sec. . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Act,
the total amount appropriated in this Act for Title IV under
the heading ``Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation,
Navy'', is hereby reduced by $26,840,000 and the total amount
appropriated in this Act for Title IV under the heading
``Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Defense-
Wide'', is hereby increased by $51,840,000 to reflect the
transfer of the Joint Warfighting Experimentation Program:
Provided, That none of the funds provided for the Joint
Warfighting Experimentation Program may be obligated until
the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reports to the
Congressional defense committees on the role and
participation of all unified and specified commands in the
JWEP.''
____
AMENDMENT NO. 544
(Purpose: To provide funding for the American Red Cross Armed Forces
Emergency Services program)
In the appropriate place in the bill, insert the following
new section:
``Sec. . In addition to the amounts appropriated or
otherwise made available elsewhere in this Act for the
Department of Defense, $23,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2000 is hereby appropriated to the Department
of Defense: Provided, that the Secretary of Defense shall
make a grant in the amount of $23,000,000 to the American Red
Cross for Armed Forces Emergency Services.''
____
AMENDMENT NO. 545
At the appropriate place in the bill insert the following:
``Sec. . In addition to the funds available in Title III,
$10,000,000 is hereby appropriated for U-2 cockpit
modifications.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I have had the opportunity to study these
four amendments. They are authorized by the authorizing committee. I am
in full support of them.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I urge adoption of the amendments en
bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the amendments are agreed
to.
The amendments (Nos. 542, 543, 544, and 545), en bloc, were agreed
to.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, we are working on a managers' package. We
have several amendments that we believe the Senate should include in
such a package. I urge Members who have identified amendments they
intend to offer to consult with my friend from Hawaii, myself, and our
staffs to see if we can't enlarge this package and take care of a
series of items that are really not controversial during the time that
we have a vehicle.
As I have stated before, all amendments to this bill in the first
degree must be introduced by 2:30 this afternoon.
We stand ready to work with any Member on an amendment. This would be
a good time for anyone who has an amendment that is controversial to
come and offer it. So far, no one has volunteered to undertake that
task. But pending a Member wishing to offer an amendment, I suggest the
absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Unanimous Consent Agreement
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the
Senate receives from the House of Representatives the companion bill to
S. 1122, the Senate immediately proceed to the consideration thereof;
that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 1122,
as passed, be inserted in lieu thereof; that the House bill, as
amended, be read for the third time and passed; that the Senate insist
on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the
disagreeing votes of the two Houses, and
[[Page S6648]]
that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the
Senate; and that the foregoing occur without any intervening action or
debate.
I further ask unanimous consent that S. 1122 not be engrossed and
that it remain at the desk pending receipt of the House companion bill,
and that upon passage of the House bill, as amended, the passage of S.
1122 be vitiated and the bill be indefinitely postponed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________