[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 133 (Tuesday, October 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S12049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I appreciate the fact that the Democratic 
leader is still here. I know he had urgent meetings he had to go to. We 
needed to get that final recorded vote and pass that bill. I appreciate 
his patience on that. Also, I think he and I both agree that we want to 
advise Members on both sides of the aisle and all concerned that we are 
discussing how to proceed with the vote that is now in place on the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
  After we discussed our concerns about how and when to proceed on 
that, then there started to be a lot of speculation on both sides of 
the aisle and all around town. I think it is important for Members to 
just calm down and relax. We need to have the ability to communicate 
with each other and think about what is in the best interest of the 
Senate and our country and weigh all of the evidence that is now 
available to us.
  We do have a unanimous consent agreement that we will proceed to this 
issue, and we will have a vote after the requisite number of hours, 
probably on the 12th, or perhaps the morning of the 13th before we get 
to final passage. Nothing more than that has been done.
  We will have to work through this, and we will certainly have to work 
with our respective caucuses and the White House, because this is a 
very important national security and foreign policy issue, and we will 
also have to be involved in the consideration in how we proceed on this 
issue.

  I think that is what we need to say at this point. Nothing beyond 
that has been agreed to, suggested, or called for by the President, or 
by any Senator, and all we are trying to do is communicate and see if 
we are proceeding in the best interests of all concerned.
  Would the Senator like to add to that?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I agree with the characterization made 
just now by the majority leader. I think all we can do is continue to 
discuss the matter to see if we might proceed in a way that would 
accommodate the concerns and needs of both caucuses. I think what the 
majority leader said, especially about rumors, and how all this began 
is irrelevant. In fact, the more rumors, the more this matter is 
exacerbated. If we really want to try to proceed successfully, we need 
to quell the rumors and get on with trying to talk with dispassionate 
voices and make sure we make the right decisions. We are prepared to do 
that, and I know the majority leader is prepared to do that. That is 
all that needs to be said at this time.

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