[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 150 (Friday, October 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13531-S13532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE SENATE

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of the people of 
Arkansas to express my extreme disappointment, frustration, and 
bewilderment with our ineffectiveness in the manipulation of the 
Senate. Today, I was supposed to be touring the former Eaker Air Force 
Base site in Blytheville, AR, with numerous officials from the National 
Park Service as well as other State and local leaders. This is a 
meeting we have worked on for months to arrange, understanding there 
might be legislative business today.
  The community is united in its effort to have this former military 
base converted into a Mississippi Valley archeological facility and 
research center. The benefits this project will bring to northeastern 
Arkansas are enormous, and I had hoped to be there today to again 
demonstrate my support to the entire community and the Park Service and 
to urge a favorable decision by the Park Service.
  I also had several other appointments scheduled with various 
constituents in the State, but I had to cancel all these meetings to be 
here for scheduled votes. I thought we might vote on key trade 
initiatives and might even get to an appropriations bill. But these 
votes are, once again, delayed and may never occur. This is not the 
first time I have had to cancel meetings or events on critical issues 
with large groups of constituents in Arkansas to stay in Washington for 
votes, votes and work that never happened or were simply procedural or 
partisan. My constituents understand when I have to be in Washington to 
vote, but what they do not understand and what frustrates me is when I 
stay in Washington for votes and work that never occur.
  I would understand, and would encourage a great deal, if we were 
delaying debate so Members could travel to Rhode Island to pay tribute 
to our distinguished former colleague, John Chafee, a man whose 
presence in the Senate made this entire body a more respectful and 
enjoyable place, a truly bipartisan, wonderful colleague I enjoyed 
working with so very much and a great leader, one who I think would be 
proud to see us working to come to conclusion and bring about results 
on behalf of the American people. But this is not the case. There is no 
reason we should not be working and voting today.
  October 29, today, was our target adjournment day. We could be and 
should be done. We have just voted our third continuing resolution. We 
could have been working in the Senate to come to conclusion. Five 
spending bills still remain, including funding for education and health 
care, which I think should have been our very first priority in the 
Senate. It is clear to everyone involved why this mess keeps happening, 
why we are not getting anywhere. The majority is trying to override the 
true design of the Senate. They are limiting debate. They are refusing 
amendments and pulling legislation off the floor to mute the voices of 
the minority. I have great concern with that.
  I was elected to this body in November of 1998. I came to serve in 
1999, during a historical situation that caused each of us to research 
and understand what the constitutional responsibilities of this body 
are about, to understand the design of this body. I was a Member of the 
House of Representatives. The Senate is called the upper Chamber, the 
deliberative body, for a very good reason. We are supposed to be above 
all of this. We are not the House. We should not operate as the House. 
We should be operating as a deliberative body, debating the issues, 
bringing out the concerns of each individual in this body, especially 
since just last night the House voted to gut Social Security by $17 
billion. What an important issue to the people of America.
  We have a lot of difficult decisions before us, decisions we should 
be debating, we should be making, and not postponing. I call on the 
leadership and on my colleagues in the Senate, again, let us roll up 
our sleeves and get down to work. The American people deserve no less.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.

[[Page S13532]]

  (The remarks of Mr. Byrd and Mr. Daschle pertaining to the 
introduction of S. 1833 are printed in today's Record under 
``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

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