[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DASCHLE AMENDMENT NO. 3148

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on May 16, 2000, the United States Senate 
took a procedural vote on Senator Daschle's amendment to S. 2521, the 
Military Construction Appropriations Bill. Senator Daschle lost this 
procedural vote by a vote of 42-54.
  I did not support the Daschle amendment at that time because it was a 
procedural amendment to an unrelated bill. This unrelated Daschle 
amendment kept the Senate away all day from the important business of 
the Military Construction Appropriations Bill. In addition, it appeared 
that the Daschle amendment might indefinitely delay consideration of 
this important bill. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services 
Committee, I have a responsibility to secure passage of the important 
Military Construction Appropriations Bill. This bill provides 
critically needed funding for military construction projects, improves 
the quality of life for the men and women who are serving our country 
in the armed forces, and sustains the readiness of our armed forces. 
These areas are traditionally underfunded, and this bill provides the 
necessary funds to help make up for this shortfall. For these reasons, 
I did not support the Daschle amendment when it came before me on a 
procedural vote on May 16, 2000.
  Subsequent to the procedural vote on the Daschle amendment on May 16, 
2000, Senators Lott and Daschle reached an agreement to have two up or 
down votes--one on the aforementioned Daschle amendment and another on 
an amendment to be offered by Senator Lott. Under the agreement, debate 
on the amendments was limited by a time agreement.
  Once this leadership agreement was reached, it became apparent that 
the Daschle amendment would no longer indefinitely delay the Military 
Construction Appropriations Bill. Therefore, my previous objections to 
this amendment were no longer relevant.
  The Daschle amendment is a ``Sense of the Senate'' amendment. After 
stating a number of findings, the amendment states, among other things, 
that it is the Sense of the Senate that ``Congress should immediately 
pass a conference report to accompany'' the Juvenile Justice Bill that 
includes the Senate passed gun-related provisions.
  During the Senate's debate of the Juvenile Justice Bill in May of 
1999, I supported the Lautenberg amendment, and other amendments to 
close the gun show loophole in the Brady Act. I also supported an 
amendment to require licensed firearm dealers to provide a secure gun 
storage or safety device when a handgun is sold, delivered or 
transferred. Unfortunately, the Juvenile Justice Bill has been locked 
in a House and Senate Conference Committee.
  I remain firm in my stance on these issues. I certainly hope that 
House and Senate conferees can reach an agreement in conference on the 
Juvenile Justice Bill. And, I will continue to support the common-sense 
gun provisions that passed the Senate during the Juvenile Justice 
debate. I believe the Senate passed gun-related amendments to the 
Juvenile Justice Bill will help keep guns out of the hands of convicted 
felons and increase public safety without infringing on the rights of 
law-abiding citizens. Therefore, when it became clear that the Daschle 
amendment would not indefinitely delay consideration of the Military 
Construction Appropriations Bill, I supported this amendment and voted 
for it on May 17, 2000.

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