[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 124 (Friday, September 21, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S9608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORDER OF BUSINESS

  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, for the interest of all Senators, I 
want to make sure people understand what the schedule is for Monday.
  We will convene at 12 noon. From 12 o'clock to 2 o'clock, we will 
take up the Jordan free trade agreement. That has already been 
established by unanimous consent. There will be a 2-hour debate and, by 
agreement, a voice vote.
  At 2 p.m., there will be a rollcall vote on the Kirk Van Tine 
nomination, Mr. Van Tine to be general counsel of the Department of 
Transportation.
  Following that vote, we will resume consideration of the Defense 
authorization bill.


                           Passage of S. 1450

  I appreciate very much the tremendous cooperation of all Senators. I 
know this bill was extremely difficult and very complex, very 
controversial in many respects. I appreciate the work on both sides of 
the aisle to get us to the point we are now.
  I know there are a lot of Senators who would have appreciated the 
opportunity to offer amendments. It is not our intent to deny Senators 
the right to offer amendments. Under these circumstances, I am grateful 
for the acknowledgment that we are in a very difficult time and that 
cooperation, as was demonstrated again this afternoon, is essential if 
we are able to respond as we now have to the crisis we are facing, not 
only in the aviation industry but in the economy in a number of other 
ways having to do with the tragedy.
  In my view, there were two essential pieces of legislation missing 
from this bill. Others have already addressed it. Senators Carnahan, 
Murray, Cantwell, and Kennedy, and others have been working on a 
proposal to deal with the disaster adjustment assistance and extended 
COBRA coverage. It is essential that we provide dislocated workers some 
income security, some training, access to health benefits. We did a 
little bit of that in this bill. It was a first step, but we really 
have a long way to go if we are going to address in a comprehensive and 
meaningful way the tremendous problems that families all over this 
country are now facing as a result of layoffs, as a result of 
bankruptcies, as a result of the economic slowdown. For all of the 
reasons we have heard, we simply cannot allow the circumstances to go 
unattended. It is critical that we do it sooner rather than later.
  I have talked to Senators Kennedy and Carnahan and others. I have 
talked with some Senators on this side of the aisle, especially Senator 
Lott. It is my hope and my determination to address this issue in the 
not-too-distant future. We must. We simply cannot go without the 
acknowledgment of the seriousness of the problem as well as a 
recognition that this problem must be addressed.
  Secondly, I am very pleased that the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. 
Hollings, Senator McCain, Senator Rockefeller, Senator Hutchison, so 
many others, and Senator Kerry, have worked as closely together as they 
have on airport security and on airplane security as well. If there is 
one piece I really wish we could have addressed in this bill more 
comprehensively, it is that.
  I talked to the President about it this morning. It is his intention 
to address the issue in a much more comprehensive way as well. I have 
no doubt we can work with him on security. The Presiding Officer very 
eloquently and passionately addressed the issue of security this 
morning in the caucus.
  I am pleased that at least the $3 billion that has been committed to 
airport security will allow us to take some of the initial steps. We 
must rebuild confidence on the part of air travelers. We must ensure 
that airports and airplanes can be made more secure. We must work 
together to make that happen soon. We can continue to provide these 
bills with billions and billions of dollars, but if people are not 
going to climb on those airplanes, if they are not going to feel 
comfortable walking through the airports, if they don't know whether 
the ramps are secure or not, those billions of dollars will not solve 
the problem.
  I am equally as determined to address this issue of security in the 
days ahead. Senator Hollings has indicated he will continue to work 
with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I intend to work with 
the administration. I will bring this matter up with the speaker at the 
next opportunity. We will continue to find ways with which to address 
security, perhaps as early as next week.

  The bill the Commerce Committee has now introduced is a bill I 
believe very confidently will address many of these issues, so 
confidently that I have cosponsored it along with many other Senators. 
I am hopeful that in the not-too-distant future it can be a subject for 
debate and consideration in the Senate Chamber and that we can work to 
get a bill passed that will truly provide the kind of infrastructure 
and security that will be required to raise the confidence level that 
is necessary.
  Security, additional compensation, and a safety net for all of those 
workers who have been left out so far are issues that I am committed to 
address and that I know the Senate is committed to address. I will 
continue to work with my colleague Senator Lott, who is every bit as 
concerned about many of these issues as I am.
  We will continue to find ways to work together to do what we know we 
must to put this country back and to recognize the needs of families, 
workers, and businesses across the country.

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