[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now 
resume consideration of S. 1217, which the clerk will report.
  The legislative assistant read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1217) making appropriations for the Departments 
     of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and 
     for other purposes.

  Pending:

       Gregg amendment No. 1272, to extend the Violent Crime 
     Reduction Trust Fund through fiscal year 2005.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pending business is amendment No. 1272, on 
which there will be 1 hour of debate equally divided.
  The distinguished Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, under the unanimous consent agreement from 
last night, we were going to reserve 30 minutes of the time for two 
Democratic Members of the Senate, Senator Leahy and Senator Biden. 
Senator Biden and Senator Leahy had 30 minutes of this time. I now ask 
unanimous consent that the final 10 minutes of the time be reserved for 
myself, and prior to that, the 10 minutes prior to that, be reserved 
for the Senator from South Carolina.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask 
the time be allocated to the underlying amendment and charged equally 
against both sides.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will call the roll.
  The legislative assistant proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                         Privilege Of The Floor

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, on behalf of the Senator from Delaware, 
Mr. Biden, I ask that Andrew Kline be granted the privilege of the 
floor during consideration of this measure.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I suggest the absence of a quorum under the same 
arrangement, the time charged to both sides.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative assistant proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. DeWine). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed 
to speak as in morning business for 7 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator is recognized.
  Mr. HARKIN. First of all, I take this time because I want to talk a 
little bit about the plight of American agriculture and our Nation's 
farmers and to talk about a bill that I will be introducing shortly.

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