[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 22090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 4733 VETO MESSAGE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the veto 
message with respect to the conference report accompanying H.R. 4733 be 
considered as having been read, printed in the Record and spread in 
full upon the Journal, and the message then be referred to the 
Appropriations Committee.
  Before the Chair grants this request, I would like to say to my 
colleagues that, unfortunately, the Senate does not have the votes to 
override this veto. I still believe strongly that the energy and water 
appropriations conference report should not have been vetoed and that 
there is a real threat of danger as a result of the provisions that are 
in controversy. The vote in the Senate was 57-37, which is a very 
strong vote. But at this point it appears there certainly would not be 
sufficient votes to override the President's veto.
  I regret the veto. The Senate needs to proceed now to complete these 
appropriations bills, and therefore we have had to go through the 
process as just be outlined in these previous unanimous consent 
requests. Therefore, this consent addresses the immediate concern of 
the veto message entering the Senate Chamber.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, while Senator Daschle is here, he may want 
to make comments. I thank him again for working to help get this 
agreement worked out, as Senator Reid certainly has been helpful, and 
Senator Bond, chairman of the committee, and Senator Mikulski, ranking 
member of the HUD-VA appropriations subcommittee; they have done good 
work.
  As a result of these agreements, we will be able to act tomorrow on 
the HUD-VA appropriations bill, the energy and water appropriations 
bill, as will be modified to put in the agreed-to language with regard 
to section 103, and we also will then have the Treasury-Postal 
appropriations bill included in this process.
  We will continue to work after this vote at 4:30 to get an agreement 
with regard to the time and a vote on the Defense authorization bill. 
We are working through the difficulties which are probably on this 
side; maybe on both sides. We will try to work that out, and also a 
time when a vote will occur on the Agriculture appropriations 
conference report.
  I will have to communicate some more. I thought it important to go 
ahead and get these agreements lined up.
  I remind Members, we have two votes scheduled at 4:30.
  Mr. DASCHLE. I commend the majority leader for his work in reaching 
this agreement and compliment and thank Members on both sides of the 
aisle.
  We have to be realists as we try to finish our work at the end of 
this session. Being realists means we don't get it exactly the way we 
want it. Obviously, many Members have serious problems about the way we 
are proceeding. We, nonetheless, realize we have to get the work done. 
While it may not be pretty, it will get the work done. That is 
ultimately what we are here to do.
  To clarify what this agreement does with regard to some of the 
concerns that some Members have raised, first and foremost, this allows 
for the completion of the Treasury-Postal bill because we address the 
IRS concern raised by the administration. We are very pleased that 
issue has been resolved and we are now able to go forth at least from 
the point of view of the administration. Senator Byrd had the same 
concern I did about procedure. This allows us technically to have taken 
up TPO on the floor, as Senator Byrd has strongly suggested we do and 
as some Members proposed be done. This allows us to do that, and we 
will do it in concert with the consideration of HUD-VA.
  Obviously, as I think everyone now knows, section 103 of the energy 
and water bill is very problematic for the administration and for some 
of us. This understanding takes out section 103.
  We have accommodated a lot of the concerns in reaching this 
agreement. We will have a couple of amendments offered by Senator Boxer 
who has concerns about the HUD-VA bill. This reaches the level of 
understanding we have with regard to her concerns, as well.
  Clearly, this is a compromise taking into account both the procedural 
as well as the substantive concerns many Senators have had on both 
sides of the aisle, and it accommodates those concerns as best we can 
under these circumstances.
  Again, I end where I began by complimenting the majority leader, by 
expressing my appreciation for his work in trying to reach an 
accommodation of some of these issues. I hope we can do more on other 
bills that are yet to be considered.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID. While the two leaders are on the floor, there is so much 
acrimony on the Senate floor, and there will be more in the future. At 
a time when we have accomplished a great deal procedurally, you two 
should be commended. It has been difficult to arrive at this point. 
This is one of the times where we worked with some cooperation. There 
will be more difficulties before the session ends, but the two leaders 
are to be commended for the work done today.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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