[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10626-10627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now 
resume consideration of S. 2549, which the clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2549) to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
     year 2001 for military activities of the Department of 
     Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
     activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
     personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed 
     Forces, and for other purposes.

  Pending:

       Smith of New Hampshire modified amendment No. 3210, to 
     prohibit granting security clearances to felons.
       Warner/Dodd amendment No. 3267, to establish a National 
     Bipartisan Commission on Cuba to evaluate United States 
     policy with respect to Cuba.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the leadership determined the Senate will 
return to consideration of this very important piece of legislation. I 
shall now read the order that was devised by the leaders.
  Today, the Senate will immediately resume consideration of S. 2549, 
the Department of Defense authorization bill. As a reminder, there are 
an overwhelming number of amendments in order. In an effort to complete 
action on the bill, those Senators with amendments are encouraged to 
work with the bill managers during today's session.
  Of course--I think I am joined by my distinguished ranking member--we 
desire to try our very best to continue to consider only those 
amendments that are actually germane to the purpose of this bill. That 
is my hope. Votes are expected throughout the day, and Senators will be 
notified as votes are scheduled.
  Senators should be aware that consideration of the Transportation 
appropriations bill may begin as early as the leadership determines. 
Hopefully, also, last night we agreed among the leadership to vote on 
the nominee for the Department of Energy, General Gordon. There will be 
some announcement to that effect later today.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
  Mr. WARNER. Yes. I want to finish up.
  Mr. BYRD. Did not the clerk read ``a bill making appropriations''? 
Did not the clerk read ``a bill making appropriations'' being the 
business before the Senate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill is to authorize appropriations.
  Mr. BYRD. Parliamentary inquiry: What is the business before the 
Senate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. S. 2549 is the bill before the Senate. It is 
to authorize appropriations.
  Mr. WARNER. I thank our distinguished colleague.
  It had been my hope to lay aside the Smith amendment to which is 
attached the McCain amendment regarding campaign finance issues. I have 
been advised there is an objection to laying that aside. There is a 
possibility that objection could be raised solely for the purpose of 
the managers of the bill, Mr. Levin and myself, proceeding to clear 
amendments that have been agreed to on both sides. I am just not at the 
moment able to assure the Senate that is in place.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, for clarification----
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator withhold his request?
  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. A quorum call has been requested.
  Mr. WARNER. I urge us to proceed with the quorum call.
  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we have had a discussion with the leaders 
on the other side of the aisle. I think there is a consensus that with 
the current objection to laying aside the Smith-McCain legislative 
package, which is the pending business, together with the Warner-Dodd 
amendment, which also needs a UC to lay aside, we cannot do either of 
those at this time. So the consensus is we go into a period of morning 
business, and at the hour of 11 o'clock the Senator from Virginia be 
recognized.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to object, at the hour of 11 o'clock 
we would then return to the consideration of the matter that is now 
pending?
  Mr. WARNER. Right, and that I be recognized.
  Mr. LEVIN. And that the Senator from Virginia be recognized.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, it is my 
understanding, of course--and I think it is

[[Page 10627]]

our understanding collectively--that for the next 1 hour and 15 
minutes, until 11 o'clock, there would be no substantive legislative 
issues that would be introduced in any manner.
  Mr. WARNER. That is correct. I understand that is under the rules 
guaranteed. We should, I think to accommodate our distinguished 
colleagues who have been waiting----
  Mr. REID. We should get that.
  Mr. WARNER. Get the order entered. I was going to include a specific 
time for the President pro tempore, the former distinguished majority 
leader, and such others who want to be recognized during morning 
business.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 6 minutes be allocated to 
the distinguished senior Senator from South Carolina and----
  Mr. REID. Twenty minutes.
  Mr. WARNER. Twenty minutes be allocated to our distinguished 
colleague, Senator Byrd, and then the morning would flow in morning 
business until 11 o'clock.
  Mr. REID. And all the reservations that were announced would be 
subject to the unanimous consent request that has been propounded?
  Mr. WARNER. That is correct.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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