[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 13342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I now have a unanimous consent request that 
the only first-degree amendments remaining in order to the Department 
of Defense authorization bill, S. 2549, be limited to amendments that 
are relevant to the provisions of the bill, and on the finite list of 
amendments in order to the bill; that these first-degree amendments be 
subject to relevant second-degree amendments; provided further that the 
first-degree amendments must be filed at the desk by the close of 
business on Friday, June 30, 2000.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bennett). The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will just say, as I indicated last 
night, we want to work with the majority, with the leader, to 
accommodate his desire to bring this bill to closure. We are just about 
there. We are not quite there. I have been talking with one of my 
colleagues in regard to that particular request. We are not there yet. 
Unfortunately, I will object.
  Mr. LOTT. Before the Senator objects, in the spirit of cooperation 
that we are working under, I would like to withdraw the request so we 
can keep working and see if we can get this agreed to today.
  Mr. DASCHLE. That would be preferable.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The request is withdrawn.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this is precisely what I and Senator Levin 
and Senator Reid and others have been working on. On our side, as best 
I can assess, there is one remaining understandable discussion that 
must take place between Chairman Roth of the Finance Committee and the 
distinguished senior Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd. I believe 
other indications on our side have been fulfilled. I have worked 
through the morning. I believe they are fulfilled. So if that one 
remaining issue can hopefully be resolved, we might be able to 
readdress this today.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, it looks as if we are going to be here for 
quite some time. I believe we will have an opportunity later on in the 
day to try again. We will certainly do our very best to get this agreed 
to. It is an important issue. We will do everything we can to come up 
with a fair agreement.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, until some 
understanding is agreed to on the amendment to which Mr. Warner has 
alluded, I will object.

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