[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8483]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017--Continued

  Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, as we move forward with cloture, I wish 
to make a clarification for the record.
  There has been a lot of conversation about this issue of the role of 
women as far as Selective Service is concerned. At the time the 
amendments were filed, there was no amendment, except one, from the 
Senator from Utah, who is on the floor.
  As soon as we began consideration of the bill, I said to the Senator 
from Utah: When do you want to do your amendment on women in the 
Selective Service?
  His response was that he wanted to do another amendment first.
  I said: Look, the way things work, you may have great difficulty 
getting that up. Nor has the Senator from Utah or anyone else raised 
the amendment for a vote.
  So I am sorry to say that out there, there seems to be some 
conversation that Senator McCain was blocking a vote on women in the 
Selective Service. I am not. Right now, if it were germane--and I don't 
know if it is germane or not--I have repeatedly said that if that 
amendment is up for consideration, I would be glad to have that 
amendment considered and to have it voted on.
  So I want to clarify that for the record. I did not block any 
amendment concerning women being eligible for Selective Service. I want 
the record to be very clear.
  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. COTTON. Madam 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for the quorum call be rescinded.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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