Senate (Legislative Day of Wednesday, February 28, 1996)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1996 No. 26 Senate (Legislative day of Wednesday, February 28, 1996) The Senate met at 11 a.m., on the ex- Senator MURKOWSKI for 15 minutes, able to get this opportunity to go piration of the recess, and was called to Senator DORGAN for 20 minutes; fol- where they can get the help they order by the President pro tempore lowing morning business today at 12 need—perhaps after the regular school [Mr. THURMOND]. noon, the Senate will begin 30 minutes hours. Why would we want to lock chil- of debate on the motion to invoke clo- dren in the District of Columbia into PRAYER ture on the D.C. appropriations con- schools that are totally inadequate, The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John ference report. but their parents are not allowed to or Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: At 12:30, the Senate will begin a 15- cannot afford to move them around Let us pray: minute rollcall vote on that motion to into other schools or into schools even Father, we are Your children and sis- invoke cloture on the conference re- in adjoining States? ters and brothers in Your family. port. It is also still hoped that during Today we renew our commitment to today’s session the Senate will be able It is a question of choice and oppor- live and work together here in the Sen- to complete action on legislation ex- tunity. We are saying we should at ate Chamber and in our offices in a way tending the authorization of the com- least give the District of Columbia the that exemplifies to our Nation that mittee regarding Whitewater. Senators opportunity to consider whether or not people of good will can work in unity are reminded there will be a rollcall they want to allow these children to with mutual esteem and affirmation. vote at 12:30 today and additional votes have this option. The Members of the Help us to communicate respect for the are possible. Senate, the Democratic leadership, the special, unique miracle of each person f Senator from Massachusetts says, no, with whom we work and with whom we THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA we will not even allow this option to be debate the issues before us. We need considered. We will vote against this Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I do not see Your help to reverse the growing cyni- conference report because of this one other Senators wishing to speak at this cism in America about government and point. I do not understand it. time, so I would like to be recognized political leaders. Today we want to for 5 minutes on my own time, not out We all say we are concerned about overcome this cynicism with civility in of leader’s time. education in America, learning and all our relationships and the business I do hope the Senate will think care- children, but we do not want to give we do together. May we be more aware fully about this vote at 12:30 today. The the children in the District of Colum- of Your presence than we are of tele- District of Columbia is in dire straits. bia that option, even? I would urge my vision cameras, more concerned about We may not approve of the way they do colleagues here in the Senate to vote the image we project as we work coop- business, or what their plans are for for this conference report. If we do not eratively than our personal image, and the future, even. However, it is our Na- do it, we are going to wind up at some more dedicated to patriotism than to tion’s Capital. They need this appro- point—in a week, or two, or I do not party. Help us show America how great priations conference report to be re- know how far down the road—with a people pull together to accomplish solved, and resolved right away. continuing resolution for a few weeks Your will for our beloved Nation. In The problem is there is some lan- or a couple of months or maybe even the name of the Lord. Amen. guage in this conference report using the remaining 51⁄2 months of this year, f vouchers for children in the District of or maybe it will wind up in some omni- RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING Columbia that have remedial reading bus appropriations bill, but I can tell MAJORITY LEADER problems, or tuition vouchers for them my colleagues on the other side of the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The to be able to go to other schools. It has aisle it will be funded at less than is in able acting majority leader, Senator a lot of flexibility built into it. The Senator from Vermont, Senator this conference report, probably. LOTT, is recognized. JEFFORDS, has worked very hard to I just think that the Senate looks f come up with a reasonable com- very bad in refusing to vote cloture so SCHEDULE promise. These vouchers will not be that we could even debate this appro- Mr. LOTT. Thank you very much, available, as I understand it, if the Dis- priations conference report. I hope we Mr. President. Today there will be a trict of Columbia decides against it. will have additional votes for cloture period for morning business until the Why should not the Congress at least today. I think we will pick up some. If hour of 12 noon, with Senators per- give them that option? Why do we re- we do not succeed today, I hope we will mitted to speak for up to 5 minutes sist allowing children that need reme- try again next week, and I hope the each with the following exceptions: dial help in reading, for instance, being Senate will find its way clear to vote ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1399 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:15 Jun 20, 2008 Jkt 041999 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA16\1996_F~1\S29FE6.REC S29FE6 mmaher on MIKETEMP with SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS S1400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 29, 1996 for what I think is the right thing in trade. There are some trade myths that Some parts of his argument have some invoking cloture. You can still vote I want to talk about today. This will be dark edges that I do not like. Yet the against the appropriations bill for the the first of a series of presentations fact is every time someone raises the District of Columbia if you think it is which I intend to make on trade. question of the trade deficit in this too much money and not done in the Today I will be dealing with the over- country, they are called a xenophobic right way, and I might do that, but view, and then in subsequent days I protectionist stooge of some type. allow us to bring it up for consider- will be dealing with the problems that They are accused of wanting to build a ation. cause the trade deficit. wall around America, or labeled as one I yield the floor. The reason I come to the floor is the of a bunch of isolationists. f myths that exist on trade that are now What a bunch of nonsense. You can being perpetuated in the Presidential stand up for the economic interests of MORNING BUSINESS campaigns. These are generally myths this country, you can stand up for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. spread around this town that are held American producers and American INHOFE). Under a previous order, there dear by many people in this town: workers, and you can stand up for the will now be a period of time to transact First, ‘‘Balancing the Federal budget symbols and the reality of fair trade morning business until the hour of 12 is important; reducing our Nation’s without being isolationist or protec- noon, with Senators permitted to trade deficit is not.’’ tionist. speak up to 5 minutes each, with the We have two deficits in this country. I would like to run through a series exception of the Senator from North We have a budget deficit in the Federal of charts and talk about where we are. Dakota [Mr. DORGAN] 20 minutes, and Government. It hurts this country, and The first chart is a chart which talks the Senator from Alaska [Mr. MUR- we ought to deal with it. People on about the trade deficit and the Federal KOWSKI] 15 minutes. both sides of the aisle are wrestling budget deficit. Actually, this is the Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I suggest with the priorities of how do you solve Federal budget deficit that is listed the absence of a quorum. the budget problem and put our budget both by the President and by the Con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The in balance. gress. The budget deficit actually is clerk will call the roll. I know some on the other side say, higher than this because this includes The assistant legislative clerk pro- ‘‘Well, we have all the answers,’’ and the Social Security revenues. Yet, they ceeded to call the roll. some here say, ‘‘No; we have all the an- advertise the budget deficit as $164 bil- Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask swers.’’ The fact is everyone would like lion last year.