Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1997 No. 79 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 1997, at 10:30 a.m. Senate MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1997 The Senate met at 12 noon, and was ORDERS FOR TODAY MORNING BUSINESS called to order by the President pro Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on behalf The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. of the majority leader, I ask unani- the previous order, the Senate is in a mous consent that the routine requests period of morning business. PRAYER through the morning hour be granted, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- and the Senate then be in a period of ator from Minnesota. The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John morning business with Senators per- Mr. WELLSTONE. I thank the Chair. Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: mitted to speak up to 10 minutes, with Mr. President, I am not quite sure Sovereign God, our help in all the ups the following exceptions: Senator what the business of the Senate will be and downs of life, all the triumphs and COVERDELL or his designee for 60 min- this week. I would be interested in defeats of political life, and all the utes, from the hour of 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., knowing what the majority leader is changes and challenges of leadership, Senator DASCHLE or his designee for 60 planning. You are our Lord in all seasons and for minutes, and Senator MURKOWSKI, for PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR all reasons. We can come to You when 20 minutes. Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I Mr. WELLSTONE. Reserving the life makes us glad or sad. There is no ask unanimous consent that Brian right to object, and I do not think I place or circumstance beyond Your Ahlberg be permitted privileges of the will, I wonder whether the acting lead- control. Wherever we go You are there floor. er would amend his request to include waiting for us. You already are at work The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Senator WELLSTONE for up to half an with people before we encounter them, objection, it is so ordered. hour. You prepare solutions for our complex- f ities, and You are ready to help us to Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent resolve conflicts even before we ask Senator WELLSTONE be allowed to DISASTER RELIEF You. And so, we claim Your promise speak for up to 30 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I given through Jeremiah, ``Call on Me, come to the floor and I think that INHOFE). Without objection, it is so or- and I will answer you, and show great dered. other Senators will certainly be on the and mighty things you do not know.''Ð f floor today, tomorrow, and as long as Jeremiah 33:3. it takes, to speak about the disaster in God of win-win solutions, guide the SCHEDULE my State and in the Dakotas and other Senators to discover Your answer for Mr. FRIST. For the information of States as well. I really come to the the present deadlock over the disaster all Members, today the Senate will be floor today to speak about a disaster, relief bill. We thank You in advance for in a period of morning business to really a disaster on top of a disaster, a divinely inspired resolution. In the allow a number of Senators time to because the disaster supplemental, name of our Lord and Saviour. Amen. speak. The Senate may also take up which the Congress completed action any executive or legislative business on Thursday has still not been sent to f cleared for action. As previously an- the White House. There has been a dis- nounced, if any votes are ordered aster in our States and peoples lives RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING today, they would be set aside, not to have been devastated and they are MAJORITY LEADER occur before 5 p.m. As always, all Mem- waiting for additional Federal assist- bers will be notified if and when any ance. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The votes are scheduled. Mr. President, there is the disaster able acting majority leader is recog- I appreciate my colleagues' atten- that people are faced with in Min- nized. tion. I yield the floor. nesota and the Dakotas of having been · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5387 S5388 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE June 9, 1997 flooded out of their homes. I heard the First we have the House of Representa- ton the bill until today, even though the en- Chaplain's prayer, that we resolve our tives going on vacation, Memorial Day rolling clerk had already finished work on it. impasse this week, and I thank him for recess, not even finishing the bill, not ``We think it's important that the President his prayer. He is always very sincere even finishing the bill. Then we finally have a weekend to think this thing through,'' he said. and I hope all of us will listen to him got this passed on Thursday and now But Republicans also needed some time to because there has to be a way that we we find out that, now it is 12:10 Mon- think about what their plan will be if the can get help to people who really are day, they still have not sent the bill measure is vetoed. trying to rebuild their lives. over to the President. This is uncon- GOP leaders were in ``some turmoil'' over I heard the mayor from Grand Forks, scionable on top of unconscionable. what their game plan should be, as a GOP ND, this morning on one of the na- They did not send the bill over to the aide said. tional network shows. She was saying President on Friday. They know he I put the emphasis on game. Stop that people are doing well at the com- will veto it. What is the majority party playing games. I do not care whether it munity level because they really are doing? I would be quite prepared to de- is Republicans or Democrats. I only helping each other out and trying to bate anybody who wants to debate me care right now about the people in East get back to their regular normal on this. Grand Forks, MN, and the people in the routines. But the one thing that is just I do not agree, most of the people in Dakotas and other communities in continuing to really discourage and de- Minnesota do not agree, with attaching Minnesota. I do not care about these moralize people is they still do not unrelated issues to the supplemental. games. They know the President was know whether or not there will be any Keep the bill clean and get the help to going to veto it. This was just an effort additional Federal assistance. They are people. to embarrass the President and it still waiting week after week after week. Why hasn't the bill, that you know has not been sent to him. You know Mr. President, I feel that the disas- the President is going to veto, been what, colleagues? I do not know wheth- ter, the other disaster, is the disaster sent to the President? You did not send er you have embarrassed the President here in the Congress. I spoke for a long it on Friday, you have not sent it on or not, I do not think you have, but the time about this last week, and then the weekend, and you have not even point is you have embarrassed your- said at the end of the weekÐand I am sent it come Monday. Some people can selves. You have embarrassed your- not really, by the way, looking forward be incredibly generous with the suffer- selves because everybody can see to thisÐI said that I was prepared to ing of others. Can anybody on the floor through this. If you want to provide come to the floor and speak for a long of the U.S. Senate who agrees with this disaster relief to people in an emer- time again this week on the need for decision not to even send the bill to the gency supplemental, then we should this emergency supplemental assist- PresidentÐyou know he will veto it, understand it is an emergency supple- ance. I do not know what the business then it comes back here, then maybe mental bill. It is a disaster. People are of the Senate will be, but I am prepared we can have an agreementÐcan any- waiting to rebuild their homes. People to make sure that there is no business body justify that? Not for me, as a Sen- are waiting to rebuild their businesses. as usual in the Senate until we pass a ator from Minnesota, but for the people People are trying to find out whether clean supplemental that the President in East Grand Forks or Grand Forks or or not they are going to be moved be- can sign. This has to be resolved. Warren or Ada, and a whole lot of other cause they live in a floodplain or The particular disaster I want to communities. whether they will not be moved, and speak to this afternoon, Mr. President, Now, here is what I see, and this is they cannot find out anything because is the fact that some very controver- just transparent: of this unbelievable charade that is sial riders have been added to the sup- GOP sources alternately said they declined taking place here.