E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1998 No. 141 Senate (Legislative day of Friday, October 2, 1998) The Senate met at 9:30 a.m., on the RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY nificant bill that is important to every expiration of the recess, and was called LEADER State in the Nation. It had been tied up to order by the President pro tempore The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The with various and sundry problems, but (Mr. THURMOND). able majority leader is recognized. with a lot of hard work and a lot of co- Mr. LOTT. Thank you, Mr. President, operation, that bill was cleared. We and good morning to you. hope, now, the House will take expedi- PRAYER f tious action and we can complete ac- tion on the water resources bill before The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John SCHEDULE we go out for the year. Also, we did the Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this morn- human resources reauthorization and Eternal God, sovereign of history, ing there will be 15 minutes remaining the vocational education bill. When who gives beginnings and ends to the for debate on the religious freedom you couple higher education and voca- phases of our work, on whom our mor- bill. At 9:45, under a previous order, the tional education, plus the Coverdell A+ tal efforts depend, soon this hallowed Senate will proceed to vote on the pas- bill that Congress passed, there has Chamber will be silent for a time. The sage of the religious freedom bill. I been a significant achievement this 105th Congress will be completed. His- commend Senator ARLEN SPECTER and year in education. Even though the torians will write the human judg- Senator NICKLES and Senators on both President vetoed the ability for people ments of what has been accomplished, sides of the aisle who have worked on to save for their children's education, higher education and vocational edu- but You will have the final word about this. I am sure Senator LIEBERMAN was cation are two areas where we have what has been achieved. It is Your af- involved, and others. I think this is a completed our action and will be firmation that we seek. Senators in really fine accomplishment in the wan- ing hours of this session of Congress. signed into law. both parties have prayed to know and I yield the floor. do Your will. Often there has been Following that vote, the Senate may consider any available appropriations The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sharp disagreement on what is best for ator from Oklahoma. conference reportsÐwe have at least our Nation. Thank You for those times one that I believe could be taken up, f when debate led to deeper truth and that is the Treasury-Postal Service A PRODUCTIVE BIRTHDAY FOR compromise to the blending of aspects billÐand any other legislative or exec- THE MAJORITY LEADER for a greater solution. We need that utive items cleared for action. It is an- Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, the ma- today. We remember those moving mo- ticipated that we will move at some jority leader announced several things ments when we sensed Your presence, point today to the nomination of Mr. we accomplished yesterday. It was a received supernatural power, and Paez from California, to be a judge for pretty productive day. Today I hope pressed on in spite of tiredness and ten- the Ninth Circuit. There is opposition, will be even a more productive day. Be- sion. We need that today. Help us to significant opposition to that nomina- cause it is one of the last days of our forgive and forget any memories of tion, so there will have to be some de- legislative session, but also because it strained relationships or debilitating bate and I am sure a vote. is the majority leader's birthday, we differences. Preserve the friendships The Senate will also consider a con- want it to be a very productive day. that reach across party lines. We need tinuing resolution or an omnibus ap- f that today. propriations bill, should they become available or when they become avail- FREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS Father, help us to finish well. Give us able. Members should expect, then, PERSECUTION ACT OF 1998 strength to complete the work of this rollcall votes throughout today's ses- Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I think Congress with expeditious excellence. sion and into the evening. I thank my the regular order is we are back on the Renew the weary, reinforce the fa- colleagues for their attention. International Religious Freedom Act? tigued, rejuvenate the anxious. When it I might just note, last night a lot of The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. AL- is all said and done, there is one last good work was done in the wrapup, in- LARD). If the Senator will suspend, the word we long to hear. It is Your divine cluding approval of the intelligence au- clerk will report. accolade, ``Well done, good and faithful thorization conference report and the The assistant legislative clerk read servant.'' Amen. water resources bill. This is a very sig- as follows: · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S12091 . S12092 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE October 9, 1998 A bill (H.R. 2431) to establish an Office of want to recognize Cecile Shea who is that: ``We hold these truths to be self- Religious Persecution Monitoring, to provide on my staff for the literally hundreds evident, that all men are created for the imposition of sanctions against coun- of hours she worked to help craft this equal'' and that they have certain en- tries engaged in a pattern of religious perse- bill. dowments, not from the founders of the cution, and for other purposes. This effort began with some Pied Pip- country, not from a group of politi- The Senate resumed consideration of ers outside the Congress who educated cians. The endowments come from the bill. us to the fact that these religious free- their Creator, and the endowment is The PRESIDING OFFICER. There doms that we hold so dear in the the right to life, liberty and the pur- are 15 minutes equally divided. The United States are not real for many suit of happiness. Then in the very first Senator from Oklahoma. people, millions of people around the amendment to the Bill of Rights, they Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I spoke world. Surprisingly to many of us, they established the freedom of religion at length on this bill last night. I men- are particularly not real for people of that has been so dear to our country, tioned that we have had a lot of co- the Christian faith around the world, so central to our country and such a operation and effort on behalf of a lot who are subjected to discrimination, magnet for our fathers and grand- of Senators to help make this bill a re- and in many cases persecution. fathers and great grandfathers who ality and hopefully to soon become One of the people who started this ef- came here driven by a desire to have law. Principal among those is Senator fort was Michael Horowitz of the Hud- that freedom. LIEBERMAN from Connecticut, who is son Institute, and he deserves to be On this day, I think of my grand- not just a principal cosponsor, but a mentioned here and thanked for edu- mother who came here from Central tireless worker on behalf of individuals cating and opening our eyes to the per- Europe. My grandmother was probably throughout the world who have been secution that exists. Senator SPECTER one of the greatest American patriots I suffering from religious persecution or and Congressman WOLF introduced the ever knew, for a simple reason: She who desire religious freedom. Senator initial bill. They were the pioneers said to me in her old age how much she LIEBERMAN has been working on their here and blended together with the ef- loved the country. She said, ``It may behalf. I am privileged to work with fort that Senator NICKLES and I initi- not seem that profound to you, it may him on this bill and I yield him such ated here in the Senate. I thank them not seem that complicated, but the time as he desires on this bill. for their support. fact I can walk to synagogue on Satur- As we come to the conclusion, I want Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I day morning and not only is no one to thank the administration represent- thank my friend and colleague from harassing me or bothering me, not only atives, led by Under Secretary Stuart Oklahoma for his kind words and for do I live free of fear, not only do I have Eizenstat, who worked with us to craft his extraordinary leadership on this no hesitation about what I will find in the language that could finally be ap- measure. the synagogue, nobody bothering the proved by National Security Advisor The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- building or any of us worshipping ator from Connecticut is recognized. Sandy Berger and the President. The administration endorsement guaran- there, but my neighbors who are not Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, we Jewish, as they see me, say ``Good are heading rapidly to the end of this tees that when passed this legislation will become law. morning, Mrs. Manger, good Sabbath second half of the 105th Congress.