SENATE—Monday, October 30, 2000
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25472 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE October 30, 2000 SENATE—Monday, October 30, 2000 (Legislative day of Friday, September 22, 2000) The Senate met at 5 p.m., on the ex- morrow morning will occur at 7 p.m. those bills, whether he is going to veto piration of the recess, and was called to Senators should be aware that votes on them or sign them. order by the President pro tempore continuing resolutions are expected I know the majority leader is aware [Mr. THURMOND]. each day. Senators should also be of all the problems that this Congress aware that multiple votes could occur faces, but I hope that we exert any in- PRAYER each day starting tomorrow. Negotia- fluence any of us have to try to work The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John tions are ongoing, and it is still hoped out this Labor-HHS bill. I think if that Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: that agreements can be made to wrap were worked out, we could probably re- Dear God, the very time of the day of up the 106th Congress prior to the elec- solve the other issues, or at least I this opening of the Senate puts an ex- tions. hope so. There are a few other issues clamation point to our prayer for Your I thank my colleagues for their at- such as assisted suicide and immigra- help in the negotiations between the tention. tion that would still be outstanding, Congress and the President. As nature Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I could but hopefully we could resolve those if abhors a vacuum, You deplore dead- ask a question of the acting majority we got this big final spending bill done. locks that debilitate progress. We leader. Mr. SESSIONS. I am sure the major- know that when we seek Your problem- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The ity leader would work toward that end. solving power, there are no Senator from Nevada. I know it has been his goal since this unresolvable differences. Nothing is Mr. REID. I thank the Chair. I am Congress began to move the appropria- impossible with You. And yet You have wondering if the Senator from Ala- tions bills to not find us at this point. ordained that we must ask for Your bama would check with the majority Frankly, I am sympathetic with the intervention. Then mysteriously You leader to give us some idea of when he fact that he has tried to do that and work in the minds and hearts of all in- is planning to come in tomorrow; he is has been frustrated time and again. I volved to discover solutions and com- planing multiple votes. Numerous peo- think some people wanted us to end up promises that will bring resolution to ple have been calling and asking about in this very position, and they got the conflicts of wills as well as dif- that today. their wish. And as far as I am con- ferences about what is best for our Na- Mr. SESSIONS. What I understand is cerned, we can stay here until January tion. this, that the majority leader has made 1 or December 31 to do our business. We humbly confess our need for You, this proposal to the Democratic leader Wiser people will decide that. Lord. Times like these put intensity which has not been accepted as of yet; Mr. REID. You don’t mind if we take and intentionality into our motto, ‘‘In that he would ask unanimous consent at least a day or two for Thanksgiving God We Trust.’’ We do trust in You, we stand in recess when we complete and Christmas, do you? Lord. Give all involved in this present our business today until 5 p.m. Tues- Mr. SESSIONS. I do prefer to take off conflict the desire to set aside political day, and that the time between 5 p.m. Christmas. But we have a high duty to advantages. You have promised that if and 7 p.m. be a period for morning busi- do our work and do it right. we pray with complete trust, You will ness with the time equally divided, and I thank the Senator for his com- accomplish what seems to be humanly that at 7 p.m. the Senate proceed to ments, and I note that he desires, and impossible. Thank You for hearing our consider the 1-day continuing resolu- I do, that we reach an accord. prayer. You are our Lord and Saviour. tion and a vote occur immediately on I yield the floor and note the absence Amen. the resolution when it is received from of a quorum. the House without amendments, de- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The f bate, or motions in order. That will be clerk will call the roll. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE the proposal at this point, as I under- The legislative clerk proceeded to stand it. But I am sure the majority The Honorable JEFF SESSIONS, a Sen- call the roll. leader would be open to improvements. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- ator from the State of Alabama, led Mr. REID. Well, I say to my friend, I the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: imous consent that the order for the guess the good news is that ultimately quorum call be rescinded. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the there will have to be an end to the United States of America, and to the Repub- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SES- 106th Congress because the calendar is SIONS). Without objection, it is so or- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, going to run out eventually. I hope we indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. dered. will see fit to maybe wrap up the work f we have. f RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING As you know, there has been tremen- MAJORITY LEADER dous work on Labor-HHS during the past 24 hours. Early this morning we MORNING BUSINESS The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Sen- thought we had an agreement worked Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is my un- ator SESSIONS is recognized. out. As you know, my counterpart in derstanding that we are in a period of f the House on the Republican side, I un- morning business and that the time derstand, threw what we refer to as a used by the Senator from Alabama and SCHEDULE monkey wrench into the proposed the Senator from Nevada will be de- Mr. SESSIONS. On behalf of the ma- workout of the Labor-HHS bill which ducted from the 2 hours that are evenly jority leader, I note that today the now, it is my understanding, is in fur- divided for morning business, that the Senate will be in a period of morning ther negotiations. Democrats have the first half and the business until 7 p.m., with Senators Time is really working very fast Republicans have the second half. Is DOMENICI and REID in control of the against us. As you know, we have sent that accurate? time. A vote on a continuing resolution a number of bills to the President. He The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without that funds the Government until to- is going to have to make a decision on objection, it is so ordered. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Aug 04 2004 10:34 Jan 17, 2005 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\S30OC0.000 S30OC0 October 30, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 25473 SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME payers want to see long-term fixes to ensure vocate for a minimum wage increase is its solvency. Mr. REID. Mr. President, what I the State of Texas has one that is al- would like to do for a few minutes is Mr. President, the fact is that Gov- most $2 an hour less than the Federal talk about the Governor of Texas and ernor Bush’s plan ruins Social Security minimum wage. his plan regarding Social Security. I and ruins our economy. That is not a In some States, the wages are much will not go into a lot of detail other very good duo, as far as I am con- higher. You have some jurisdictions than to say that the actuarials that are cerned, when you take into consider- that have a minimum wage as much as cited show that his plan is impossible ation that Social Security is the most $11 an hour. But here we don’t. We have because he is promising the same tril- successful social program in the his- a $5.15 minimum wage. We want to in- lion dollars to two different groups, tory of the world. crease it 50 cents an hour. We are get- and in effect, the plan, just in a few We need to make sure that we do ting all kinds of static for trying to do short years, would bankrupt the coun- what we can to strengthen the pro- that. We need to do that. try and we would have staggering defi- gram. Governor Bush’s program weak- Campaign finance reform: Certainly cits again. ens the program. with this campaign season, people un- So that those within the sound of my f derstand how we have to do something to take money out of campaigns. We voice do not think that these state- MEANINGFUL LEGISLATIVE need to have campaigns more meaning- ments that I am making are coming ACCOMPLISHMENTS from the Democratic Senatorial Cam- ful. It shouldn’t be how much money Mr.