Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 104 CONGRESS, SECOND 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 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1996 No. 122 Senate The Senate met at 10:30 a.m., and was will be no rollcall votes during today’s NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- called to order by the President pro session. TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. Also today, following the debate on 1997—CONFERENCE REPORT the conference report, there will be a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under PRAYER period for morning business with Sen- the previous order, the Senate will now The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John ator DASCHLE or his designee in control proceed to the consideration of the Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: of the time from 3:30 to 4:30 and Sen- conference report accompanying H.R. Gracious God, we begin this week ator COVERDELL or his designee in con- 3230, which the clerk will report. with three liberating convictions: You trol of the time from 4:30 to 5:30. The legislative clerk read as follows: are on our side, You are by our side, and You are the source of strength in- On Tuesday, the Senate will debate The committee on conference on the dis- the Defense of Marriage Act beginning agreeing votes of the two Houses on the side. Help us to regain the confidence amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. from knowing that You are for us and at 9:30 to 12:30, with a vote occurring on that measure immediately following 3230) to authorize appropriations for fiscal not against us. You have created us to year 1997 for military activities of the De- know and love You and have called us the 2:15 vote on the Department of De- partment of Defense, for military construc- to serve this Nation. You have pro- fense conference report. After those tion and for defense activities of the Depart- grammed us for greatness by Your two consecutive votes, there will be 30 ment of Energy, to prescribe personnel power, so help us place our trust in minutes of debate to be followed by a strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed You, and live fully for You. We thank vote on S. 2056, the employment dis- Forces, and for other purposes, having met, crimination bill. after full and free conference, have agreed to You that You are with us seeking to recommend and do recommend to their re- help us to know and do Your will. Finally, as a reminder, following spective Houses this report, signed by a ma- Guide us in the complicated issues we those votes on Tuesday, the Senate jority of the conferees. consider today. We invite You to take will begin consideration of the Treas- The Senate proceeded to consider the up residence in our minds to give us ury, Postal appropriations bill, with conference report. strength to see things from Your per- additional votes expected on that bill. (The conference report is printed in spective. Grant us courage to give dy- All Senators can expect busy sessions the House proceedings of the RECORD of namic moral leadership to our Nation. this week with rollcall votes possible July 30, 1996.) May Your justice, righteousness, integ- throughout each day and evening as The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time rity, honesty, and truth be the identifi- the Senate completes action on the re- for debate on this conference report able qualities of our leadership. We maining appropriations bills. will be limited to 4 hours equally di- commit all that we have and are to glo- Mr. President, I suggest the absence vided in the usual form, with 1 hour rify You with our work today. In the of a quorum. under the control of the Senator from name of our Lord. Amen. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Louisiana. f clerk will call the roll. The Senator from South Carolina. RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING The legislative clerk proceeded to Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I am MAJORITY LEADER call the roll. pleased to rise in support of the con- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The ference agreement on the National De- Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I able Senator from Wyoming is recog- fense Authorization Act for fiscal year ask unanimous consent that the order nized. 1997. This agreement continues the for the quorum call be rescinded. f work we began last year to keep the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Department of Defense on a steady SCHEDULE THOMAS). Without objection, it is so or- course as it heads into the 21st cen- Mr. THOMAS. For the information of dered. tury. The legislation sends a signal all Senators, this morning the Senate that we remain strongly committed to will begin 5 hours of debate on the De- f support our men and women in uniform partment of Defense authorization con- through funding for modernization and ference report. In accordance with the RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME training as well as for quality-of-life unanimous-consent agreement reached programs for our military and their on Friday, the vote on the Department The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under families. of Defense conference report will occur the previous order, leadership time is This year, the Senate chaired the at 2:15 on Tuesday, and therefore there reserved. conference with the House. I am proud ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S10027 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:13 Jun 22, 2008 Jkt 041999 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA16\1996_F~1\S09SE6.REC S09SE6 mmaher on MIKETEMP with SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS S10028 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 9, 1996 to say that we developed a responsible consent. In order to avoid a confronta- member of the Defense Subcommittee agreement after less than 20 working tion over this issue that would lead to on Appropriations, for their willingness days. This agreement resulted from the a veto of the Defense Authorization to work with us in a spirit of unprece- bipartisan cooperation of House Mem- Act, the conferees agreed that this dented cooperation through our process bers and Senators, Republicans and matter should be considered separately this year. I believe that both of our Democrats, working together on issues from the Defense Authorization Act. committee’s bills have benefitted from affecting our national security. We addressed modernization short- this relationship. During my tenure in the Senate and falls in this bill by including increases With the attacks against Iraq this my nearly 40 years as a member of the for sealift and airlift programs, and ro- week, we are reminded again of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I bust funding for the construction of vital role our military is fulfilling have fought hard to ensure that the se- new warships, such as the Seawolf sub- around the world. Many of the Sen- curity of our Nation is an issue that marine and the Arleigh Burke class de- ators who have expressed concern unifies rather than divides us. The best stroyers. The conference contains a about the funding levels in this bill national security policy is developed number of funding increases to bring have also gone on record in support of and implemented when we act in a bi- advanced technologies to the battle- the President’s recent actions in Iraq partisan spirit. It is my sincere hope field and to support the increasing va- as well as his earlier decision to send that we can make this an even stronger riety of missions our military men and our troops to Bosnia. These deploy- feature of the process we use to craft women are being ordered to carry out ments are costly. They require con- future national security legislation. around the world. We have authorized tinuing investments in weapons mod- The conference report recommends increases for additional JSTARS air- ernization, spare parts support, and an increase of $11.2 billion above the craft, greater numbers of critical night training in order to ensure that our President’s budget request of $254 bil- vision equipment, as well as providing men and women in uniform are well led lion for fiscal year 1997. The funding funds to accelerate the development of and can perform such operations effi- level authorized for the new budget au- the Army’s Comanche helicopter and ciently and with a minimum of risk. As thority is $265.6 billion, which is the nonlethal weapons programs. Senators consider their votes on this same level approved by the full Senate Mr. President, I want again to ex- vital legislation, they should be mind- on July 10. This amount is still $7.4 bil- press my appreciation to my col- ful of our obligation to support the lion below the inflation-adjusted fiscal leagues, especially the subcommittee men and women in our Armed Forces year 1996 level of spending. chairmen and ranking members, for and the need to maintain an adequate To improve the quality of life of our working together to reach this respon- level of funding for these forces that we military personnel and their families, sible conference agreement so expedi- so frequently call upon to go into the conference agreement includes a 3- tiously. I note with sadness that this is harm’s way. percent pay raise for military members the last authorization conference dur- It is my hope that this conference and a 4.6-percent increase in the basic ing which the committee will benefit agreement will receive the resounding allowance for quarters.