June 5, 1984 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 14931 SENATE-Tuesday, June _5, 1984 The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was SENATE SCHEDULE The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem­ called to order by the Honorable Mr. BAKER. Mr. President, today pore. Without objection, it is so or­ DANIEL J. EVANS, a Senator from the the Senate convenes pursuant to the dered. State of Washington. adjournment of yesterday. Under the Mr. BAKER. Of course, this is to ac­ order previously entered, the reading commodate the requirement for Sena­ PRAYER of the Journal is dispensed with, no tors to attend caucuses by both par­ The Chaplain, the Reverend Rich­ resolutions may come over under the ties, which are held away from the ard C. Halverson, D.D., offered the fol­ rule, the call of the calendar has been Senate Chamber. lowing prayer: dispensed with, and morning hour has Mr. President, I do not anticipate been deemed to have expired. that today will be a late day, but, once Let us pray. Mr. President, this is no surprise, of more, I do expect us to be in for a full Gracious Father in Heaven, we ac­ course, to the minority leader as to week, including Friday. knowledge the abundance which Thou why that was done yesterday. It cre­ Mr. President, there is a messenger hast lavished upon us. We live in ated a new legislative day in the at the door from the House of Repre­ luxury compared to most people in the Senate with respect to the availability sentatives. world including many in our land­ of measures which have now reached some just a few blocks from this build­ the calendar. I am thinking particular­ ing. We always have more than ly of the defense authorization bill. enough of everything while most The 3-day rule on the defense authori­ MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE never have enough of anything. We zation bill, I believe, will expire at 2:58 At 11:08 a.m., a message from the live in comfort, freedom, and securi­ p.m. today. The 1-day rule will have House of Representatives, delivered by ty-many are oppressed, persecuted, expired by reason of the adjournment. Mr. Berry, one of its reading clerks, perennially unsafe and in bondage. There is also a budget waiver resolu­ announced that the House has passed Help us, Lord, never to be isolated tion which was reported on yesterday the following bill, in which it requests from-insulated against-or indiffer­ by the Budget Committee. the concurrence of the Senate: ent to those who suffer indignity, pov­ All of this was in preparation for erty, hunger, and disease without H.R. 5713. An act making appropriations asking the Senate to turn to the con­ for the Department of Housing and Urban relief. sideration of the DOD authorization Development, and for sundry independent The New Testament identifies in­ bill, perhaps this afternoon. agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, gratitude with godlessness-save us Before we do that, however, Mr. and offices for the fiscal year ending Sep­ from the idolatry of things and help tember 30, 1985, and for other purposes. us never to take for granted common President, it would be the hope of the benefits and presume upon Thy good­ leadership on this side that we can ness. May we be compassionate and complete debate and action on the Wilkinson nomination. unselfish in our private lives and in APPROPRIATIONS BILLS our public responsibility. In the name Mr. President, I have conferred with of Him who was love incarnate. Amen. the minority leader on that. He has Mr. BAKER. Mr. President, I would not yet been able to give me a reply, note that that is, I believe, the second but I am mentioning it now so Sena­ of the regular appropriations bills APPOINTMENT OF ACTING tors on both sides of the aisle may be from the House of Representatives. I PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE aware of the desire of the leadership should have said earlier that I hoped on this side in that respect. in addition to the Wilkinson nomina­ The PRESIDING OFFICER. The I can see in my mind's eye the possi­ clerk will please read a communication tion and the DOD authorization, that bility of taking up and completing we can do at least these appropriations to the Senate from the President pro action on the Wilkinson nomination tempore <Mr. THuRMOND). bills. I talked to the chairman of the today and then be in a position to lay Appropriations Committee this morn­ The legislative clerk read the follow­ down the defense authorization bill ing letter: ing and I believe we may be in a posi­ U.S. SENATE, late today so that it will be the pend­ tion to take up the energy-water ap­ PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, ing business on tomorrow, or some rea­ propriations bill later this week. It Washington, D. C., June 5, 1984. sonable variation thereof. would be the intention of the leader­ To the Senate: For the time being, Mr. President, Under the provisions of rule I, section 3, after the opening formalities are dis­ ship on this side to attempt to do so of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I pensed with, including the time for before the week is out. hereby appoint the Honorable DANIEL J. the transaction of routine morning Mr. President, if I have any time re­ EvANs, a Senator from the State of Wash­ maining, I yield it back, unless the mi­ ington, to perform the duties of the Chair. business and the recess which occurs regularly on Tuesdays-which I am nority leader wishes to claim it with STROM THURMOND, his time. President pro tempore. about to ask the Senate to order-the Senate will resume consideration of Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank Mr. EVANS thereupon assumed the the majority leader. chair as Acting President pro tempore. the bankruptcy bill, at which time the Packwood amendment will be the pending question. RECOGNITION OF THE ORDER FOR RECESS FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 2 P.M. MAJORITY LEADER TODAY RECOGNITION OF THE The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem­ Mr. President, I ask unanimous con­ MINORITY LEADER pore. Under the standing order, the sent that at the hour of 12 noon today The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem­ majority leader is recognized. the Senate stand in recess until the pore. Under the previous order, the Mr. BAKER. I thank the Chair. hour of 2 p.m. minority leader is recognized. e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. 14932 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE June 5, 1984 THE PERSIAN GULF WAR AND tively, above the current world crude tory equipment and mmmg equip­ THE NATION'S ENERGY PRE­ oil price of circa $29 per barrel. These ment. The Nation's farmers, who are PAREDNESS higher prices would lead to immediate already facing economic hard times, Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, yester­ increases in the price of gasoline and would have to face grim prospects of day's Washington Post carried several other petroleum products. drastically higher fuel bills to run stories on the war in the Persian Gulf, In the face of substantial price in­ their tractors and combines, to dry and the administration's approach to creases, the Post reports, the adminis­ grain, and to get their crops to market. addressing the domestic consequences tration says it will not use its author­ Mr. President, as the Persian Gulf of a major oil supply disruption. These ity to allocate oil supplies, or to con­ war intensifies, I am more and more stories make it clear that the situation trol prices. Energy Secretary Hodel is concerned that this administration's in the Persian Gulf continues to dete­ quoted as saying that, "We have got to approach to energy emergency pre­ riorate, and that we are not prepared remain firm, and be willing to take the paredness is far too limited to deal to deal with the economic effects of a bumps that occur from relying on the adequately and fairly with the prob­ major oil supply disruption. market." Mr. President, what this lems this Nation will face in the event The first article reported that, on means is that the administration's ap­ of a major oil disruption. Sunday, Iraqi missiles hit and dam­ proach is to let oil go to those who can We could make it for a time. We are aged another tanker in the gulf. The pay the price. far less dependent than are our allies second article, entitled "U.S. Expects There is no basic plan on the part of on oil from the Middle East. We could Gulf Crisis to Worsen," reports that the administration at this time with not turn our faces aside, however, the State Department is " 'certain' reference to the allocation of oil in the from the very serious and perhaps that Iran will launch a full-scale event of a severe national emergency. critical impact on the economies of ground attack into Iraq, probably on ·This was the sum and substance of the those countries in the event of a major the Basra front, with the 300,000 to testimony of administration officials oil shutoff. We would not escape un­ 500,000 Iranian troops that have been before the subcommittee to which I scathed even though, as I say, we pres­ massed along the border for several referred a moment ago. That subcom­ ently are not, to my knowledge; as de­ months." I think it is important to mittee of the Appropriations Commit­ pendent as some of our allies are.