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, OCTOBER 6, 1997 No. 137 Senate The Senate met at 1 p.m. and was today's session. Senators who desire to I believe we will be in session on Fri- called to order by the President pro speak with regard to the pending day and will probably have votes up tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. amendment or bill are encouraged to until around noon. But we will get do so during today's session. We should more information on that as the day PRAYER be able to get 5 hours or so of debate in progresses. The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John today if the Senators are willing to I yield the floor. Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: speak. f Gracious Father, thank You that I also remind my colleagues that a Your power is given in direct propor- cloture vote is scheduled on the pend- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME tion to the pressures and perplexities ing amendment regarding paycheck The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. protection at 2:15 tomorrow. Also, we face. We are given great courage KYL). Under the previous order, leader- under the provisions of rule XXII, and confidence as we are reminded that ship time is reserved. Members have until the hour of 1:30 You give more strength as our burdens today in order to file timely amend- f increase, and You entrust us with more ments to S. 25. In addition to the clo- wisdom as problems test our endur- BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN REFORM ture vote on the pending amendment, a ACT OF 1997 ance. We are cheered and comforted to cloture vote may occur on Tuesday on know that You will never leave nor for- the underlying campaign finance re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under sake us. Your love has no end, and form bill. the previous order, the Senate will re- Your patience has no breaking point. On Friday, a cloture motion was also sume consideration of S. 25, which the Today we want to affirm what You filed on the Mack-Graham amendment clerk will report. have taught us: that You have called us on immigration to the D.C. appropria- The assistant legislative clerk read to supernatural servanthood empow- tions bill. So it may be necessary to as follows: ered by Your spiritual gifts of wisdom, have a cloture vote during Tuesday's A bill (S. 25) to reform the financing of knowledge, discernment, and vision. session on that also if an agreement is Federal elections. You lovingly press us beyond our de- not reached. The Senators are working The Senate resumed consideration of pendence on erudition and experience together. I have spoken with them and the bill. alone. Thank You for giving us chal- I am still hopeful that an agreement Pending: lenges that help to recover our humil- can be worked out. Lott amendment No. 1258, to guarantee ity and opportunities that force us to There are some other pending amend- that contributions to Federal political cam- the knees of our hearts. ments on the D.C. appropriations bill, paigns are voluntary. Help us, Lord, to move forward with but we think maybe we will be able to Lott amendment No. 1259 (to amendment our responsibilities by being attentive reach a conclusion on those if we can No. 1258), in the nature of a substitute. to You and obedient in following Your get the immigration amendment by Lott amendment No. 1260 (to amendment No. 1258), to guarantee that contributions to guidance. Give us that sure sense of Senator MACK worked out. Therefore, Federal political campaigns are voluntary. Your presence and the sublime satis- it is possible that we could complete Lott amendment No 1261, in the nature of faction of knowing and doing Your action on the D.C. appropriations bill a substitute. will. Through our Lord and Saviour. tomorrow. Lott amendment No. 1262 (to amendment Amen. This week, the Senate will also be No. 1261), to guarantee that contributions to f considering other available appropria- Federal political campaigns are voluntary. tions conference reports. I talked to Motion to recommit the bill to the Com- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY the chairman, Senator STEVENS, on mittee on Rules and Administration with in- LEADER Friday. We think maybe there could be structions to report back forthwith, with an The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The as many as three that would be ready amendment. able majority leader is recognized. in the next couple of days that we can Lott amendment No. 1263 (to instructions of motion to recommit), to guarantee that f bring up for consideration. We intend, contributions to Federal political campaigns also, to begin consideration of the SCHEDULE are voluntary. ISTEA transportation infrastructure Lott amendment No. 1264 (to amendment Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, today the legislation, and we hope to be able to No. 1263), in the nature of a substitute. Senate will resume consideration of S. go to that on Wednesday or Thursday Lott amendment No. 1265 (to amendment 25, the pending campaign finance re- and spend the remainder of the week, No. 1264), to guarantee that contributions to form bill. As announced last week, except for interruptions for votes on Federal political campaigns are voluntary. there will be no rollcall votes during the conference reports, on that. Mr. REID addressed the Chair. · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S10339 S10340 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE October 6, 1997 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- fact, I have to say they are not iden- but that is a decent wordÐability to ator from Nevada is recognized. tical rules; they are worse, because in get up and call things the way he sees Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have to the early part of this century Congress them. I disagree with my friend from applaud the opponents of campaign fi- decided it wasn't appropriate to have Kentucky, but he is willing to debate nance reform. They have done a great corporate money used in campaigns. the issues as they stand. He has been job. They set out to confuse and dis- The Supreme Court came back last willing to do this from the first time it tract from the real issue of campaign year and said, oh, well, you can use was brought up when Senator BYRD reform, and they have succeeded. They corporate money in campaigns. State was majority leader and when Senator have diverted attention from the fact parties can virtually use the money Mitchell was majority leader. He that raising money becomes one of the any way they want. So corporate doesn't hide how he feels about cam- essential items and activities of those money is now back into elections for paign finance reform. I appreciate his of us who serve in Congress just to re- the first time in 85 or 90 years. Now approach. Many people are hiding be- main competitive. They have done this corporate money is important. tween the nuances of campaign finance by focusing on extraneous matters like I guess we have to be satisfied that reform and side issues. I say to my who made phone calls, where did they there is a debate. I extend my apprecia- friend from Kentucky that I appreciate make them from? tion to the majority leader for allowing his approach. He says he is against We have not focused, as we should, on this debate to take place; a debate campaign finance reform, and he has the continued increased cost of the about campaign financing. I have to never hidden that fact; he has spoken media in campaigns. Consultants have say, though, Mr. President, that we out openly and has been very candid become more controlling. Self-financ- started out saying, well, McCain- about it. I appreciate his approach to ing has become the norm. Opponents, Feingold doesn't do it all, but it is not it. Mr. President, of real campaign finance a bad bill. That is why I joined as a I do say, however, that I wish that reform are focused on anything to di- sponsor of that legislation. But now we there were others like my friend from vert attention from the fact that cam- are here before the Senate, the original Kentucky who would stand up and de- paigns are very expensive and too long. McCain-Feingold is long gone, and we bate the issue. McCain-Feingold, for The Governmental Affairs Committee are now talking about a mini McCain- example, let's debate it, and if there hearing has clearly shown, at least in Feingold, which we are now happy that are enough votes to pass it, fine. If not, this Senator's opinion, that both par- we have, that even though the original let's go on to another issue. We don't ties need more constraints, more con- bill was lacking in many elements, now need filibusters on either side. We need trols, and more attention. we are congratulating ourselves for to debate whether or not we need cam- We must bring attention back to going with a slimmed-down version of paign finance reform. We need to go what the real issues are in campaign fi- McCain-Feingold, which we probably forward. nanceÐthat is, the fact that Senators won't get a chance to vote on because I personally believe that campaigns, I and Representatives spend large of all the extracurricular, extraneous repeat, are too long, too costly, and we amounts of their time and their efforts matters being debated in this.