23632 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE August 22, 1994 SENATE-Monday, August 22, 1994 (Legislative day of Thursday, August 18, 1994) The Senate met at 10 a.m., on the ex­ The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The I hope very much that the same will piration of the recess, and was called to majority leader is recognized. occur in the Senate, and that a biparti­ order by the President pro tempore Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I ask san majority of the Senate will support [Mr. BYRD]. unanimous consent that there be ape­ the bill and enable us to pass it The PRESIDENT pro tempore. As we riod for morning business until 10:30 promptly. It is a very important meas­ present our petitions in prayer to Him a.m. today. ure, balanced as between providing ad­ whose ineffable name is above all other The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With­ ditional police for crime prevention, names, the Senate will be led in prayer out objection, it is so ordered. providing substantial funding for the by the Senate Chaplain, the Reverend Does the majority leader plan to put construction of prisons to enable the Dr. Richard C. Halverson. a limitation on the time for Senators more effective security for those who Dr. Halverson. to speak during that period? have engaged in violent crime, and ad­ Mr. MITCHELL. I ask unanimous ditional prevention programs to seek PRAYER consent that the Senators may speak to encourage people, and particularly for up to 10 minutes each during that young people, to engage in productive The Chaplain, the Reverend Richard period. C. Halverson, D.D., offered the follow­ The PRESIDENT pro tempore. I and not criminal actions in our soci­ ing prayer: thank the majority leader. ety. Let us pray: Without objection, it is so ordered. So, Mr. President and Members of the * * * For there is no power but of God: Senate, it is a very important measure, the powers that be are ordained of God.­ one which I hope we can begin discus­ Romans 13:1. SCHEDULE sion on today, and which I hope we can "We hold these truths to be self-evi­ Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President and pass promptly. Therefore, I will await dent, that all men are created equal, Members of the Senate, the House yes­ the response of our colleagues, and in that they are endowed by their Creator terday passed a historic crime bill. any event will return at 10:30 this with certain unalienable Rights * * *. As I have stated publicly on many, morning to seek unanimous consent to That to secure these rights, Govern­ many occasions, the most recent being proceed to that bill. ments are instituted among Men, de­ last Friday, the Senate will take up Mr. President, seeing no other Sen­ riving their just powers from the con­ the crime bill as soon as possible fol­ ator seeking recognition, I now suggest sent of the governed * * *" .-Declara­ lowing House enactment. the absence of a quorum. tion of Independence. I have advised the minority leader The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Eternal God, Sovereign of the uni­ that it is my intention, therefore, at clerk will call the roll. verse, with unspeakable gratitude we 10:30 a.m. today, to seek unanimous The legislative clerk proceeded to thank Thee for the faith and vision of consent to proceed to the crime bill. If call the roll. our Founding Fathers who conceived a an objection is made and unanimous Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I ask political system in which the power be­ consent cannot be obtained to proceed unanimous consent that the order for longs to the people. Thank Thee for to the bill, then I will make the motion the quorum call be rescinded. people-sovereignty, the foundation of to proceed to the bill at 6 p.m. today. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With­ America. Under our rules, that motion is not out objection, it is so ordered. It is gratifying, God, to see the re­ debatable, and there will then be a vote The majority leader is recognized. sponse of the people to the heal th and on the motion to proceed to the bill at that time if consent is not previously crime bills. As we approach election, ORDER OF PROCEDURE we pray that all the people will be obtained. awakened to the incredible legacy they The distinguished Republican leader Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I ask have and will exercise their sov­ requested the opportunity to consult unanimous consent that at 1 p.m. ereignty. Realizing that we have one of with his colleagues until 10:30 this today the Senate proceed to the consid­ the lowest voting averages in the in­ morning. That is, of course, a reason­ eration of the conference report accom­ dustrialized West, move upon the peo­ able request, and one which I imme­ panying H.R. 3355, the Violent Crime ple so that they will recognize the gift diately agreed to. Therefore, I will Control and Law Enforcement Act; God has given them and respond by have a further announcement with re­ that there be debate only today on that voting. spect to proceeding on the crime bill at conference report; and that the time Forgive us, Lord, who have abdicated 10:30, and at that time I will, in any between now and 1 p.m. be for a period our sovereign responsibility as citizens event, make a unanimous-consent re­ for morning business during which Sen­ and revive us to take hold. quest to proceed to the bill. a tors be permitted to speak therein for I hope very much that it will be up to 10 minutes each. In the name of the Lord of history we The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is pray. Amen. granted and that we can proceed to de­ bate on that very important measure. there objection? It has, as all Senators know, been the There being no objection, the several RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME subject of substantial discussion, nego­ requests are granted. tiation, and debate in the House of Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Representatives prior to its passage thank my colleagues for their coopera­ Senate will be in order. yesterday. tion. Under the previous order, leadership I congratulate the House leadership, Under this agreement, the Senate time is reserved. the Speaker, the majority leader, and will take up the crime conference re­ others, as well as all of those House port beginning at 1 p.m. today. There Members, Democratic and Republican, will be no rollcall votes today. There MORNING BUSINESS who joined together to pass this impor­ will be debate only on the conference · Mr. MITCHELL addressed the Chair. tant legislation in the House. report. •This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. August 22, 1994 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 23633 We will, I hope, be able to complete tion of local governments, so it is not perately need, a bill to put resources action on that measure in the near fu­ in most cases a Federal crime. Less together to fight crime, and there is no ture. It is, as I said earlier, a very im­ than 10 percent of crimes are involved debate and no thoughtful discussion on portant bill. Now that the House has with Federal jurisdiction. That is why what the Federal Reserve Board has acted, I believe it important that the I say we ought to understand that this done in the last 6 months? Senate complete action and send the bill in itself will not stop crime. But, I wonder if my colleagues know in measure to the President. the bill does address some very chronic the five interest rate increases in 6 The period between now and 1 p.m. issues that people around the country months by the Federal Reserve Board­ will be for morning business during know about and that local govern­ in which they went in a room, locked which Senators will be permitted to ments face. the door, and made decisions in secret speak therein for up to 10 minutes. I A substantial amount of the violent to increase interest rates five times­ anticipate that there will be debate crime in this country is committed by what they have done is increase Fed­ during that period on the crime bill as a very small minority of the criminals. eral spending by $110 billion between well. About two-thirds of all violent crime in now and 1999 by increasing the cost of I thank my colleagues for their co­ America is committed by about 8 per­ funding our debt? No debate; no operation. cent of the criminals. These are crimi­ lengthy discussions; the Federal Re­ I now suggest the absence of a nals who adopted crime as a career, serve Board secretly goes in a room quorum. and they understand and we under­ and makes the decision. In fact, most The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The stand that prison for them has become of the folks in that room have their clerk will call the roll. a revolving door. They are in and they banking connections and I am sure The legislative clerk proceeded to are out and in and out and back on the they represent them well-and they de­ call the roll. streets far too quickly-to victimize cided to increase interest rates five Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask another innocent American once again. times. It will increase the cost of bor­ unanimous consent that the order for This bill starts to get tough with them rowing for the Federal Government, in the quorum call be rescinded.