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Mr. President. reserving the right to object. I think the Senator from Illinois has held the floor about long enough. Other Senators should be allowed to gain the floor in their own right. Some of the remainder of us wish to talk about this subject as well. I will not object in this instance. but to any further request along this line I will object.

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

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Without objection. it is so ordered.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Mr. President. if the Senator will yield to me. I will need time on this. I wish to speak on the bill. I want time on the bill as it is the pending matter here.

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Mr. STENNIS

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Mr. President. do I understand the distinguished chairman yielded to me 2 minutes?

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

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That is correct.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Mr. President. I am happy to yield to the Senator from New York as the final speaker.

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Mr. PERCY

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Mr. President. I speak in the confidence that no one is listening.

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

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Do not be too sure of that.

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Mr. MATHIAS

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That can be a problem but when one is trying to avoid it. it sometimes happens. I wish to make two points: The first is that the procedure in the last 4 weeks we have initiated brought through three committees of this body alone and we are about to pass one of the major transportation bills of American history. That is an extraordinary performance for any legislative body. particularly a bicameral one in which there is no parliamentary ruling majority. The procedures of the body have worked splendidly with respect to the highway matter. Where they do not work is with respect to the budget which we cannot pass. and that is not procedural. We cannot pass the budget because the deficits are so ideologically disorienting to the majority that they dare not pass it. It is not a matter of procedure. It is a matter of substance. An economic program that was to eliminate deficits has produced the largest in history and understandably the machinery is reluctant to bring them forth into law. Do not look to procedure where the question is substance. I repeat. with regard to this particular matter before us today our procedures have worked beautifully.

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

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Mr. President. I welcome cosponsors of this legislation but even more I welcome any other approaches anyone can come up with to improve the workings of the Senate. I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

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Mr. PERCY

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The minority leader is recognized.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Mr. President. I do not want the floor at this point. but there are Senators here who want to speak on the measure that is to be acted upon. After that. I will have something to say about my reflections on the Senate legislative process. But I think I can wait and let Senators speak on the measure and pass it and let Senators go who have to leave town and the remainder of us can stay around as long as we want to talk about the rules change. I am not saying that any Senator should not speak on that. I think that is all right. But as far as I know. Mr. FORD. the ranking minority member of the Rules Committee. has something to say on this. But I am not seeking the floor in my own right at the moment to speak on that subject. I just want to see us get on with this business and get on with the vote and let Senators leave who have to leave. I know some who have to catch planes.

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

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Mr. President. I think this matter is so important that we should stay here until we solve it. Mr. President. I was just being facetious. I commend the Senator for introducing the legislation. Obviously. we need to fix up some things. Once again I commend him for bringing the subject up. But I really do not think that we can resolve it today in any respect. Just consider one aspect of it: If we were to fund at the authorized level. if we did not have an appropriations bill. I hesitate to say how high a level we would be authorizing the appropriated accounts to get to. But in any event. I commend the Senator for his efforts. I am sure many people agree with him and hopefully we will get something done early next year to resolve the kind of bottlenecks that our processes and procedures have created. I thank the Chair.

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Mr. DOMENICI

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Mr. President. I am glad to see that we are drawing near the end of this rigorous trial physical stamina and mental agility known as the lameduck session of the 97th Congress. I am certain that each of my colleagues joins me in this sentiment and is looking forward to a brief period of rest and renewal during the holiday season with their friends and loved ones. I feel that I would be remiss. however. if I failed to express my disappointment in the failure of this Congress to address in a meaningful way the terribly serious problem of foreign export subsidies which are at this very moment causing American farm producers and processors to lose opportunities for export sales. Each lost sale only adds to our balanceoftrade deficit with the resultant impact on our economy and on the daily lives of millions of Americans. Despite our failure to pass the paymentinkind or "PIK" program which had been proposed by the administration and which was introduced by Mr. COCHRAN and Mr. HUDDLESTON. I would like to state for the record my own personal desirewhich I know many of my colleagues sharethat the Secretary of Agriculture work within his presently existing authority to implement an administrative "PIK" program insofar as possible. Present laws gives the Secretary much discretionary latitude in administering the various price support and loan programs for U.S. farm commodities. I would suggest that the Secretary could legally implement many of the elements which we earlier attempted to clarify by means of S. 3049 and S. 3074.

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Mr. HAYAKAWA

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Mr. President. although the Senate was unable to vote on the paymentinkind (PIK) legislation in the 97th Congress. I want to express my full support for the PIK concept which is to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. In light of this. I hope the Secretary will use. to the full extent possible. his current authority to implement this concept. This program will help utilize our surplus commodities and prevent the American taxpayer from paying for future Government purchases and storage costs. Again. Mr. President. I support this concept.

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Mrs. HAWKINS

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Mr. President. may we have order?

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Mr. DOLE

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The Senate will be in order. The Senator from Kansas has the floor and will proceed.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Mr. President. I think we should address the matter before us before we vote. and I agree with the distinguished minority leader. Some of us may want to make other remarks following the vote. but there are a number of Members who came to me and said they have planes to catch. If we could speed it up. we would appreciate that. Certainly. we wish to accommodate them.

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Mr. DOLE

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Mr. President. will the Senator yield?

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

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I yield.

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Mr. DOLE

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Mr. President. I do not mind having Senators speak on the need for changes in the rules. I do not want to see one Senator get the floor and hold it and yield out to other Senators. I think every Senator should have the right to the floor in his own right.

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

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I share that view. Mr. President. as of 9:17 a.m. today. we have been on this bill 52 hours. We had 29 rollcall votes. 53 amendments. 4 cloture motions. 30 amendments sponsored by Republicans and 23 amendments sponsored by Democrats. We also have a breakdown of the time. I believe it may come as a surprise to some. but when the time consumed is recorded it will probably show there was not much difference on which side took the most time during the consideration of this bill. So whether or not there has been a filibuster I guess depends on who suggested it and who interprets it. There are a number of measures that were not even brought to the floor because of a threatened filibuster. For example the farm legislation. the PIK bill. the Senator from Montana refused to let us bring that to the floor. As to the bankruptcy bill. the Senator from Ohio did not want that legislation to come to the floor. These refusals were not a real filibuster. The threat was there and there are a number of very important measures that never made it to the Senate floor because Members on both sides said. "If you bring it up. I am going to have an extended debate. In other words. we are not going to let it pass." So. in this case. I believe we have a good piece of legislation and I believe it deserves the overwhelming support of Members on both sides of the aisle. I am not going to tell you why again. but I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the RECORD an analysis of the bill which has been prepared by staff along with a letter that I have sent to all of my colleagues. which was placed on their desks this morning. outlining what I think are some of the strengths of this legislation.

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Mr. DOLE

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Mr. President. I hope that we might move fairly quickly to a vote. I know the Senator from Idaho. the Senator from Rhode Island. and the Senator from Vermont wish to speak. I am going to yield the floor. I yield first to the Senator from Idaho and then I will yield the floor.

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Mr. DOLE

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I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding. I thank him for his persistent and determined efforts to help us bring this bill to where it is today. Mr. President. I should like also to pay special thanks in addition to the chairman of the Public Works Committee Senator STAFFORD. my good colleagues Senator RANDOLPH. and Senator BENSTEN and our committee and personal staff. Jean Schrag. Dick Harris. Anne Canfield. Sam Routson. Nadine Hamilton. and Kathy Cudlipp for their work on this vital piece of legislation. Last night I took advantage of the opportunity to watch a cable TV program on which Ray Barnhart. the Federal Highway Administrator. spoke to the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. I was particularly impressed with what Mr. Barnhart had to say and I have requested a transcript of that speech. He gave a very articulate expression of why a free market conservative would be supporting this legislation. It was one of the best logical analyses of what we are trying to do with this legislation. and why it is important to the country. I ask unanimous consent that the transcript be printed in the RECORD.

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Mr. SYMMS

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Thank you very much. I have just come from the Hill doing Gods work. preaching to the heathen masses and hoping that we might get some converts for a cause in which I truly believe. one that is so essential to the economy. the standard of living. and the quality of life of each and every one of us. And that is some additional funding for the Interstate highway program and federal highway system in general. I think this Administration has taken some significant steps to address the very real problems which confront this country today. You hear a lot of criticism about the direction that has been taken by this President and this Administration. and yet I would plead with you to look beyond the headlines of the Washington Post. They have not been too kind to this Administration in many areas. But they do an excellent job on transportation. I will tell you this. Mr. Feaver has done a superb job of accurate reporting. and I am indebted to him. There is some very. very good quality there. and I should not make light of that distinguished newspaper. I guess. We have heard all kinds of stories about how this Administration is trying to deprive the poor of adequate resources to carry on their basic necessities. of how we are robbing the poor to pay the rich. and I think those are demogogic overstatements and certainly do not comport with .act. We have made some significant changes in trying to alter the direction of this country. I am reminded that very early on. when I joined this Administration shortly after the President was sworn in and assumed the burden of government. that I walked into one of the leading members in the Democratcontrolled House of Representatives. As I came into the room. he rose and said. "That sonofagun Reagan rules the world. thank God." He said. "You realize. we couldnt continue in the direction we are going. But dont get me wrong. I have got problems out there in my district. and I am going to have a piece of you before this is out." And I said. "Thats all right. sir. I understand the system. You can use me and abuse me just so long as when the bottom line approaches you vote right." I like to come in contact with people like that. The problem is that thus far he has yet to vote right. We do have some serious problems. But lets look at the record of what has transpired over the years. When President Reagan assumed the oath of office. he assumed a budget deficit. not of the $15 or $20 billion that had been anticipated. but of some 70 billions of dollars. This was part of an accumulated national debt of a trillion dollars. whose interest payments alone will consume more than $2 billion every week this year-$2 billion a week to simply pay interest on past misdirected governmental programs that provide no job opportunities for the unemployed. no housing for the elderly. no medical assistance for the ill. and certainly no educational opportunity for those who must develop job skills in order to become productive taxpaying members of this society. We have had to change some of the traditional boondoggles in Federal Government. and I think we have gone a long way. But as we do change that course and deny some of the extra largess that has been accorded to various groups. obviously you have an outcry of alarm. And. unfortunately. as you get closer and closer into politics. you realize that there is very little opportunity to genuinely discuss truth in the political system. but only in broad generalities and demagogic terms do we appeal to the general public. I do not fault people for having a wrong position on a given issue. for government is terribly complex. People become intimidated because of the size of it and the magnitude of the problems and thus draw back and too often refuse to participate. It is for that reason that I am so grateful when I come before a Chamber of Commerce group. because I recognize that you have individual problems. as do I as a member of that private sector before I got into government. We are consumed with our own activities in trying to run a business. to meet a payroll. and we cant know all of the fine print in the various pieces of legislation. I will just commit to you that in the bill that we have proposed. this gasoline tax. this user fee. that we have balanced all considerations to finally achieve some equity in this program. You have only my word for that. and you do not have the benefit of the hours and hours of indepth study that have gone into evaluating these various issues. but I would invite you to contact me at my office. where I do have an opendoor policy. and I mean that with all my heart and soul. I think one of the most serious problems we face in this country is misinformation. lack of understanding on these issues. I would like to talk to you a little bit about the highway program and why it is important to each one of us and why it is imperative that the Congress pass this increase in the user fee. the gasoline tax. Some of the interest groups cry when I say. "Hey. it is a gasoline tax." They say. "It is a user fee." It is a user fee. but it was a gas tax when I was a kid and it is a gas tax now in the average persons mind. and I think we ought to level. It is a gas tax. but it is a different kind of tax. for it is user fee. and those people who benefit from the system must pay for that system. I totally applaud that concept. Why is this gasoline user fee increase so essential? Highways are much like our freedoms. We have accepted them. We have used them. We have not really thought deeply about them. Nor have many members of the Congress. and why should we? When we realize that the Federal Aid Highway Program constitutes maybe $8 billion. out of a total government package of some 770 billions of dollars. we might think it is really insignificant until we stop to realize how we are dependent upon that program. Over 90 percent of everything we eat. wear. use or produce moves on the nations highways. As they become less efficient. transportation costs increase to each individual. We will pay out more than we would in a gasoline tax if we ignore the rehabilitation of the system. Why? 20 percent of the gross national product is consumed in transportation costs. The average working person spends 14 percent of his or her income on transportation costs. That is why. I know we have had some of the social elitists and in this area. too. who have tried to say that highways degrade the environment. that they interfere and downgrade our quality of life. And I say that is absolutely wrong. They say highways are for big business. and they are not. Highways are the lifeblood of our economy. Highways are our jobs. They are our homes. They are our communities. They are our standards of living and our quality of life. We are all dependent upon them. And I think It is time now that we begin to address the issue. When I go back to Texas and I tell my friends back there. say. "We have got to increase this user fee 5 cents.". they react in horror. They say. "Good heavens. we sent you up there to Washington to eliminate that massive bureaucracy. to stop the intrusion into state activities. You have sold out to the Eastern libs when you come back to advocate an increase." And I say. "I havent sold out. I havent changed my philosophical underpinnings at all." Historically. Texas has received 74 cents back out of every transportation dollar it sent up to Washington. D.C. People say that is wrong. that we ought to get dollar back for dollar in. But I say that is wrong. We must notas the Chairman of my Public Works Committee says. we must not allow this nation to become balkanized with good roads in one state and bad roads in another. Highways are important in this integrated system of free movement of people. and commerce is essential to each one of us. It does no good for Texas to have good highways that end at the border of Arkansas or Oklahoma. And the same principle applies to all of us. Yet we have ignored this situation because we have looked at concrete roads and we have said as politicians. "Oh. well. we dont want to increase the tax burden. So we will let it go for another year." But our roads are breaking up. We now have literally some 200 billions of dollars of highway needs that will be projected over the next dozen years. We must no longer delay addressing those issues. And so we have said we are going to bite the bullet. As a responsible citizen. as a responsible conservative. I think we have to look at the real world as it exists. and then we have to gut up to the issue and be willing to meet that challenge. We have tried to do that in this program. I get amused at some of the newspapers who say there is no need for an increase in the gasoline tax. I am reminded that when the gasoline tax was brought to 4 cents 23 years ago. most newspapers sold for a nickel or a dime. and they are now two bits and a dollar on Sunday. The fact is that our gasoline tax has not been increased in 23 years at the federal level. The purchasing power of that 4cent fee. which was established back in 59. is now about eighttenths of a cent. and yet construction costs have escalated over 300 percent. Why? Because of faulty workmanship? Because of crooked contractors? No. not on your life. That is not the reason. We have refined our design of highways. We have designed the safest highways in the world. The interstates are tremendous public works projects that have design safety built into them. If you will look at our rightsofway. they are wider than they used to be. We have grade separations. All of these things add dollars. And we consider the esthetics and the environment of those roadways on our communities and again on our quality of life. but we must pay for them. All we have to so is look at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge that was built for about $12 million. and we recognize that we are going to resurface that degraded road decking on that bridge at a cost of some 26 millions of dollars. and then we will have to come back and widen as a cost of another $33 million. We are trying to do it on the basis of a 4cent gasoline tax that is 23 years outdated. We can no longer do that. That is why we must increase that user fee. How we are involved in a great battle up here on the Hill trying to come forth with a program to support this basic program. It has three significant parts to it. It has the increase in the gasoline tax. It has a cost allocation study. and it has a truck size and weight provision. All three elements must be put together if we are truly going to address the problems of our highways and equity to the consuming public. What has not generally been understood is that for too long the passenger cars have been supporting the real big truckers. The tax spread has been inequitable to the average consumer. Our figures from this cost allocation study show that. using the passenger car as the norm. the small economy car underpays its equitable share of the cost of the program. the pickup trucks and the light trucks significantly overpay in some categories almost 200 percent of what their fair share is. and the big truckers significantly underpay. This poses a real serious dilemma. for the trucking industry is essential to the commerce of this country. And if we increase the burden. the cost of support to that trucking industry. we will ultimately pay as consumers. But for equitys sake. I think we must come up with a true evalution of how much each individual or each class of vehicle should pay. That is what we have tried to do. And what has happened? We have a big hubbub on the Hill because the truckers are significantly threatened economically. The truckers industry is not well. They have serious economic probems. So we cant simply increase the burden that they share without giving them some offsetting productivity gains. That is where we have the truck size and weight issue comes in. And so we are biting the bullet. We are mandating that we should go to a 102inch width. on trucks. Why? We now have a federal maximum of 96 inches. With the modular sizes used now in shipping and building. a piece of plywood fourbyeight. ca.not fit in the trucks with a 96inch maximum width. It means that those truckers cannot carry a full load in a cost effective manner. We permit 102inch vehicles on the road in buses. but we deny it on trucks. It does not make sense. And we believe that we can require the 102inch maximum width on trucks with no compromise of safety. for we are only governing the use of the interstate system itself. and it is designed to accommodate those sizes. Beyond that we are mandating the use of doubles. 28foot length double trailers on the highways. and going to a 48foot length on the single unit trucks. These sizes are used all over the country except for about 17 states. We are also mandating a maximum minimum. if you will catch that. of 80.000 pounds in load. There are three states remaining who do not permit 80.000pound loads within their state. They require a maximum of 73.280 pounds instead of the 80.000. And what does that mean? It means that we are penalizing the consumer to the tune of millions of dollars because three states. and only three. keep their weight limit lower than the rest of the country. And they cry and say that is a states right. And I say that is not a states right. for the interstate program pays 90 percent of the cost of their interstate system. And because of the nature of interstate commerce and its importance to this country as a whole. I do not believe we can allow three states to interfere with that free movement of traffic. We must penetrate that umbrella of states rights in order to get uniformity and equity in transportation. We have other problems in the trucking industry that we are not addressing in this particular bill but which I have committed to address in future legislation. because it is so significant. Lets talk about the burden that we have imposed on the trucking industry. Let me put it this way: If you had one tractor/trailer combination that you wanted to legalize to move interstate commerce in all of the contiguous 48 states. one tractor/trailer. you would have to make 84 applications to the various states. you would have 93 stickers on your windshield. and you would file 205 monthlyor quarterly and semiannual reportsfor one vehicle. We have 17.000 carriers involved in this kind of commerce. We have checked with one carrier alone. and his administrative costs only to handle the complications of this permitting run over a million dollars a year. And who pays for it? The unknowning consumer. I have written to every governor in this country. pleading with them to address the issue of the multiplicity of permit requirements in their individual states. for some states require up to four different departments to issue permits on one vehicle. We have allowed this bureaucracy to expand. and we have got to terminate it if we are going to maintain a healthy trucking enterprise. which is important to all of us. So it becomes very complicated. We have come up with a proposal now for a 5cent increase in diesel and gasoline. which would bring us up to 9 cents a gallon. That would run the average consumer approximately $25 a year. less than the cost of new frontend alignments and shock absorbers. You will save money. I know that is the same old political story we have heard for years. We are going to help you out. But it is true nonetheless. There have been allegations. and I suppose you have read them about how Federal Highway simply wants to expand its bureaucracy. and if we increase this user fee it means for an explosion of government. But this is not true. Let me tell you that you have the best buy in all of Federal Government in your federal highway program. not simply because I am there. because I inherited a magnificent professional organization. but it is because these are professional engineers who are moved and motivated by that engineering mentality. We work with the states to respond to state needs. The administrative costs of the Federal Aid Highway Program. including our millions of dollars in direct research and technology transfer. amounts to less than 2 percent of our budget. and with this increase that administrative cost will drop to 1.3 percent. Federal Highway Administration is now staffed at a level less than it was at the height of the interstate construction program. We now have a staffing level less than it was in 1955. and I am very proud of it. because we have got some good. good professionals. Unfortunately. In politics. you paint with a broad brush. and you get all those bureaucrats up there who are living off the fat of the land. and it is most unfair. I think it is true in some departments. but I do not believe it is true in the Federal Highway Administration and isas a professional critic of government for many years. I can tell you that you ought to have confidence in the quality of many of the people who serve in this government. I am very proud to be a part of it. But what are some of the other things we have done in trying to address the problems of the growth of this Federal Government? It is astonishing when you stop to realize that the lag time in construction programs from the concept of the average highway until you can issue a contract is seven years. three months. Multiply that. on the average road. by the average rate of inflation. and you see that we have been more than doubling the cost of every project before we turn a spade of dirt. What a tragic waste of public funds. And so one of the priorities of the Reagan Administration has been to review the regulation red tape. I know it sounds like a code word. but it is a very meaningful thing. Because of our regulation reform. we have succeeded in cutting months off of the lag time in approvals of these projects. We are not denying people the right to be heard on their concerns on locations or environmental matters. but what we are trying to do is to fold all of those public hearing processes into one process so we can guarantee the right to be heard and then to make timely decisions. There are those in this government who want to concentrate all power in Washington. D.C.. instead of returning judgment matters back to the states where states can respond to local concerns far more effectively and efficiently than we can thousands of miles away. There is a strong movement to deny us our standards on geometric design on the reconstruction. resurfacing of roadways. The Center for Auto Safety is currently suing me. Well. they say. you cant trust the states to be concerned with safety of life and limb. Well. when I was a member of the Texas Highway Commission. I didnt believe that all truth and knowledge and wisdom and compassion and professionalism resided in the bureaucracy in Washington. D.C. And even though I am now a member of that bureaucracy. I still maintain that same principle. We have concerned and professional people in the states who know far better than we the needs of their particular constituencies. and we are doing all that we can to diffuse that concentration of power here and return the prerogatives of management back to the states within the latitude that the Congress will permit. We have made great strides in that regard. You know. I have wanted to say thatI mentioned earlier about all the stories about the hardships that this Administration has been thrusting on people. and they are not true. Certainly. you will find some instances of injustices. There is no question about it. and I dont condone it. But I think the general thrust of this Administration has been absolutely in the right direction. They say we have cut down on support for basic necessities for people. and that is wrong. The Tax Research Foundation. not a partisan grouphas compiled data saying that weyou and Ithe taxpayersspent over $500 billion last year on human services. I think that is a commendable record. Now we are trying to use it more efficiently and effectively. but we must have some continuing support from the taxpaying public. There are those who want only to consume and not to produce. This Administration believes in profit. We want you to make a lot of it because we need your taxes to support us. And I know the economy is tough. The Democrats are talking about jobs programs. creating jobs programs out of the highway program. and it will have that beneficial effect. But that is not primarily designed as a jobs program. but to serve this basic infrastructure upon which our whole economy depends. We can. by using the Federal Aid Highway Program as the vehicle. create more meaningful jobs than any boondoggle program of simply tossing dollars out in shortterm makework projects. That is why I am pushing this program so hard. As a business community. I hope you. too. will lend your voices in support of this program. Some folks have said. well. why dont you cut out all the controversy about truck size and weights. cut out the controversy on cost allocation. Lets just put a nickel gas tax in and get it through. I will tell you why that is not possible. why it is not desirable. why it is not fair. Because if you do that the average driver of the passenger car will increase his support of the highway program and the heavy commercial carriers contribution will actually decrease from what it is now. It would be easy to take that course of action. for those who pay the tab are not organized politically. do not have the powerful voices up on the Hill. But. I think that is wrong. I am an idealist. I guess. but I believe our system can work and will work if those of us who believe in it will contribute to it and be active in support of those principles which we preach about and talk about and pray about generally one day a week. I have said for years our government will only be as good and as kind and as generous and as noble as you and I demand that it be. We have permitted government to get out of hand. and I recognize the problems of the business community. For too often we have been reluctant to take a stand on an issue for fear of alienating those on whose business we depend. I say the condition of this economy. the condition of this country has taken us to the point where we can no longer take that easy way. We elect someone and send them to government in Washington. We say. "Hey. you stand up and you take that difficult vote. and we will be by your side." But too often we are not by their sides. but we are three paces behind and ask them to cast that difficult vote. We have got to become active and attentive and supportive of the people who represent us. or the quality of our government laws will be diminished. I have pleaded with business groups for so long. and all across this country. in which we live. and if you do not raise your voices in support of good and proper principles there are other raucous voices who will dominate and determine the course of this country. I think the situation is extremely critical. and especially at a time when unemployment. which is such a national tragedy. has captured the public mind. Too often we permit the commercial humanitarians to enact legislation for immediate headlines but not for a resolution of the underlying problem. You are the ones who can dissuade the Congress from careless votes. from simply responding to an uninformed public ourcry. and that is why I say the quality of governmental programs will be dependent upon you. I want to leave you with one last thought. This story I tell has been very meaningful to me. and it is a very true story. I was with the President on the morning of the day he was shot. He said to me that morning words that I will treasure and remember all of my life. He said. "You know. I have often said these words publicly. but now I want to say them to you privately. When you come to make your decisions. I want you to base them not on what is in my best interest for reelection. but on the basis of what is right for this country." It was a magnificent statement. and it is sometimes difficult to keep that philosophy in mind when you are confronted with the immediate demands of groups and recognize that the average person does not have the powerful solidified representation to make his point heard. But we are going to try to be true to those principles. With your help and with the active support of organizations such as this. we will keep that commitment. Mr. President. this Congress has not taken such a major step in highway legislation since 1956 when it established our National Interstate and Defense System. This legislation begins a new era in highway policy and will be a springboard for future legislation. As chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee I am fully aware that. as major as this legislation is. it cannot and does not address all aspects of national highway policy. It merely sets the stage for meeting what will be new transportation needs. We must be prepared to meet these needs with new. innovative thinking. I foresee major changes in our approach to highway problems. This must be done. We have the greatest. most free society the world has ever known. This is in no small part due to the fact that we have one of the most extensive. safe. efficient highway networks ever built in any country. I am troubled that we have been relying on this transportation system this past decade without maintaining our commitment to its maintenance and upkeep. There is no way to avoid this problem. We cannot allow this underlying network to waste away and yet expect our economy to develop and expand. We must have good roads. Roads are expensive and we must realize that if we are to prosper we must pay for them. This means that resources which are or might be spent in other areas must be spent on our highways to maintain them in a useable condition. I am committed to the userfee concept which is the basis for our highway program. This method. where those who use and benefit from our highways and roads. directly or indirectly. pay for them. is the most efficient and equitable system devised for funding our interstates. roads. and bridges. This is a controversial issue. There are some who feel that this change in our national highway policy is not necessary. There are some who would wait saying that the matter has not been fully developed and considered. To those who advocate such positions. let me say that they are wrong. Our commitment to our roads is necessary. This matter has been developed and considered. We as a nation gain nothing and will lose much if we delay longer. Our countrys short- and longterm welfare is at stake. I earlier on mentioned the fact that this bill does not solve all possible problems present or future. In fact. I am concerned with some matters which the bill itself raises. I am not comfortable with the position taken by the House and Senate on a number of issues. I think the position taken by the Congress on such matters as the extension of DavisBacon provisions to areas not now covered by these provision. is both unwise and detrimental to the purpose of this bill. The position taken by the Congress on "Buy America" is not in the best interest of national industrial wellbeing. These are matters which I will be reviewing in hearings in the upcoming session. I am particularly concerned that the conference committee did not adopt the tax proposal which I helped work out and which the Senate adopted. I am concerned that the proposal set forth in the conference report will heavily impact on an industry vital to our country and of special importance to those of us in the West. This industry is the trucking industry which will be called upon to substantially increase what they as individuals pay into the highway trust fund based upon their highway useage. Before the heavy duty use taxes are implemented a year and a half from now I fully intend to return to this issue for the purpose of specifically evaluating the impact these taxes will have on small. independent trucking firms and on farming operations which use trucks seasonally. The House and conference committee failed to give adequate consideration to such impact and to the unique situation which western trucks users and operators find themselves in. We need to give this matter further consideration and I fully intend to do so. Several Senators addressed the Chair.

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Mr. BARNHART

Unknown

BARNHART

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Pennsylvania.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. I wish to ask a question of the distinguished Senator from Kansas concerning an income tax provision in the highway bill.

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Mr. HEINZ

Unknown

HEINZ

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. may we have order?

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Mr. DOLE

Unknown

DOLE

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12231982.txt

The Senate will be in order. There will be order in the Chamber so the Senator can be heard.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. parliamentary inquiry.

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Mr. STAFFORD

Unknown

STAFFORD

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12231982.txt

The Senator will state it.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Who has the floor?

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Mr. STAFFORD

Unknown

STAFFORD

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Pennsylvania has the floor.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Vermont would like to be recognized following the Senator from Pennsylvania.

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Mr. STAFFORD

Unknown

STAFFORD

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. let me assure the Senator from Vermont that this will be an extremely brief colloquy with the Senator from Kansas.

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Mr. HEINZ

Unknown

HEINZ

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. I hope the Chair will follow the rules of the Senate in recognition of Senators.

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

ROBERT C.

BYRD

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I will try to do so.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

As I was saying. I wish to ask a question of the distinguished Senator from Kansas concerning an income tax provision in the highway bill. That provision clarified that the taxexempt character of interest on certain obligations which were granted taxexempt status outside of the Internal Revenue Code would be set forth in the Internal Revenue Code and. consequently. that the taxexempt character of such interest to a regulated investment company or mutual fund would flow through to its shareholders. Unfortunately. the provision as it passed the Senate did not include an effective date. It was my understanding that the provision was intended to be retroactive to taxable years beginning after 1975. which was the effective date in the Tax Reform Act of 1976 which allowed the status of taxexempt interest to flow though a regulated investment company. Does the Senator from Kansas have the same understanding of that as I do?

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Mr. HEINZ

Unknown

HEINZ

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12231982.txt

Yes. I might say the distinguished Senator from Pennsylvania offered an amendment. I do have the same understanding. and I understood the amendment was to be retroactive. Indeed. the revenue estimates in the Conference mark up materials reflect a retroactive effective date. I would like to assure the Senator from Pennsylvania that I intend to seek a technical correction next year to resolve any doubt on the effective date of the provision. In addition. the conferees intended that the retroactive effective date would not cause any obligations to lose their tax exempt status solely by reasons of this provision. Finally. the conferees intended to emphasize that. for the future. the Internal Revenue Code should be the sole source of tax exemption of interest on any obligations. I thank the Senator.

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Mr. DOLE

Unknown

DOLE

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12231982.txt

I want to thank the Senator from Kansas for his clarification. and I am very pleased that it meets what I understood to be our interests. Several Senators addressed the Chair.

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Mr. HEINZ

Unknown

HEINZ

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Vermont.

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Special

12231982.txt

I would like to clarify with the leadership of the Committee on Environment and Public Works. and with other conferees on title I of H.R. 6211. the conference provision dealing with buyAmerica requirements. The agreement among conferees was very clearly to continue with one exception. the provisions of current law as contained in title IV of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978. Public Law 95599. Do my colleagues agree?

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Mr. CHAFEE

Unknown

CHAFEE

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12231982.txt

The Senator is correct.

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Mr. STAFFORD

Unknown

STAFFORD

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12231982.txt

The Senator is correct.

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Mr. RANDOLPH

Unknown

RANDOLPH

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12231982.txt

That was the agreement.

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Mr. DOMENICI

Unknown

DOMENICI

Unknown

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12231982.txt

The Senator is absolutely correct.

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

Unknown

MOYNIHAN

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12231982.txt

The one change that was agreed to was to increase. for highway projects only. from 10 to 25 percent. the price differential needed before foreign materials. rather than American. could be used on a project. All the other provisions of existing law. including the administrative interpretations consistent with current law. were to remain undisturbed. Exemptions from the buyAmerica requirement for projects costing less than $500.000 are to be continued. The requirement that products used must be substantially all from articles. materials. and supplies made in the United States is retained in the conference agreement. The administrative interpretations of these provisions are not overturned by the conference agreement. Do my colleagues agree that I have correctly described the conference agreement?

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Mr. CHAFEE

Unknown

CHAFEE

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Yes. the Senator from Rhode Island is correct.

S

Mr. STAFFORD

Unknown

STAFFORD

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Yes. I agree. The only change was to increase from 10 percent to 25 percent the price differential applied to materials for highways.

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Mr. RANDOLPH

Unknown

RANDOLPH

Unknown

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12231982.txt

The Senators description is correct.

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Mr. DOMENICI

Unknown

DOMENICI

Unknown

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Rhode Islands description is totally correct.

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

Unknown

MOYNIHAN

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I thank my colleagues.

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Mr. CHAFEE

Unknown

CHAFEE

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. will the Senator yield? May I. on behalf of this side of the aisle and the distinguished chairman state that the Senator from Rhode Island has stated exactly what my understanding of our agreement was.

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Mr. MOYNIHAN

Unknown

MOYNIHAN

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12231982.txt

That is what the agreement was with the House and the conference.

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Mr. CHAFEE

Unknown

CHAFEE

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. it is with a considerable degree of reluctance that I have decided to support this highway bill. I am always concerned about raising taxes. particularly in a recession. However. it has become more and more apparent to me that the current rate of highway taxes. set back in the mid1950s. is completely inadequate to maintain and replace our highways and bridges in an acceptable manner. This problem must be met. It will not go away. It will be here for years until it is met. A good highway system is an absolute necessity for the economic wellbeing and growth. not only. of course. for my State. but for the entire country. Our economy moves on our highways. This bill will go a long way toward improving the interstate roads. our State roads. and our county roads and bridges. the latter being so vital- in moving the products of our farms and factories. I know our truckers are rightly concerned over the sizable increase in their user fees. I note this bill properly delays the imposition of these new user fees until July 1984. and to July 1985. for firms with five trucks or less. This will hopefully give the trucking industry time to adjust to the new situation or even for adjustment in the bill of the tax in the Congress. if that should appear warranted at that time. In summary. Mr. President. this bill. while not perfect. is a reasonable approach to insuring our roads and bridges are improved and maintained to an acceptable standard. To postpone this problem is to make it worse. I am convinced we should act now. Many of our bridges and many of our highway miles are in dangerous condition in Mississippi. The distribution of the funds collected from this bill will pay my State $1.35 for each dollar collected from my State.

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Mr. STENNIS

Unknown

STENNIS

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12231982.txt

The Senator from West Virginia is recognized.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. only that the Record may be complete. accurate. and understood by some. perhaps. who have questioned the procedures under which this measure reaches the floor. I must remind our colleagues that this highway gas tax bill was produced within the two committees of jurisdiction in the Senate. the Environment and Public Works and the Finance Committees. I want to further state that this measure has been in the making for almost 2 years. Sometimes it is said that you should bring a bill to passage very quickly or in a period after careful discussion. It is not in the last few days. the last few weeks or the last few months. but the Committee on Environment and Public Works. through the process of extensive hearings. over a dozen of them and many markups brought this legislation to the Senate. The excellent leadership of Chairman SYMMS. of our Transportation Subcommittee. Chairman STAFFORD of the full committee and the cooperation of the entire committee. not that all would even vote for the measure as it now stands. brought forth this legislation. Sixteen members of our committee worked diligently over a long period of time to bring to this body the measure that will be voted on shortly. I am not angry at any point in the legislative process. I may be disturbed. I may be saddened. I may wonder why my dear colleague. whom I know so very well. cannot see the issue as I see it. All of that is understood. But during the 34 years that I have been privileged to work on this historic Hill. I have approached the legislative process and the decisionmaking process as something that I counted as not only a responsibility to execute but a privilege as well. And so. regardless of how Members in a few minutes will vote on this measure. I want each and every Member to know that this is not a statement of plausibility or nicety. I will recognize the judgment and the conscience of my colleagues as they vote on this measure. I only ask them once again. if there are Members who are still perhaps undecided. that they realize that this bill is not the best bill. it certainly is not the worst bill. but it is a necessary bill to bring into being the rehabilitation of the network of roads and bridges which. in a sense. came into being by the action of this Senate and the House of Representatives in 1956. If we brought into being a unifying force for this countryas we didit is wrong. as I see it. to allow that force to crumble. to decay. to break apart. And it is my feeling that that is the process we are now experiencing. And I am hopefulvery. very hopefulthat the measure will pass. I do not want to be misunderstood. I should not quote the Bible. I know. But the prophet Isaiah said. "A way shall be there for the redemption of his people." I hope I will not think in terms of being any prophet at all. but just a practitioner of that which is practical. I hope we will realize that the way. the way of America. a mobility. a people. a product. that we will. on this vote. give to the country. through the States. the opportunity to work within the Federal structure in a cooperative manner serving people. people. people. This measure deserves. I believe. our support. In the State of West Virginia. approximately. 3.000 bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The cost to repair or replace those structures is $1.5 billion. Between now and the year 2000. our interstate rehabilitation needs will be $600.000.000. This legislation will assist in meeting these needs as well as providing funds for completion of the Interstate Highway System in the State. Mr. President. I also want to thank our staff for their fine work on their legislation. My thanks to Jean Schrag. Richard Harris. John Yago. Bailey Gerard. Lee Fuller. Linda Findlay. and Kathy Cudlipp.

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Mr. RANDOLPH

Unknown

RANDOLPH

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Kentucky is recognized.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. I will take only about 2 or 3 minutes. Mr. President. I do not like criticizing a colleague or his tactics. I have never done this before. I am very uncomfortable doing it. But the events of the past few days where the Senate was brought to a standstill by the tactics of the Senators from North Carolina have pushed my patience and understanding to the limit. They and a couple of others have kept the Senate from enacting muchneeded legislation. Their tactics have ridiculed the Senate rules. Their conduct. in my opinion. has crossed the boundary of expected senatorial courtesy. To be sure. every Senator has the right to utilize the rules of the Senate to the best of his or her ability and to benefit for whatever purpose that he or she may desire. But those rules demand a certain amount of respect if they are to function and protect the institution of the Senate as a whole. The flagrant lack of respect for the rules and the consideration for its Members has done the Senate irreparable harm. I happen to share the opposition of the Senators from North Carolina to this piece of legislation. even more so now that we have the conference committees report. But I also recognize that there is a real and significant difference in expressing yourself and thwarting the rule of the majority. if a democracy is to function as the founders of this great Nation has intended. One of the most cherished and distinctive features of the Senate throughout the years has been that it provides for reasonable delays in the consideration of legislation to protect the rights of everyone. The House of Representatives has no similar provision. And this is a distinction that should be protected and manintained at all costs. However. in my opinion. what has happened these past few daysand I think it was evident this morningposes real danger of destroying those rules. Reasonable positions. maintained in an unreasonable manner. are now a threat to reasonable consideration of legislation. What will be the repercussions? The Senators from North Carolina have brought this body virtually to Its knees. ostensibly to oppose an increase in the gasoline tax. "It will hurt the people of North Carolina." they say. If that is what they are concerned about. why did they cast critical votes last summer that assured the passage of an increase in the cigarette tax? If they care about hurting the people in North Carolina. and in the tobacco community throughout this Nation. why did they not fight hard last summer? The tobacco community. indeed the entire farming community. needs to know what these two men have done to the tobacco coalition in this Congress. Those of us from tobacco States have worked hard over the years to build a strong coalition of agricultural interests. We have stood together and together we have protected our farmers. But the Senators from North Carolina have destroyed decades of hard work in these last few weeks. They have made new enemies for tobacco. They have put our tobacco program in the greatest jeopardy it has ever encountered. The actions of the Senators from North Carolina have generated considerable ill will among the Members of the Senate. I fear that I along with others will live to share the consequences. I have noted recently press reports where individual Senators. my friends. are contemplating various forms of retaliation. Some of the contemplated actions apparently will be directed at legislation and programs that affect the constituents of the Senators from North Carolina. especially small farmers and tobacco growers. I can appreciate my colleagues anger and frustration. Unfortunately. however. a great many of my constituents have a lot in common with the people of North Carolina. and these programs are just as important to my people as they are to theirs. Other Senators no doubt must say the same. Undoubtedly. any punitive measures aimed at these groups which are so important to the Senators from North Carolina will have an impact reaching far beyond the North Carolina borders. The Senators have placed me in a very difficult position. I do not need the potential problems they are creating for my State and other States. where agriculture is an important industry. They are putting me in a spot which is not the least bit comfortable or. in my opinion. deserved. and I do not like it. Mr. President. a lot of innocent people will suffer. Not me. but the poeple I love and I was sent here to serve. I wish that the Senators had thought of that beforehand. I hope that those who make those threats will reconsider for while selfsatisfying. no doublt. they will end up doing more harm than they will good.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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Will the Senator yield?

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

I yield to the Senator from Arizona. Several Senators addressed the Chair.

S

Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. a parliamentary inquiry.

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Mr. EAST

Unknown

EAST

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12231982.txt

Will the Senator yield for a parliamentary inquiry?

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I will be glad to do that.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

The Senator from North Carolina.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

As a point of parliamentary inquiry. since the speech of the Senator from Kentucky was obviously of a personal nature. directed at the Senators from North Carolina. would it not be appropriate as a parliamentary matter that we be allowed to respond to that charge? I think it is quite clear under any just. reasonable set of rules that we are entitled to respond to the comments which have just been made. I would hope that my colleagues would forebear and allow me or Senator HELMS to respond since clearly they were directed at the two Senators from North Carolina.

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Mr. EAST

Unknown

EAST

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Kentucky has the floor and he is not required to yield. He has yielded to the Senator from Arizona for a question.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I did not ask him to yield for a question. I asked if the Senator from Kentucky would yield and I understand he has yielded.

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

That is the only right by which the Senator can yield. for a question.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I thank the Senator from Kentucky for yielding. I ask the Senator from Kentucky if his consternation and concern expressed here is of such a nature that it has been ongoing for some period of time and the recent example that we have just witnessed over the last couple of weeks has really brought it to a point where he believes that something ought to be done to change the rules under the which we operate.

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

Unknown

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12231982.txt

The Senator is correct.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

May I go on with the Senator from Kentucky for a moment? Does the Senator agree that the last couple of weeks have been a sorry chapter in the history of this body and that for nearly 2 weeks the will of a clear majority of the Senate has been frustrated? I want to know if the Senator from Kentucky agrees that the one chance the farmers. in a depression situation. had to see something happen has been put aside because of this filibuster under the Senate rules. Does the Senator agree?

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

The farmers of this country need all the help that we can give them. It appears as a result of the filibuster that even though everyone admitted that the farm bill known as PIK was not the best or perfect. it was

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I thank the Senator. I would like to proceed with the Senator from Kentucky. It seems that the hopes of millions of unemployed Americans for an improved economy that might have had some breath of life over the last several weeks has been ignored. It has been ignored because. as the Senator from Kentucky so ably points out. some Members of this Senate put their personal desires ahead of the effort to do something about the ailing economy. Never have so many suffered so much from the obstruction of so few. in this Senators mind. The worlds "greatest deliberative body" that we like to call ourselves has been tyrannized and immobilized by a handful of men. whatever their motives. to prevent the will of the Senate and by using the rules of the Senate to prevent the economic recovery. in my judgment. The rules were meant to guard the minority. not to give them license to dictate and cause harm to the Nation. Yet. that is what has transpired in the last days of this session. I do not know what those who have treaded upon this for days on end believe they have accomplished. But if they think they serve the interests of this Nation and the people they represent back home I think they are sadly mistaken. The Senator from Kentucky ably points out that just in the area of tobacco and farm programs indeed there is ill will. I urge the Senator from Kentucky and those others certainly not to bear any grudges or burn any bridges in the farm community for Arizona has the same interest. to see that we have a stable agricultural community in this country. There are those of us here who will mark this day. I hope that the challenge will be met by the leadership on both sides of the aisle to do something about the rules. If we invoke cloture. it appears to me that cloture ought to prevail and then the issue ought to be decided. For us to labor through this holiday period. for us to have to stay here night after night. for us to have to be the laughing stock of the Nation in the way we conduct our businessI only say it is a sad for this body and not a proud one. regardless of the outcome of the pending legislation. I want to thank the Senator from Kentucky for his leadership and ask the Senator if he intends to propose any rule change or participate in any rules change before the Rules Committee. seeing that he is the ranking member. and what his agenda might be in that area.

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Mr. DECONCINI

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DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

I thank my distinguished colleague from Arizona. We now have a group. the PearsonRibicoff Commission. putting together recommended changes. not only for rules but for the procedures and the committee structure. That recommendation should be coming shortly. When that appears before the Rules Committee we intend then to refine that. discuss it and debate it and send it to the Senate floor for the consideration by the distinguished Members of this body.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I thank the Senator from Kentucky and I compliment him.

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

Will the Senator yield at that point for a question?

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

ROBERT C.

BYRD

Unknown

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12231982.txt

I will be delighted to yield.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I want to thank the Senator for his leadership on the Rules Committee. On behalf of at least this side of the aisle. and I think the entire Senate. I thank him for addressing this important problem. I thank the Senator for yielding.

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

I yield to the distinguished Senator from West Virginia.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I will wait and obtain the floor later.

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Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD

ROBERT C.

BYRD

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12231982.txt

The Senator from Kansas.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

Unknown

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12231982.txt

Mr. President. we are here to debate the highway bill and not to hear the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launch a campaign against the Senators from North Carolina. If we want to list the bills which have been blocked in this session. I will bring up the Pick bill. which was blocked by the Senator from Montana. We agreed to take his amendments if he would release it. There is the bankruptcy bill. which was blocked by the Senator from Ohio. Was this a filibuster? Well. he said he would if we brought it up. so we could not bring it up.

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Mr. DOLE

Unknown

DOLE

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12231982.txt

Will the Senator yield on that point?

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Mr. DECONCINI

Unknown

DECONCINI

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12231982.txt

Let me finish. Then there was the CBI. the Caribbean Basin issue. which we tried to get to the floor. That was blocked by 12 Members on the other side of the aisle. I do not intend to stand here and recite all the problems we have at this late stage. There is a lot of acrimony here and a lot of politics. Everyone is sort of piling on JESSE HELMS. That may be great fun but I do not think it will be particularly effective. I just suggest that we are here to talk about a highway bill. We are here to discuss how we are going to put some people to work and whether or not this bill is going to pass. I thought we would go ahead and vote on the bill. then we could all have our fun after the vote on the bill. I do not think. as the chairman of the Finance Committee and one of the managers of this bill. that we can stand here and let silence indicate that we agree with the remarks of the Democratic chairman of the Senate Campaign Committee. His remarks amount to a political campaign against one of our colleagues. We are not very pleased at times with what happens on the other side. I have become frustrated with Senators on both sides. I have been through the works in 1976. where I was designated the hatchet man. That took a while to erase. but we all survive this business if we try. It seems to me that we have a very good bill here. We should not mix this legislation in personalities. It is Christmastime. a holiday season. it is a time to be jolly. A lot of jingle bells are ringing.

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Mr. DOLE

Unknown

DOLE

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12231982.txt

Will the distinguished Senator from Kansas yield?

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I yield without losing my right to the floor. Is it a question?

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Mr. DOLE

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DOLE

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12231982.txt

Yes. Would it disturb the Senator if he knew that many Senators are saying they are going to retaliate because of what has happened? I am just saying I hope they will not. You have never heard me get up on this floor and criticize anybody in 8 years. Just because I happen to be chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. that did not keep your colleague from launching his campaign for the Senate next time. If the shoe fitsI am trying to protect my people. If you want me to do something different from that on the floor. that is fine. But as long as I am here. I am trying to protect my people.

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Mr. FORD

Unknown

FORD

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12231982.txt

I am trying to protect your people. too. I am one of your allies. Do not drive me into a corner.

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Mr. DOLE

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DOLE

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12231982.txt

I am not driving you into a corner. 2 are driving nintyeight into a corner.

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Mr. FORD

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FORD

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12231982.txt

It is a big corner.

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Mr. DOLE

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DOLE

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Is that a safe corner or a safe harbor.

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Mr. FORD

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FORD

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Mr. President. I would like to see if we could vote on this bill and get out of here. It seems to me we have reached a stage where you do not want to sit down because maybe somebody will get up with a stronger attack. Maybe I will have to stay here until 11:30.

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Mr. DOLE

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DOLE

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Mr. President. will the Senator from Kansas yield for a parliamentary inquiry?

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Mr. MATHIAS

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MATHIAS

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At an earlier point. the distinguished majority leader said we might advance the time for the vote. I am just wondering whether that has been done or is likely to be done. because it seems to me it is highly desirable to have it done.

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Mr. MATHIAS

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MATHIAS

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Mr. President.

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Mr. EAST

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EAST

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The Senator from Kansas has the floor.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Unknown

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12231982.txt

May I just--

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Mr. DOLE

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DOLE

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My inquiry is. have we advanced the time for a vote?

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Mr. MATHIAS

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MATHIAS

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The Chair will respond. The time has not been advanced. The Senator from Kansas has the floor.

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The VICE PRESIDENT

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Unknown

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12231982.txt