May 5, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6225

shrapnel or a toxic defoliant. In each

case, the wound is real, and so is our

obligation to help the veteran who suffers it.

We also need more research into our

health concerns of Vietnam vets.

In all, more than 682,000 Vietnam and

Vietnam-era veterans are now disabled

as a result of their military service.

And a respected study by the independent Research Triangle institute estimates that more than 960,000 men

who fought in Vietnam and 1,900

women—nearly one in three Vietnam

veterans—suffer from post-traumatic

stress disorder. For some, the effects

are few and fleeting. For others, they

are chronic and debilitating.

So as we mark this 20th anniversary

of the end of our Nation’s most painful

period this century, let us remember

the words of Abraham Lincoln as he

spoke them in his second inaugural to

the Nation still grieving from another

terrible war that divided our Nation.

He said:

Let us strive to finish the work that we are

in, to bind up the Nation’s wounds, to care

for him who shall have borne the battle and

for his widow and orphan, to do all which

may achieve and cherish a just and lasting

peace.

Let us show our thanks to Vietnam

veterans this week, next week, and at

all times in the future by pledging to

give the Department of Veterans Affairs the resources it needs to keep the

promises we made to all Vietnam veterans.

Let us show our thanks by strengthening community-based veterans

health care centers, by making a commitment to keep veterans centers vital

and independent. These centers do not

duplicate the work of VA hospitals.

They serve different people with different needs, and we ought to maintain

them.

Finally, Mr. President, it is time for

this Nation to move toward normalizing relations with Vietnam. I know the

arguments against normalization, and

I sympathize with them. I understand

that the prospect of restoring diplomatic ties with Vietnam is painful to

many Americans, especially those who

have friends and family members

among those who remain unaccounted

for in Vietnam.

Experience has shown that it is precisely by expanding our ties with Vietnam that we are most likely to learn

what happened to soldiers who never

returned.

In the years when we had no contact

with Vietnam, we made no progress on

the question of those missing in action.

So I stand with my colleagues, Senator MCCAIN, Senator BOND, Senator

KERRY of Massachusetts, and others on

both sides of the aisle in urging that

we move cautiously toward a fuller dialog with Vietnam in order to secure answers for the families and healing for

our Nation.

We can never repay Sgt. Raymond

Adams and Specialist Steven Trant or

any of the other 58,000 Americans who

lost their lives in Vietnam, but we can

show our respect and our gratitude,

and we can continue the effort to bind

up the Nation’s wounds from a war

that, in some ways, still divides us.

MEASURE READ FOR THE FIRST

TIME—S. 761

fMr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I understand that S. 761, introduced earlier

today by myself and Senator BIDEN, is

at the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is

correct.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask

for its first reading.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will read the bill by title.

The bill clerk read as follows:

A bill (S. 761) to improve the ability of the

United States to respond to the international terrorist threat.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask

for the second reading.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there

objection?

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

object.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is

an objection. This bill will be read for

the second time on the next legislative

day.

Is the Democratic leader finished?

Mr. DASCHLE. Yes.

APPOINTMENT BY THE VICE

fPRESIDENT

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

Chair, on behalf of the Vice President,

pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 276d–276g, as

amended, appoints the following Senators as Members of the Senate Delegation to the Canada-United States

Interparliamentary Group during the

first session of the 104th Congress, to

be held in Huntsville, ON, Canada, May

18–22, 1995:

The Senator from Iowa [Mr. GRASSLEY], and the Senator from Texas [Mrs.

H

COMMONSENSE PRODUCT LIABILUTCHISON

ITY AND LEGAL REFORM ACT

].

fThe PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, the Senate will resume the

pending business, which the clerk will

report.

The bill clerk read as follows:

A bill (H.R. 956) to establish legal standards and procedures for product liability litigation, and for other purposes.

The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. In my

capacity as a Senator from Alaska, I

suggest the absence of a quorum. The

clerk will call the roll.

The bill clerk proceeded to call the

roll.

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the order

for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

AMENDMENT NO. 690 TO AMENDMENT NO. 596

(Purpose: To provide for a uniform product

liability law and to provide assurance of

access to certain biomaterials)

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

send an amendment to the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report.

The assistant legislative clerk read

as follows:

The Senator from Georgia [Mr.

COVERDELL], for himself and Mr. DOLE, proposes an amendment numbered 690 to amendment No. 596.

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent further reading

be dispensed.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

(The text of the amendment is printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Amendments Submitted.’’)

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

CLOTURE MOTION

fsend a cloture motion to the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented

under rule XXII, the Chair directs the

clerk to read the motion.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

CLOTURE MOTION

We the undersigned Senators in accordance

with the provisions of rule XXII of the

Standing Rules of the Senate do hereby

move to bring to a close debate on the pending substitute amendment to H.R. 956, the

product liability bill:

Slade Gorton, Dan Coats, Richard G.

Lugar, John Ashcroft, Rod Grams, Kay

Bailey Hutchison, Judd Gregg, Strom

Thurmond, Jay Rockefeller, Trent

Lott, Rick Santorum, Larry E. Craig,

Bob Smith, Don Nickles, R.F. Bennett,

John McCain, Connie Mack.

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will call the roll.

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call.

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the order

for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I

CLOTURE MOTION

fsend a cloture motion to the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented

under rule XXII, the Chair directs the

clerk to read the motion.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

CLOTURE MOTION

We the undersigned Senators in accordance

with the provisions of rule XXII of the

Standing Rules of the Senate do hereby

move to bring to a close debate on the pending substitute amendment to H.R. 956, the

product liability bill:

Slade Gorton, Dan Coats, Richard G.

Lugar, John Ashcroft, Rod Grams, Kay

Bailey Hutchison, Judd Gregg, Strom

Thurmond, Jay Rockefeller, Trent

Lott, Rick Santorum, Larry E. Craig,