END-TEST: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
           
           
           
           
           
           
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE SENATE WILLSCOM TO ORDER. THE
           CHAPLAIN WILL NOW DELIVER THE OPENING PRAYER.
           

           THE CHAPLAIN: "THE HOUR IS COMING, AND NOW IS, WHEN TRUE
           WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; FOR THE
           FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM." GRACIOUS LORD OF OUR
           LIVES, WE RESPOND TO THIS INVITATION TO WORSHIP YOU. IN THE
           QUIET OF THIS MOMENT, WE WORSHIP YOU IN THE SPLENDOR OF YOUR

           MAJESTY. YOU ARE INFINITE, ETERNAL, AND UNCHANGEABLE; IN YOUR
           BEING, YOU ARE WISDOM, HOLINESS, GOODNESS, AND TRUTH. WE
           WORSHIP YOU IN RESPONSE TO YOUR GRACE, YOUR UNQUALIFIED LOVE
           FOR EACH OF US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS. YOU NEVER GIVE
           UP ON US. EVEN THOUGH WE FALTER AND FAIL, YOU NEITHER LEAVE NOR

           FORSAKE US. YOUR PROVIDENTIAL CARE FOR OUR NATION HAS BEEN
           CONSISTENT ALL THROUGH OUR HISTORY. AS A PEOPLE, WE RETURN TO
           YOU. NOW, LORD, HOW SHALL WE WORSHIP YOU IN THE MIDST OF THE
           WORK OF THIS DAY?
           WE WANT TO LIVE MAGNIFICENTLY BY MAGNIFYING YOU IN THE MUNDANE
           AS WELL AS THE MOMENTOUS. WE WANT OUR WORK ITSELF TO BE OUR

           RESPONSE OF WORSHIP. OUR DESIRE IS TO GLORIFY YOU IN ALL WE
           THINK, DECIDE, AND DO. EVERYTHING WITHIN US STANDS ON TIPTOE TO
           WORSHIP YOU, FOR YOU ARE OUR GOD IN WHOM WE PLACE OUR TRUST.

           AMEN.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE ABLE MAJORITY LEADER, SENATOR
           LOTT OF MISSISSIPPI, IS RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. LOTT: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. TODAY THE SENATE WILL
           RESUME CONSIDERATION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZATION
           BILL, UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER. A CLOTURE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO
           PROCEED TO S. 975, THE STEEL IMPORT LIMITATION BILL, WILL
           
           TAKE PLACE AT 12:15 WITH 40 MINUTES OF DEBATE ON THE MOTION
           PRIOR TO THE VOTE. FOLLOWING THAT VOTE, THE SENATE WILL STAND
           IN RECESS
           
           UNTIL 2:15 P.M. SO THAT THE WEEKLY PARTY CAUCUSES CAN MEET. IT
           IS THE INTENTION. LEADER TO COMPLETE ACTION ON THE STATE
           DEPARTMENT REAUTHORIZATION BILL DURING TODAY'S SESSION OF THE

           SENATE AND TO RESUME CONSIDERATION OF THE AGRICULTURE
           APPROPRIATIONS BILL. I THOUGHT WE HAD REACHED AN AGREEMENT AS
           TO EXACTLY HOW TO COMPLETE THE STATE DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZATION
           BILL LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, BUT BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF
           SOME SENATORS THAT NEEDED TO BE CONSULTED WITH, WE WERE NOT
           ABLE TO LOCK IN THE PROCEDURE AND THE TIME FOR COMPLETING THAT
           ACTION. I WOULD HOPE WE COULD COMPLETE IT, THOUGH, THIS MORNING
           AND HAVE THE VOTE OR VOTES ON OR IN RELATIONS TO THE STATE
           DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZATION BILL AFTER THE PARTY CAUCUSES AT
           

           2:15. WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS BILL,
           WE WOULD EXPECT A NUMBER OF VOTES THIS AFTERNOON.
           UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO CONFUSE
           THE ISSUE AND DELAY THE ACTION ON THE AGRICULTURE
           APPROPRIATIONS BILL BY OFFERING THE PATIENTS S. BILL OF -- THE
           PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS TO THIS IMPORTANT BILL. WE COULD WORK
           OUT AN AGREEMENT OTHERWISE IF THEY WOULD BE REASONABLE AS TO
           HOW WE MIGHT CONSIDER THAT ISSUE. BUT NOW IT IS PENDING TO THE
           AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS BILL AND I WOULD EXPECT THERE WOULD

           BE A COUPLE OF VOTES ON OR IN RELATION TO THAT ISSUE AS WELL. I
           UNDERSTAND THERE IS A BILL AT THE DESK DUE FOR ITS SECOND
           READING.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE CLERK WILL READ THE BILL.
           

           THE CLERK: A BILL ENTITLED THE PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS.
           

           MR. LOTT: I OBJECT TO FURTHER PROCEEDINGS ON THIS BILL AT THIS
           TIME.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE BILL GOES TO THE CALENDAR.
           

           MR. LOTT: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, SENATE WILL
           NOW RESUME CONSIDERATION OF SENATE BILL 886, WHICH THE CLERK
           WILL REPORT.
           

           THE CLERK: A BILL TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE
           DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR FISCAL YEARS 2000 AND 2001 AND SO FORTH

           AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MR. MACK: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.
           

           MR. MACK: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE
           SENATE FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES IN MORNING BUSINESS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. MACK: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. PROPONENTS OF THE QUOTA
           LEGISLATION TO BE CONSIDERED LATER TODAY HAVE SPOKEN WITH VIGOR
           AND PASSION REGARDING THE INJURY HAS BEEN SUFFERED BY DOMESTIC
           STEEL COMPANIES AND THE THREAT IMPORTS POSE TO THE WORKERS AT
           THOSE COMPANIES. HOWEVER, I FEEL COMPELLED TO RISE TODAY TO
           RESPOND TO MANY OF THE ASSERTIONS RAISED REGARDING THE STEEL
           INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY AND MORE GENERALLY I THINK IT IS
           IMPORTANT TO SPEAK TO SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO THE
           BILL. FIRST, THERE ARE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ALL AMERICANS ENJOY AS

           A RESULT OF LOWERING TRADE BARRIERS. SECOND, THE HARMFUL
           MESSAGE A QUOTA BILL WOULD SEND TO OUR TRADING PATTERNS AND,
           THIRD, THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF CONGRESS SINGLING OUT A
           SPECIFIC INDUSTRY FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT. THE FIRST POINT I
           WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THE IMPORT SURGE IS OVER. ACCORDING
           TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, IMPORTS HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR
           TRADITIONAL LEVELS. IN FACT, OVERALL STEEL IMPORTS IN THE FIRST

           FOUR MONTHS OF 1999 ARE BELOW THE PREIMPORT SURGE LEVELS.
           MOREOVER, EVEN WITH THE IMPORT SURGE OF 1998, U.S. STEEL
           PRODUCERS REPORTED PROFITS OF OVER $1 BILLION. FURTHERMORE, IN
           REVIEWING DATA PROVIDED BY THE STEEL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION,
           I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT U.S. STEEL PRODUCTION HAS
           INCREASED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. THE 1998 STEEL OUTPUT OF
           107.6 MILLION TONS WAS 10% GREATER THAN 1990. ADDITIONALLY, I

           WAS INTERESTED TO DISCOVER THAT SINCE 1987, IMPORTS AS A
           PERCENTAGE OF DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION, HAVE REMAINED CONSTANT AT
           AROUND 20%. AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THIS DATA, NO GROUND HAS BEEN
           LOST DESPITE PROTESATIONS TO THE CONTRARY. SOME HAVE ARGUED
           THAT THE FINANCIAL ILL HEALTH OF SEVERAL SPECIFIC COMPANIES
           SUCH AS BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, WORTON STEEL COMPANY, LACKLEAD
           STEEL CORPORATION, ACME METALS INCORPORATED AND GENEVA STEEL

           COMPANY ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF LAST YEAR'S IMPORT SURGE.
           HOWEVER, THE FACT IS THAT MANY OF THE INTERGRAILTED STEEL MILLS
           HAVE A HISTORY OF DECLINING FINANCIAL HEALTH EVIDENT WELL IN
           ADVANCE OF THE ASIAN CRISIS IN THE 1998 IMPORT SURGE. THIS IS
           REFLECTED IN THEIR STOCK PERFORMANCE WHICH, WITHOUT EXCEPTION,
           SHOWS A PRONOUNCED DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF THEIR STOCK OVER THE
           LAST FIVE YEARS AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SURGE IN
           IMPORTS. NOTING THE DECLINING EMPLOYMENT FIGURES IN THE STEEL

           INDUSTRY, PROPONENTS OF THE QUOTA BILL SUGGEST THE U.S. IS
           LOSING MARKET SHARE BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IMPORTS HAVE
           NOT THRODE A DECREASE IN MARKET SHARE. U.S. STEEL PRODUCTION IN
           TRADITIONAL INTEGRATED MILLS HAS REMAINED FAIRLY FLAT. IMPORT
           COMPETITION HAS MERELY FORCED U.S. STEEL TO BECOME MORE
           EFFICIENT. THE GROWTH IN DOMESTIC PRODUCTION THAT HAS ALLOWED
           U.S. STEEL TO RETAIN ITS DOMESTIC SHARE HAS BEEN ALMOST
           EXCLUSIVELY A RESULT OF OUR NATION'S MINI MILLS THAT ACCOUNT

           FOR ALMOST 60% OF PRODUCTION. THEY USE AN INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION
           TECHNIQUE TO RECYCLE SCRAP STEEL. THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY
           FRIENDLY PRODUCERS ARE TRANSFORMING THE STEEL INDUSTRY AND I
           THINK HERE IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE ASSOCIATION OF MINE KNEE
           MILLS IS NEUTRAL -- MINI MILLS IS NEUTRAL. SOME ARGUE OUR
           FOREIGN COMPETITORS ARE PLAYING BY DIFFERENT RULES -- BY A
           DIFFERENT SET OF RULES. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR CURRENT
           ANTI-DUMPING LAWS ARE INTENDED TO ADDRESS. THE STEEL INDUSTRY

           HAS SHOWN ITSELF TO BE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH AND MORE THAN
           WILLING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE LAWS. EVEN THOUGH STEEL
           ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY 5% OF OUR IMPORTS, THE INDUSTRY HAS GENERATED
           46% OF THE UNFAIR TRADE COMPLAINTS BROUGHT BEFORE THE U.S.
           INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES. OUR
           CURRENT LAWS PROVIDE APPROPRIATE PROTECTION FOR ALL INDUSTRIES.
           THEY SHOULD NOT BE CIRCUMVENTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE
           EXTRAORDINARY PROTECTION FOR A SINGLE INDUSTRY. MR. PRESIDENT,
           TRADE PROMOTES PROSPERITY. AND ALL TOO OFTEN WE HEAR COMPLAINTS

           OF LOST JOBS AND INVAISHABLY THE BLAME IS LAID TO TRADE. THIS
           ALLEGATION HAS GONE UNANSWERED FOR FAR TOO LONG. TRADE HAS
           GIVEN US FAR MORE JOBS THAN WOULD OTHERWISE BE VAIFMBIT THE
           FACT IS THAT THE SIZE OF OUR TRADE SECTOR HAS GROWN STEADILY
           DURING THE LAST 50 YEARS. AS A SHARE OF THE ECONOMY, TRADE
           DOUBLED BETWEEN 1950 AND 1980 AND HAS DOUBLED AGAIN BETWEEN
           1980 AND 1998. NOT SURPRIORSINGLY, EMPLOYMENT HAS EXPANDED FROM

           99 MILLION IN 1990 TO -- IN 1980 TO 133 MILLION TODAY. FAR FROM
           HARMING OUR ECONOMY, TRADE HAS BEEN A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR
           TO OUR GROWTH AND OUR PROSPERITY. REAL G.D.P. IS NOW 64%
           GREATER THAN IT WAS IN 1980 AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ONLY NINE
           MONTHS OF RECESSION DURING THE LAST 16 YEARS. MOREOVER, OUR
           GROWTH RATE IS NOW THE HIGHEST AND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THE
           LOWEST AMONG THE G-7 NATIONS. TRADE MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO
           FOCUS OUR PRODUCTION ON THE THINGS WE DO BEST AND THEREBY
           PRODUCE A LARGER OUTPUT AND ENJOY A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING.

           FOR GOODS AND SERVICES THAT WE PRODUCE CHEAPLY, WE CAN EXPAND
           OUR OUTPUT AND SELL ABROAD AT ATTRACTIVE PRICES. AND FOR THINGS
           THAT WE DO POORLY, WE CAN ACQUIRE THEM ECONOMICALLY FROM
           FOREIGN PRODUCERS. THUS, TRADE PROMOTES PROSPERITY. AND, MR.
           PRESIDENT, THE STEEL QUOTA BILL ALSO SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE.
           WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR OPEN MARKETS BOTH THROUGH GATT AND NOW THE
           W.T.O., AND WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS FIGHT AND THIS BATTLE
           FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS. AND FOR SOMETIME WEEL WE HAVE TOLD THE

           WORLD THAT ECONOMIC FREEDOM -- WE HAVE TOLD THE WORLD THAT
           ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ARE A KEY. LET ME MAKE
           FOUR POINTS WITH RESPECT TO THE MESSAGE. A QUOTA BILL WOULD
           SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THE EUROPEAN UNION. IT WOULD SEND A
           WRONG MESSAGE TO THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIES. IT WOULD SEND A WRONG
           MESSAGE TO INVESTORS AND IT WOULD SEND A WRONG MESSAGE TO OUR
           TRADING PATTERNS. LET ME TOUCH LIGHTLY ON EACH OF THOSE. WITH

           RESPECT TO THE EUROPEAN UNION, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDST OF
           A TRADE DISPUTE WITH THE E.U. REGARDING THEIR RESTRICTIONS ON
           BOTH BANANAS AND BEEF. THE STEEL QUOTA BILL UNDERCUTS OUR
           POSITION ON THESE ISSUES. HOW CAN WE COMPLAIN ABOUT
           RESTRICTIONS OF OTHERS WHILE WE OURSELVES ARE ERECTING TRADE
           BARRIERS?
           AND WITH RESPECT TO THE LEADERS OF THE FORMER COMMUNIST
           COUNTRIES, THIS BILL SAYS, WHEN WE THINK IT IS CONVENIENT, IT
           IS ALL RIGHT TO SUBSTITUTE POLITICAL MANIPULATION FOR MARKETS.
           I CAN ASSURE YOU, THE LEADERS OF THE FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES

           ARE WATCHING. IF A PROSPEROUS AMERICA WITH A LOW UNEMPLOYMENT
           RATE IS WILLING TO BAILOUT TROUBLED -- BAIL OUT TROUBLED FIRMS,
           HOW CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO REFRAIN?
           AND WITH RESPECT TO INVESTERS, INVESTMENT FLOWED INTO THE
           UNITED STATES AND THE U.S. ECONOMY REMAINS STRONG. IN NO SMALL
           DEGREE THIS CONFIDENCE OF INVESTORS WAS DUE TO THE OPENNESS OF
           OUR ECONOMY AND OUR RELIANCE ON MARKETS RATHER THAN POLITICS.
           AND AGAIN WITH RESPECT TO OUR TRADING PATTERNS, OUR TRADING

           PATTERNS MOST OF WHICH HAVE BOTH LOWER AND SLOWER RATES OF
           GROWTH AND HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT ARE UNLIKELY TO STAND IDLY BY
           WHILE WE IMPOSE TRADE BARRIERS. RETALIATION AND ESCALATION OF
           TRADE BARRIERS ARE A LIKELY SIDE EFFECT. AND FINALLY, IT BEARS
           MENTIONING THAT IT IS A SERIOUS MISTAKE FOR CONGRESS TO PLAY
           FAVORITES. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT IS INVOLVED HERE. THIS BILL
           PRODUCES A TAXON STEEL USERS IN ORDER TO SUBSIDIZE STEEL
           PRODUCERS. A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THE U.S. STEEL INDUSTRY

           REFINES RAW STEEL INTO FINISHED AND SPECIALTY GOODS. THE U.S.
           STEEL INDUSTRY IS THEREFORE THEREFORE A MAJOR PURCHASER OF --
           THE U.S. STEEL INDUSTRY IS THEREFORE A MAJOR PROCHER OF --
           PURCHASER OF GOODS. MOREOVER, THIS BILL WOULD TREAT THE STEEL
           INDUSTRY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES. STEEL IS NOT THE ONLY
           INDUSTRY THAT HAS BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CURRENCY DEVALUE
           -- DEVALUATIONS. THE SALES OF MANY FIRMS WERE AFFECTED AS A

           RESULT OF THESE FACTORS. WHY SHOULD THIS INDUSTRY BE SINGLED
           OUT FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT?
           AND IN CONCLUSION, MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO STRESS THAT THE
           LEGISLATION WE WILL BE CONSIDERING LATER TODAY PROPOSES THAT
           THE CONGRESS INTERVENE IN THE MARKET, RISK A TRADE WAR AND
{END: 1999/06/22 TIME: 09-45 , Tue.  106TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}