YESTERDAY OR I GUESS TODAY, THERE WAS A GOOD DEAL OF DISCUSSION
           ABOUT THE NEED TO MOVE IT TO SEPTEMBER. WELL, I WILL INFORM MY
           COLLEAGUES THAT WE WILL ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO TAKE UP PNTR.
           IF THAT FAILS AT SOME POINT THIS WEEK WE WILL ACTUALLY PROCEED,
           MAKE A MOTION TO PROCEED TO PNTR BY A TIME CERTAIN THIS MONTH.
           WE CANNOT FAIL TO ACT ON THAT ISSUE ANY LONGER. WE MUST ACT. SO

           WE WILL MAKE THAT MOTION TO PROCEED TO PNTR IF THE MAJORITY
           LEADER CHOOSES NOT TO MAKE THE MOTION, FOR WHATEVER REASON. I
           WILL ALSO SAY THAT AS HE HAS INDICATED, THERE IS AN ARRAY OF
           BUSINESS LEFT UNDONE, THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON HAS BEEN BLOCKED
           BY SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE. WE WILL WANT TO
           ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS WELL. WE WILL OFFER A MOTION TO PROCEED
           TO PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS. WE WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO DO THAT
           WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, WITH MINIMUM WAGE, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD

           SAFETY AND A NUMBER OF ISSUES RELATING TO VERY BALANCED ACTION
           ON GUN LEGISLATION, CLOSING THE SAULD GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE AND
           DEALING WITH THE MINIMALIST APPROACHES TO GUN SAFETY THAT WE
           ENACTED WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE BILL. I WILL ALL TIMES SAY WE
           WILL WANT TO MOVE TO PROCEED TO THE H-1-B LEGISLATION. IT
           PASSED IN THE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER
           AMENDMENTS. WE'D LIKE TO TAKE IT UP. IT SHOULD HAPPEN THIS

           WEEK. IF NOT THIS WEEK, NEXT WEEK. BUT WE OUGHT TO TAKE UP H-1B
           AS WELL. YOU COULD CALL THIS WEEK THE TRILLION DOLLAR WEEK,
           MADAM PRESIDENT. TRILLION DOLLAR WEEK BECAUSE OUR REPUBLICAN
           COLLEAGUES ARE CHOOSING TO IGNORE ALL OF THE LEGISLATION I'VE
           JUST NOTED, GIVEN THE LIMITED TIME WE HAVE HAVE, AND INSTEAD
           COMMIT THIS COUNTRY TO A TRILLION DOLLARS IN TWO VERY I WOULD

           SAY FOCUSED TACK CUTS RELATING FIRST TO -- TAX CUTS RELATING
           FIRST TO MARRIAGE PENALTY, WHICH WE'RE TOLD PIE C.B.O. WOULD
           COST A LITTLE OVER $250 -- TOLD BY C.B.O. WOULD COST A LITTLE
           OVER $250 BILLION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE REPUBLICAN
           VERSION, AND THE ESTATE TAX REPEAL, WHICH OVER A FULLY
           IMPLEMENTED TEN-YEAR PERIOD, COSTS $750 BILLION. THAT'S A TRIL
           WRONDZ DEALING
           
           WITH JUST TWO ISSUES: ESTATE TAX AND MARRIAGE PENALTY. IT
           DOESN'T EVEN GO TO THE ARRAY OF OTHER TAX-RELATED QUESTIONS
           THAT SOME OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HAVE ADDRESSED IN THE

           PAST. WE COULD BE UP INTO $3 TRILLION OR $4 TRILLION OF TAX
           CUTS IF ALL OF THE TAX PROPOSALS MADE BY OUR REPUBLICAN
           COLLEAGUES WOULD BE ENACTED. BUT THIS WEEK ALONE, WE MAY WANT
           TO CALL THIS THE TRILLION DOLLAR WEEK IF OUR REPUBLICAN
           COLLEAGUES HAVE THEIR WAY. $750 BILLION ON ESTATE TAX, $250
           BILLION ON MARRIAGE PENALTY BY THEIR DEFINITION. AND I WILL
           SAY, A TRILLION DOLLARS WITH VERY LIMITED DEBATE, WITH NO REAL

           OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER AMENDMENTS AMENDMENTS, WITH NO REAL
           SUGGESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE OUGHT TO HAVE THE -- AT
           LEAST THE RIGHT TO OFFER ALTERNATIVES TO SPENDING THAT MUCH
           MONEY. THE DEMOCRATS FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THE NEED TO
           ENSURE SMALL BUSINESS AND FARMS ARE PROTECTED AND THE ABILITY
           PROVIDED TO TRANSFER SMALL BUSINESSES AND FARMS. BUT WE CAN DO

           THAT FOR A LOT LESS THAN $750 BILLION. WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY
           ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MARRIAGE PENALTY AND THE
           ELIMINATION OF IT. BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND $250 BILLION TO
           DEAL WITH IT. IN FACT, THE REGULAR ORDER RIGHT NOW IS THE
           MARRIAGE PENALTY. WE HAVE OFFERED A LIMIT ON AMENDMENTS, A
           LIMIT ON TIME ON THOSE AMENDMENTS TO TEN. IF WE COULD TAKE IT
           UP AND DEAL WITH IT THIS WEEK. LAST WEEK, LAST MONTH, THE MONTH

           BEFORE. INSTEAD, WHAT OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ARE DOING --
           AND I MIGHT ALL, ALL THE TIME CALLING FOR OUR COOPERATION --
           AND I MIGHT ADD ALL THE TIME CALLING FOR OUR COOPERATION -- IS
           TO SAY NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE
           YOU RELEVANT AMENDMENTS ON MARRIAGE PENALTY. WE'RE GOING TO GO
           TO THE FIRST RECONCILIATION BILL SO YOU CAN'T HAVE AMENDMENTS
           AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP THE BILL THAT WAY. BUT WE STILL WANT
           YOUR COOPERATION. AND NOW WE'RE TOLD THAT WE'LL HAVE A -- AN
           OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON CLOTURE BECAUSE WE ARE GIVEN THE SAME

           MANDATE, THE SAME ULTIMATUM WHEN IT COMES TO AMENDMENTS ON
           ESTATE TAX. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, LET ME END WHERE I STARTED. I
           -- I REALLY DO HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE AS PRODUCTIVE A TIME THIS
           COMING MONTH AS WE HAD LAST MONTH. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD
           MONTH. BUT I MUST SAY, THIS IS A PRECARIOUS BEGINNING WITH THIS
           TRILLION DOLLAR WEEK. IT'S A PRECARIOUS BEGINNING WHEN WITH ALL
           OF THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS THE MAJORITY LEADER REFERRED TO, WE'RE
           NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT. WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH 2% OF THE

           POPULATION AFFECTED BY THE ESTATE TAX AND WE'RE GOING TO DEAL
           WITH THE MARRIAGE PENALTY THAT GOES WAY BEYOND THE MARRIAGE
           PENALTY ALL THE TIME DENYING DEMOCRATIC SENATORS THE RIGHT TO
           OFFER AMENDMENTS ON OTHER DIRECTIONS THAT WE MIGHT TAKE. SO I
           LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING AND WORKING WITH THE MAJORITY LEADER,
           AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A GOOD AND RIGOROUS DEBATE ABOUT ALL OF
           THE ISSUES HAVING TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
           

           MR. REID: WOULD THE GENTLEMAN YIELD FOR A QUESTION BEFORE HE
           GIVES UP THE FLOOR?
           
           

           MR. DASCHLE: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO YIELD TO THE ASSISTANT
           DEMOCRATIC LEADER.
           

           MR. REID: I'VE LISTENED TO THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER OUTLINE WHAT
           WE HAVE WANT BEEN ABLE TO DO. AND I FULLY SUPPORT AS DOES THE
           ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS WHAT THE SENATOR IS TRYING TO GET
           ACCOMPLISHED. THE ONE THING YOU DIDN'T MENTION, THOUGH, YOU
           KNOW, THERE'S BEEN I SAY TO MY COLLEAGUE, A TREMENDOUS FUROR
           FROM THE REPUBLICAN SIDE ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO HELP -- HOW THEY
           WANT TO HELP THE HIGH-TECH COMMUNITY. BUT THE ONE THING THAT
           HAS NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IS A SIMPLE LITTLE BILL TO CHANGE THE

           EXPORT ADMINISTRATION ACT SO THAT OUR HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY CAN
           COMPETE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE'RE LOSING AS WE SPEAK
           OUR BUSINESS POSITION IN THE WORLD IN SELLING COMPUTERS. WE
           LEAD THE WORLD IN THE ABILITY TO SELL HIGH-TECH COMPUTERS. AND
           THAT'S BEING TAKEN FROM US AS A RESULT OF FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE
           ON THE REPUBLICANIDE WHO ARE HOLDING UP THIS MOST IMPORTANT
           LEGISLATION. I WOULD HOPE, MR. LEADER, THAT THIS CAN BE
           SOMETHING WE CAN ALSO MOVE FORWARD ON. WE WOULD BE WILLING TO
           DEBATE IT FOR 30 MINUTES, FOR AN HOUR HOUR. AND IF THERE IS --

           IF THERE'S ALL THIS TALK ABOUT HELPING THE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY,
           THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IN MY OPINION, WE COULD DO IS
           TO GET SOME ATTENTION FOCUSED ON WHAT HASN'T BEEN DONE
           REGARDING THE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY. AND H-1-B VISAS, OF COURSE
           THAT'S IMPORTANT. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OVER ON THE AIRPLANE
           RIDE BACK FROM LAS VEGAS YESTERDAY TO READ A BOOK THAT YOU'VE
           ALREADY READ AND YOU TOLD ME HOW MUCH YOU ENJOYED IT CALLED
           "THE NEW NEW THING." AND THAT BOOK INDICATES HOW IMPORTANT IT

           IS THAT WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK OF THIS -- OF
           SCIENTIFIC NATURE, AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THE H-1 H-1B. WE AGREE
           THERE. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO CHANGE OUR ABILITY TO DO MORE EXPORT
           AND IMPROVE OUR BALANCE OF TRADE. SO I -- I JUST CLOSE BY
           SAYING 44 SENATORS ARE WILLING TO COME IN EARLY IN THE MORNING,
           TO STAY LATE AT NIGHT, TO GIVE UP OUR WEEKENDS, TO DO WHATEVER
           IS NECESSARY THESE NEXT THREE WEEKS TO MOVE THIS LEGISLATION
           THAT THE SENATOR HAS OUTLINED.
           

           MR. DASCHLE: THE ASSISTANT DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAS MADE A VERY
           IMPORTANT POINT. THE LIST I REFERRED TO CERTAINLY WAS NOT
           ALL-INCLUSIVE AND HE LISTED ONE IMPORTANT OMISSION AND THAT IS
           THE EXPORT ENHANCEMENT BILL. AS HE HAS NOTED, I DON'T -- IN
           FACT, I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE WHO'S PUT MORE TIME IN TO TRYING
           TO GET THAT BILL SCHEDULED THAN THE ASSISTANT DEMOCRATIC
           LEADER. AND I THANK HIM PUBLICLY FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO TRY TO
           FIND A WAY WITH WHICH TO BRING THIS LEGISLATION UP. HE'S

           ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AS WE CONSIDER OUR HUGE DEFICIT IN OUR
           BALANCE OF PAYMENTS, THE ONLY REAL BLACK EYE WE HAVE IN AN
           OTHERWISE EXTRAORDINARY ECONOMIC RECORD, AS WE CONSIDER THAT, I
           CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN ENSURING THAT WE
           CAN STAY COMPETITIVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE TODAY.
           AND THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN TO ADDRESS EXPORT
           ENHANCEMENT LEGISLATION AS THE ASSISTANT DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAS
           NOTED. I MIGHT ALSO SAY TO THE DEMOCRATIC -- ASSISTANT
           DEMOCRATIC LEADER THAT JUST TODAY, AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE

           U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TOM DONAHUE, HAS CALLED UPON THE
           SENATE TO ACT. HE CALLED UPON THE SENATE TO ACT ON PNTR
           IMMEDIATELY. I'M SURE THAT HE WOULD ALSO CALL UPON THE SENATE
           TO ACT UPON EXPORT ENHANCEMENT. BUT THERE IS A GROWING
           CRESCENDO OUT THERE OF PEOPLE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SENATE
           WHICH HAS TON LITTLE, WHICH HAS-- --WHICH HAS DONE LITTLE,
           WHICH HAS BLOCKED THE PEOPLE'S
           
           BUSINESS, NOT ENACTED IT: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, PATIENTS' BILL OF

           RIGHTS, MINIMUM WAGE, EFFECTIVE GUN LEGISLATION, CHINA WITH THE
           PNTR, AND H-1B. ALL OF THOSE OUGHT TO BE DONE. ALL OF THOSE
           OUGHT TO BE DONE THIS MONTH. WE WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME LEFT
           WHEN WE GET BACK AFTER THE AUGUST RECESS, SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE
           EVERY DAY COUNT. AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE MAJORITY TO MAKE
           THAT HAPPEN. WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR AND NOTE THE ABSENCE
           OF A QUORUM.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
           
           
           
           QUORUM CALL:
           

           MR. KYL: MADAM PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA.
           

           MR. KYL: MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT FURTHER
           PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE QUORUM CALL BE DISPENSED WITH.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. KYL: THANK YOU. AND, MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS
           CONSENT ON BEHALF OF THE LEADER THAT THE SENATE NOW PROCEED TO
           EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF CALENDAR 524, THE
           NO, MA'AM FACE OF MADELEINE CREEDEN, TO DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
           FOR DEFENSE PROGRAMS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONSENT AGREEMENT
           REACHED JUNE 14.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
           WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. KYL: THANK YOU. NOW --
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK REPORT.
           

           THE CLERK: NOMINATION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, MADELEINE R.
           CREEDEN OF INDIANA TO BE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR DEFENSE
           PROGRAMS, NATIONAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
           

           MR. KYL: THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, IT WOULD BE MY INTENTION
           IN JUST A MOMENT TO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SPEAK ON A
           DIFFERENT SUBJECT. PERHAPS SENATOR LEVIN WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT
           BRIEFLY. I KNOW HE HAS A MORE LENGTHY
{END: 2000/07/10 TIME: 15-45 , Mon.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}