MR. DORGAN: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
           

           MR. DORGAN: MR. PRESIDENT, UNANIMOUS CONSENT I ASK THE QUORUM
           CALL BE VACATED.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. UNDER THE
           PREVIOUS ORDER, THE LEADERSHIP TIME IS RESERVED AND THERE WILL
           NOW BE A PERIOD FOR THE TRANSACTION OF MORNING BUSINESS WITH
           SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK THEREIN FOR UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH.
           UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
           
           TIME UNTIL 1:00 P.M. SHALL BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE SENATOR
           FROM ILLINOIS, MR. DURBIN OR HIS DESIGNEE.
           
           MRDURBIN:MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY
           CONSUME.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE SENATOR IS
           RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. DORGAN: MR. PRESIDENT, I CAME TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE
           TODAY AS WE BEGIN BUSINESS FOR THE WEEK TO TALK ABOUT TWO
           ISSUES. FIRST, LET ME JUST DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED SATURDAY
           EVENING ON THE EAST COAST. THERE WAS A HOCKEY TEAM FROM THE
           UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA WENT TO THE EAST COAST TO PLAY IN
           THE NCAA DIVISION 1 HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP, AND WHEN THEY FINISHED
           THAT COMPETITION, THE NORTH DAKOTA SIOUX WERE DIVISION 1
           NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN. IN FACT, IT'S THE SEVEN DIVISION

           1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
           HOCKEY TEAM. -- HOCKEY TEAM. I'M AN ALUMNI OF THAT GREAT SCHOOL
           AND IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE I WATCHED THE GAME ON TELEVISION
           LAST SATURDAY EVENING AND SAW THE NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX
           WIN THAT CONTEST. WE ARE THE HOME OF GREAT SKATERS, GREAT
           HOCKEY PLAYERS, GREAT TRADITION, AND THIS YEAR ONCE AGAIN WE
           DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A 40,000-STUDENT
           POPULATION TO BE A DIVISION 1 NATIONAL CHAMPION. I HAVE CALLED

           THE WHITE HOUSE THIS MORNING AND ASKED THAT THEY WOULD INVITE
           THAT TEAM TO THE WHITE HOUSE, AS IS OFTEN THE CUSTOM FOR
           CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS, COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL AND OTHER
           TEAMS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE
           WHITE HOUSE BY THE PRESIDENT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.
           AND I HOPE HE WILL DO THE SAME FOR THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF
           YOUNG MEN FROM NORTH DAKOTA WHO ARE NOW THIS NATION'S CHAMPIONS
           IN DIVISION 1 HOCKEY. SO MY HAT IS OFF TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
           NORTH DAKOTA. IT'S A WONDERFUL SCHOOL. I'M PROUD TO HAVE GOTTEN

           MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE THERE. BUT I'VE BEEN INCREASINGLY PROUD
           YEAR AFTER YEAR AS I WATCH THIS SCHOOL. NOT ONLY ARE THESE
           GREAT ATHLETES AND GREAT HOCKEY PLAYERS, THESE ARE GREAT
           STUDENTS AND GOOD YOUNG MEN. THIS IS AN ATHLETIC PROGRAM
           WITHOUT PARALLEL AROUND THE COUNTRY, IN MY JUDGMENT. AND,
           AGAIN, I WANTED TO COME THIS MORNING JUST TO SAY
           CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE YOUNG MEN. I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM. MR.
           PRESIDENT, IF I CAN IN A SEPARATE PART OF THE RECORD, UNDER A
           SEPARATE HEADING DISCUSS JUST FOR A MOMENT THE ISSUES THAT FACE

           THE CONGRESS AND WHERE WE ARE AND WHY WE'RE HERE AND SUGGEST
           PERHAPS A SLIGHTLY MORE ROBUST AGENDA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF
           MONTHS. IT IS MOU A MONDAY IN APRIL -- IT IS NOW A MONDAY IN
           APRIL. IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR TO ME WHAT THE AGENDA WILL BE ON
           THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE THIS WEEK. I GUESS IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR
           YET TO ANYONE. WE KNOW THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS WE WILL DO OUR
           WORK AS PRORGPS. I'M ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE -- AS
           PRORGPSS. I'M ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. WE WILL DO OUR
           WORK AS APPROPRIATORS AND BRING OUR WORK TO THE FLOOR OF THE

           SENATE. BEYOND THAT, IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR WHAT THE AGENDA IS.
           RECOGNIZING THAT MY POLITICAL PARTY, THE ONE THAT I REPRESENT
           HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, DID NOT WIN THE ELECTION, IT IS ALSO
           CLEAR THAT WE DON'T SET THE AGENDA HERE IN THE UNITED STATES
           SENATE. THE POLITICAL SYSTEM HAS A UNIQUE WAY OF DESCRIBING WHO
           CONTROLS INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THIS. AND THOSE THAT HAVE THE
           MOST MEMBERS, THOSE THAT GET THE MOST VOTES IN A GENERAL
           ELECTION HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL AND TO CREATE AN
           AGENDA. AND THAT'S AS IT SHOULD BE. BUT IT IS PERHAPS
           FRUSTRATING FOR ME A OTHERS THAT OUR AGENDA IS NOT NEARLY AS

           ROBUST AS IT COULD OR SHOULD BE. LET ME DESCRIBE SOME OF THE
           THINGS THAT I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE DOING AND THAT I HOPE THE
           MAJORITY LEADER AND OTHERS WILL AGREE AT SOME POINT IN THE
           COMING WEEKS THAT WE WILL DO. FIRST, WE PASSED SOME LONG, LONG
           TIME AGO A PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS. I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE
           SENATE VERSION OF IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A GOOD BILL.
           BUT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED A BIPARTISAN PIECE OF
           LEGISLATION, A PIECE OF LEGISLATION COAUTHORED BY A DEMOCRAT
           AND REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IT WAS A VERY

           VIGOROUS BATTLE IN THE U.S. HOUSE, AND THEY PASSED A REAL
           PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS BILL. IT SAYS IN THIS CONTEST OF WILLS
           BETWEEN PATIENTS AND DOCTORS AND THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND
           H.M.O.'SIT SAYS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN RIGHTS THAT PATIENTS
           OUGHT TO HAVE. EVERY PATIENT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT SEEKS MEDICAL
           TREATMENT OUGHT TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THEIR
           OPTIONS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, NOT JUST THE CHEAPEST. NOT JUST
           THE LEAST EXPENSIVE. THOSE WHO NEED EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT
           OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT TO HAVE EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT

           WHEN NEEDED. WHEN A WOMAN FALLS OFF A 40-FOOT CLIFF AND IS
           HAULED INTO AN EMERGENCY ROOM, COMATOSE AND AN H.M.O. LATER
           SAYS WE WILL NOT APPROVE YOUR EMERGENCY ROOM COSTS BECAUSE YOU
           DID NOT GET PREAPPROVAL FOR EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT, THERE'S
           SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. ARE THERE CERTAIN RIGHTS THAT
           PATIENTS OUGHT TO HAVE IN THIS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?
           THE ANSWER IS YES. AND AMONG THOSE RIGHTS ARE THE RIGHTS
           EMBODIED IN THE BILL IN THE U.S. HOUSE CALLED THE PATIENTS'
           BILL OF RIGHTS. IT IS NOW IN CONFERENCE. IT IS NOT LIKELY TO

           PRODUCE MUCH, UNFORTUNATELY UNDER CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, CAUSE
           THE HOUSE APPOINTED CONFEREES THAT IN MOST CASES DIDN'T VOTE
           FOR THE BILL THAT THEY SENT TO CONFERENCE. AND THE SENATE, OF
           COURSE, HAS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT REALLY DOESN'T DO THE
           JOB. BUT THOSE OF US WHO SUPPORT A PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS,
           ONE THAT IS A STRONG PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS, STILL REMAIN
           HOPEFUL THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THIS LEGISLATIVE
           SESSION WE WILL PASS A BIPARTISAN PIECE OF LEGISLATION CALLED A
           PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS THAT REALLY DOES PROVIDE THE RIGHTS
           AND THE ASSISTANCE TO PATIENTS IN DEALING WITH THEIR INNER

           SHURNSE COMPANIES WITH RESPECT TO THEIR HEALTH-- --INSURANCE
           COMPANIES WITH RESPECT TO THEIR HEALTH CARE TREATMENT. JUVENILE
           JUSTICE -- WE PASSED A JUVENILE JUSTICE BILL HERE IN THE UNITED
           STATES SENATE AND THAT BILL WAS PASSED IN THE SENATE WITH
           LEGISLATION MANY DON'T LIKE. AMONG THE TWO PIECES OF
           LEGISLATION THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ON THAT BILL AND THE REASON,
           I GUESS, IT IS STALLED IS SOME LEGISLATION DEALING WITH GUNS.
           WE PROVIDED TWO SIMPLE COMPONENTS TO THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
           NOW I COME FROM NORTH DAKOTA. I GREW UP HUNT, I HAD A GUN WHEN

           I WAS A TEENAGER, PHEASANT HUNTED, DEER HUNTED, PRACTICE TARGET
           SHOOTING. SO I KNOW ABOUT GUNS. I'M NOT SOMEONE WHO RUSHES INTO
           THIS CHAMBER SAYING LET'S HAVE GUN CONTROL. THAT'S NOT MY
           ORIENTATION AT ALL. BUT THE TWO PIECES DEALING WITH GUNS THAT
           WE ADDED TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, THEY ARE SO SENSIBLE.
           ONE, MANDATORY TRIGGER LOCKS FOR HANDGUNS. MANDATORY TRIGGER
           LOCKS FOR HANDGUNS. WHEN SIX-YEAR-OLDS GO TO SCHOOL AND SHOOT
           ANOTHER SIX-YEAR-OLD, OUGHT WE NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR
           TRIGGER LOCKS ON HANDGUNS?

           IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S EMINENTLY SENSIBLE. SECOND, THE ISSUE OF
           GUN SHOWS AND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER AT GUN SHOWS THE PEOPLE
           SET UP AROUND THIS COUNTRY ON SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS, WHETHER
           THERE OUGHT TO BE AN INSTANT CHECK AT GUN SHOWS WHEN GUNS ARE
           SOLD TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU'RE SELLING THE GUN TO A CONVICTED
           FELON. GO TO A GUN STORE ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND TRY TO
           BUY A GUN, AND THEY'RE GOING TO RUN YOUR NAME THROUGH AN
           INSTANT CHECK TO FIND OUT ARE YOU A CONVICTED FELON, BECAUSE IF
           YOU ARE, YOU CANNOT BUY A GUN. BUT WE HAVE A LOOPHOLE, AND THE

           LOOPHOLE IS GUN SHOWS WHICH ARE BIGGER, GETTING BIGGER AND
           THERE ARE MORE OF THEM, AND MANY FEEL -- THE SENATE FEELS,
           INCIDENTALLY, BY A RATHER CLOSE VOTE THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE THE
           OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE THAT LOOPHOLE AND SAY IF YOU'RE GOING TO
           BUY A GUN, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A GUN STORE OR A GUN SHOW,
           YOU OUGHT TO HAVE TO HAVE YOUR NAME RUN THROUGH AN INSTANT
           CHECK SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SELLING A GUN TO A FELON.
           THOSE TWO ISSUES -- TRIGGER LOCKS FOR HANDGUNS FOR THE SAFETY
           OF CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY AND CLOSING THE GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE
           -- HAVE MEANT THAT THAT JUVENILE JUSTICE BILL WHICH IS SO

           IMPORTANT IS NOW IN CONFERENCE AND APPARENTLY WE CAN'T GET IT
           OUT. NOW I HOPE WE CAN BE MORE SENSIBLE ABOUT THIS AND GET THAT
           BILL OUT OF CONFERENCE AND BRING IT TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE
           AND THE HOUSE AND GET IT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR SIGNATURE. OTHER
           ITEMS THAT WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH, THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL
           CONSTRUCTION. I'VE SPOKEN AT GREAT LENGTH ABOUT WALKING INTO
           THE CANNON BALL SCHOOL AND SEEINGLY ROSIE TWO BEARS, A THIRD
           GRADER WHO SAYS, MR. SENATOR, ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD ME A NEW
           SCHOOL?
           THE ANSWER IS, NO, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BILL ULTED --

           BUILD YOU A NEW SCHOOL. ABOUT 150 KIDS AND ONE WATER FOUNTAIN
           AND TWO TOILETS, HAVING CLASSES IN SCHOOL BUILD GDS THAT ARE
           NOT FIT FOR CLASSES, WHERE SEWER GAS COMES UP AND YOU HAVE TO
           EVACUATE THE ROOMS. ROSIE ISN'T GETTING THE KIND OF EDUCATION
           WE WANT FOR HER AS AMERICANS. WE SAY LET'S HELP REBUILD AND
           RENOVATE AND CONSTRUCT SOME OF AMERICA'S SCHOOLS TO BRING THEM
           BACK UP TO STANDARD. THEN WE'RE TOLD, NOW, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
           THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. THAT'S NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S JOB.
           IT'S INTERESTING THERE WAS A PIECE IN "NEWSWEEK" LAST WEEK BY
           JONATHAN ALTER. HE SAID ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO E CONGRESS

           DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO SPEND $8 BILLION TO UPGRADE JAMES
           AND PRISONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. STATE AND LOCAL JAILS AND
           PRISONS, ABSOLUTELY SPEND THE MONEY. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO
           THAT TO UPGRADE THE JAILS AND PRISONS, BUT NOT THE SCHOOLS. IS
           IT LESS IMPORTANT TO BRING SCHOOLS UP TO STANDARD THAN A JAIL
           OR A PRISON SOMEWHERE?
           IF WE CAN DO $8 BILLION TO IMPROVE PLACES TO INCARCERATE
           CRIMINALS, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO SPEND FEW BILLION DOLLARS TO
           HELP KIDS GO INTO A CLASSROOM DOOR IN A SCHOOL THAT WE AS
           PARENTS CAN BE PROUD OF. THAT OUGHT TO GET DONE IN THIS SESSION

           OF THE CONGRESS AS WELL. AND JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS, WE NEED TO
           GET THROUGH THOSE. I'M THINKING, WE DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE IN
           THIS CONGRESS FOR LOST AND FOUND. ALMOST EVERYWHERE ELSE YOU
           GO, HOTELS, MOTELS, EVERY OTHER INSTITUTION, YOU LOSE SOMETHING
           AND YOU ASK WHERE'S THE LOST AND FOUND, THEY SEND YOU. IN
           CONGRESS THERE'S NO PLACE YOU CAN GO ON LOST AND FOUND ISSUES.
           MAYBE WE NEED A COMMITTEE ON LOST AND FOUND. THESE ISSUES LEAVE
           HERE AND WE NEVER HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN -- JUVENILE JUSTICE,
           PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS. SOME DON'T EVEN GET HERE. EXPORT

           ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WE OUGHT TO DO. WELL, I HOPE THAT IN THE
           COMING DAYS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TOGETHER CAN DECIDE THAT
           THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMON ELEMENTS 20 AN AGENDA THAT WILL
           STRENGTHEN THIS COULDN'T AND MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH
           TO LIVE AND WE CAN FIND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THESE
           MATTERS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE ONE
           SIDE OF THE POLITICAL AISLE IS ALL RIGHT AND THE OTHER SIDE'S
           ALL WRONG. THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WE HAVE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN
           SERVING IN THIS CHAMBER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE.
           BUT IT REMAINS A FRUSTRATION THAT IN SOME AREAS WHERE WE HAVE
           PASSED LEGISLATION, IT GETS SENT TO A CONFERENCE SOMEWHERE

           NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN BECAUSE A SMALL MINORITY REFUSED TO
           ACCEPT SENSIBLE JUDGMENTS OF THE MAJORITY IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND
           THE SENATE. I THINK THAT IS THE CASE WITH RESPECT TO THE
           PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS, WITH RESPECT TO THE VOTE IN THE
           HOUSE. IT'S CERTAINLY THE CASE WITH JUVENILE JUSTICE AND THE
           DECISIONS THE SENATE MADE ON THINGS LIKE TRIGGELOCKS AND ALSO
           CLOSING THE SATURDAY-NIGHT LOOPHOLE. MR. PRESIDENT, I HOPE THAT
           WE CAN FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN
           THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN DEMONSTRATE
           TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT WE CARE ABOUT EDUCATION, HEALTH

           CARE, ADDRESSING THE CRIME ISSUE IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY, GETTING
           NOMINATIONS THROUGH THIS CHAMBER, APPOINTING THE FEDERAL JUDGES
           THAT SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO FILL THE VACANCIES. THOSE ARE ALL
           THINGS THAT REPRESENT PART OF THE AGENDA THAT NEEDS TO BE
           COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. MR.
           PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: DOES THE SENATOR SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF
           A QUORUM?
           
           

           MR. DORGAN: I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
           
           
           
           QUORUM CALL:
           
{END: 2000/04/10 TIME: 12-30 , Mon.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}