EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR NUCLEAR WEAPON. THAT IS, TO DETERMINE IF
           THEY'LL DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, IF THEY ARE SAFE AND
           TRUSTWORTHY AND SOUND SOUND. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, IF SOMEONE
           WANT WANTS TO COME TO THE FLOOR AND SUGGEST THAT THE $4.46
           BILLION WHICH GOES TO THIS SCIENCE-BASED STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP
           SHOULD BE REDUCED BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, LET ME JUST
           SUGGEST WHEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DECIDED THAT WE WOULD

           NO LONGER DO UNDERGROUND TESTING -- WHICH IS ONE OF THE METHODS
           TO DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF OUR NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND OF THAT
           STOCKPILE, SINCE WE DON'T BUILD ANY NEW ONES WE'RE ONLY TALKING
           ABOUT OLD ONES -- IF YOU WANT TO RETURN TO UNDER UNDERGROUND
           TESTING, YOU PROBABLY CAN GET BY WITH LESS MONEY FOR
           SCIENCE-BASED STOCKPILE INSUREDSHIP. BECAUSE IT TAKES THE
           PLACE, IN A SENSE, OF UNDERGROUND TESTS AS PART OF THE
           VERIFICATION OF THE VALUE OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN TERMS OF

           TRUSTWORTHINESS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE LIKE. SO FOR THOSE WHO
           DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE SCIENTISTS AND THE LABORATORY DIRECTORS
           THE TOOLS SO THEY CAN CERTIFY OUR SUPPLY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
           EVERY YEAR TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REQUIRED BY
           LAW -- FIRST TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS AND THEN TO
           THE PRESIDENT -- IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM THE MONEY TO DO
           THAT, THEN LET'S HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON 09 FLOOR AND SEE IF WE'RE
           GOING TO RETURN TO UNDERGROUND TESTING. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY
           WANTS TO DO THAT. AT LEAST NOT ENOUGH SENATORS. SO WE HAVE TO

           PROCEED DOING IT THROUGH SCIENCE, THROUGH NEW WAYS TO X-RAY, IN
           A SENSE, WHAT'S IN THESE WEAPONS, THROUGH COMPUTERIZATION,
           WHICH IS GOING TO BE IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY FOR AMERICA AND THE
           WORLD AS PART OF THIS PROCESS SO WE CAN USE THE VAST MODELING
           AND RESEARCH CAPACITY OF COMPUTERS TO DO THIS JOB B JOB. NOW,
           MR. PRESIDENT, THE DAY MAY COME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY NUCLEAR
           WEAPONS, BUT FOR NOW, THE SOVIET UNION -- RUSSIA STILL HAS A
           LOT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AND WITHIN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF,
           WE'VE HEARD OF ABOUT TWO MORE NUCLEAR POWERS. I BELIEVE THAT WE

           HAVE TO MAINTAIN OURS IN A -- IN A SOLID, READY, TRUSTWORTHY
           STATE AND REDUCE THE THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE CONSISTENT WITH
           THE RISKS TO THE UNITED STATES. THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS IN
           THIS BILL. VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AND I MUST SAY, ALL OF THAT
           MONEY COMES OUT OF THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT
           THE DEFENSE MONEYS FOR AMERICA, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT
           $14 BILLION OF IT GOES TO THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE NUCLEAR
           ACTIVITIES AND THE LABORATORIES THAT PRODUCE AND DO THE NUCLEAR

           RESEARCH FOR US. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STOCKPILE. IT'S VERY
           IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT MONEY CANNOT BE
           SPENT ANYWHERE ELSE. IT'S SUBJECT TO THE WALLS THAT WE HAVE PUT
           UP AROUND DEFENSE SPENDING, SO YOU CAN'T SPEND IT FOR
           NONDEFENSE WORK, YOU CAN'T SPEND IT FOR WATER PROJECTS. AND I'M
           VERY, VERY THANKFUL WE CAN'T. IF THOSE WALLS COME DOWN, YOU'LL
           SEE -- YOU'LL SEE THE PRESSURE FOR DOMESTIC SPENDING JUST EAT
           AWAY AT THE DEFENSE NEEDS, INCLUDING THE DEFENSE NEEDS AS GICTD
           IN THIS BILL. SO WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS

           CONSENT THAT THERE NOW BE A PERIOD FOR THE TRANSACTION OF
           ROUTINE MORNING BUSINESS WITH SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK FOR
           UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH. AND I WILL YIELD THE FLOOR AND YIELD
           THE FLOOR AND LEAVE THE FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. DOMENICI: I THANK THE CHAIR.
           
           
           

           MR. DOMENICI: MR. PRESIDENT, I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
           

           MR. DOMENICI: I WITHDRAW MY REQUEST.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THANK YOU. THE SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
           

           MR. JEFFORDS: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A FEW
           MOMENTS OF THE TIME OF MY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS A SUBJECT WHICH I
           FIND PROBABLY NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF BUT NEVER THELESS IS ONE
           OF THE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS FACING -- MY NEVERTHELESS IS ONE
           OF THE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS FACING THE WORLD. I WISH MY
           COLLEAGUES A HAPPY WORLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION. I
           ASSUME MOST SENATORS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS DAY, SO LET ME

           EXPLAIN. JUNE 17TH WAS ESTABLISHED AS WORLD DAY TO COMBAT
           DESERT DESERTIFICATION TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF DRYLAND
           DEGRADATION. FEW AMERICANS TODAY HAVE AN ASSOCIATION WITH
           DESERTIFICATION. MY PARENTS AND THEIR CONTEMPORARIES DID. THE
           GREAT DUSTBOWL THAT OCCURRED IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES IN
           THE 1930'S, DESERTIFICATION IS DEFINED AS LAND DEGRADATION IN
           ARID AND SEMI-ARID AREAS RESULTING FROM CLIMATIC VARIATIONS IN
           HUMAN ACTIVITIES. IT CAN OCCUR TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT EFFECTIVE

           DRYLAND CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN VEGETATION, CROPS, LIVESTOCK OR
           THE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND UPON THEM FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. IN THE
           1930'S, DESERTIFICATION FORCED FARMERS AND FAMILIES OFF THEIR
           LAND. WHEN TOPSOIL AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD BLEW AWAY. VERMONT IS
           NOT ARID, BUT AS AN AGRICULTURAL STATE, VERMONTERS WERE PAINED
           BY THE PLIGHT OF WESTERN FARMERS, THE SUFFERING FROM THESE
           FARMERS WHO BECAME PENNILESS MIGRANTS AND STARKLY VISIBLE IN

           THE PHOTOS OF THAT ERA. HOPEFULLY THE U.S. WILL NEVER
           EXPERIENCE ANOTHER DUST BOWL. WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE NOW AND THE
           RESOURCES TO PREVENT SUCH DAMAGE TO U.S. AGRICULTURAL LANDS.
           HOWEVER, IT THREATENS THE WAY OF LIFE OF ONE BILLION PEOPLE
           WORLDWIDE IN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES. THE ECONOMIC
           CONSEQUENCES OF DESERTIFICATION ARE PARTICULARLY DEVASTATING IN
           REGIONS THAT ARE BOTH UNDERDEVELOPED AND ARID. IN THESE
           REGIONS, MUCH OF THE POPULATION RELIES UPON SUBSISTENCE

           AGRICULTURE. SUBSISTENCE FARMERS DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS OR
           INCENTIVES TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN PROPER LAND AND WATER
           MANAGEMENT. POOR LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT,
           ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBINED WITH PERIODIC DROUGHTS, ARE THE
           PRIMARY CAUSES OF DESERTIFICATION. OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE OVER
           OVERCULTIVATION, OVERGRAZE, SINGLE-CROP FARMING ON FRAGILE
           SOIL, SLASH-AND-BURN TECHNIQUES, AND IMPROPER IRRIGATION
           PRACTICES. THESE FACTORS ARE OFTEN COMPOUNDED BY UNWISE

           GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PRESSURES OF EXPLOSIVE POPULATION
           GROWTH. WHEN FORMERLY PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND AND PASTORAL FARMLAND
           IS DEGRADED, IT CREATES A DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF POVERTY AND RURAL
           OUTMIGRATION, OFTEN TO THE ALREADY CROWDED CITIES THAT ADD
           JOIN. WE SAW THIS DURING OUR OWN DUST BOWL. I WAS ONLY A SMALL
           CHILD IN THE 1930'S. I NEVER MET IMPOVERISHED FARMERS
           DISLOCATED BY THE DUST BOWL, BUT I HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE

           EFFECTS IN INDONESIA, IN AFRICA. I SAW FIRSTHAND HOW HARD
           FARMERS WERE FIGHTING TO HOLD ONTO ERRABLE LAND IN THE FACE OF
           HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES BROUGHT ON BY CUTTING OF THE RAIN
           FORESTS OR OVERGRAZING OF THE LANDS. AND I SAW THE RESULTING
           POVERTY AND DISLOCATION THAT GRIPPED THOSE AREAS. THROUGH OUR
           FOREIGN AID PROGRAMS, WE ARE ASSISTING AFFECTED REGIONS BUT WE
           COULD USE OUR RESOURCES MORE EFFICIENTLY BY JOINING 124 OTHER
           NATIONS IN RATIFYING THE U.N. CONVENTION AT SOME TIME COMBAT

           DESERTIFICATION IN COUNTRIES EXPERIENCING SERIOUS DROUGHT
           AND/OR DESERTIFICATION, PARTICULARLY IN AFRICA. AS THE
           ADMINISTRATION BEGAN TO SHARPEN ITS FOCUS ON AFRICA PRIOR TO
           THE PRESIDENT'S RECENT TRIP, IT DECIDED TO MAKE U.S.
           RATIFICATION A PRIORITY. ON THE OCCASION OF RURAL DAY TO COMBAT
           DESERTIFICATION, I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE A LOOK AT
           THIS TREATY AND REFLECT FOR A MOMENT ON THE BENEFITS OF U.S.
           RATIFICATION. THE TREATY IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE UNITED
           STATES STATES. OUR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES

           AND OUR NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CONSIDERABLE
           EXPERTISE IN IMPACT DESERTIFICATION. BUSINESSES LIKE MONSANTO,
           LAND O' LAKES AND THE CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, ARE
           SUPPORTING THE CREATE BECAUSE IT INCREASES THE U.S. BUSINESS
           OPPORTUNITY. RATIFICATION WILL ALSO INCREASE THE EXPORT OF
           AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE IN EROSION CONTROL. THE
           IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS IT BECAUSE MANY OF ITS MEMBERS
           PRODUCE WORLD-CLASS IRRIGATION AND WATER-CONTROL EQUIPMENT.
           AFTER RATIFICATION, THE U.S. MAY SUBMIT NAMES OF

           DESERTIFICATION EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL
           ROSTER OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE
           SERVICES. THE TREATY DOES NOT COMMIT THE U.S. TO ANY SPECIFIC
           LEVEL OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE. RATHER, IT ASKS GOVERNMENTS OF
           DEVELOPED NATIONS TO CHANNEL EXISTING BILATERAL AND
           MULTILATERAL FUNDS AID THROUGH A NEW MECHANISM THAT WILL
           PROVIDE IMPROVED COORDINATION AND BETTER USE OF DONOR
           RESOURCES. THE TREATY OBLIGATES RECIPIENT NATIONS TO DEVELOP

           ACTION PLANS FROM BOTTOM UP TO COMBAT REGIONAL AND LOCAL
           DESERTIFICATION. THE TREATY IS REMARKABLE BECAUSE IT CALLS UPON
           LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO TAKE THE LEAD IN IDENTIFYING THEIR
           PROBLEMS IN SELECTING THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR PARTICULAR
           SITUATIONS. ON WARLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION, LET'S NOT
           FORGET OUR OWN GRIM EXPERIENCE WITH DESERTIFICATION IN THE DUST
           BOWL. LET US JOIN WITH OTHER NATIONS TO RATIFY THIS CONVENTION
           TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION AND PREVENT THE RESURGENCE AND

           OCCURRENCE OF THE TRAGEDY ELSEWHERE. I ASSUME THE OPPOSING
           POSITION HERE SO WE CAN ALL GO HOME. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
           THAT WHEN THE SENATE COMPLETES ITS BUSINESS TODAY, IT STAND IN
           
           ADJOURNMENT INSPECT 10:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY, JUNE 18. I FURTHER
           ASK THAT ON THURSDAY, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PRAYER, THE
           ROUTINE REQUESTS THROUGH THE MORNING HOUR BE GRANTED AND THE
           SENATE THEN RESUME CONSIDERATION OF S. 2138, THE ENERGY-WATER
           APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. JEFFORDS: FOR THE INFORMATION OF ALL SENATORS, THE SENATE
           WILL RECONVENE
           
           TOMORROW AT 10:00 A.M. AND IMMEDIATELY RESUME CONSIDERATION OF
           THE ENERGY-WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL. IT IS HOPED THAT MEMBERS
           WHO WISH TO OFFER AMENDMENTS TO THE ENERGY-WATER BILL WILL COME
           TO THE FLOOR DURING THURSDAY'S SESSION TO OFFER AND DEBATE
           THEIR AMENDMENTS UNDER SHORT TIME AGREEMENTS. THEREFORE, ROLL
           CALL VOTES ARE POSSIBLE DURING THURSDAY'S SESSION OF THE
           SENATE. THE LEADER WOULD LIKE TO REMIND MEMBERS THAT THE

           INDEPENDENCE DAY RECESS IS FAST APPROACHING AND, THEREFORE, THE
           COOPERATION OF ALL MEMBERS WILL BE NECESSARY TO MAKE PROGRESS
           ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ITEMS, INCLUDING THE APPROPRIATIONS
           BILLS, ANY AVAILABLE CONFERENCE REPORTS, THE HIGHER EDUCATION
           ACT, THE D.O.D. AUTHORIZATION BILL, AND THE OTHER LEGISLATIVE
           OR EXECUTIVE ITEMS THAT MAY BE CLEARED FOR ACTION. IF THERE'S
           NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE SENATE, I NOW ASK THAT
           THE SENATE STAND IN ADJOURNMENT UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.