THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE VOTE IS 94-1. THE JOINT RESOLUTION
           IS PASSED. THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA.
           

           MR. MCCAIN: MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE VOTE. MOVE AT THAT TABLE. --
           WHO HAVE TO TABLE.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. MCCAIN: MR.
           PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA. THE SENATE
           WILL BE IN SESSION -- THE SENATE WILL BE IN ORDER.
           

           MR. MCCAIN: MR. PRESIDENT, I THANK YOU. MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT
           TO READ SOME HEADLINES FROM NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
           COMMENTING ON OUR WORK.
           
           "CONGRESS PORK ROAST: NEWS OBSERVER, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA."
           IMAGINE NUMBERS GAME. BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. "CONGRESS
           ROLLS OUT THE PORK-BARREL ELECTION. SURPLUS-FREE SPRING
           SPENDING." JACKSON,VILLE.
           
           COSTLY DELAY: POLITICS PROMPTS CAPITOL HILL FEEDING FRENZY,

           TELEGRAMM & GAZETTE. BELLYING UP TO A PORK BARREL, ""CHRISTIAN
           SCIENCE MONITOR." " DOLLARS FLYING IN CONGRESS, FLURRY OF FINAL
           SPENDING, "USA TODAY." CONGRESS HAS LAST-MINUTE PORK FEAST,
           "CHATTANOOGA TIMES." SPENDING BILL FAT WITH PORK, BOTH PEARTEDS
           ENGAGED IN BUDGET-BUSTING SPREE. "THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE." MR.
           PRESIDENT, I'M SADDENED BY THESE HEADLINES BECAUSE OF THE
           DAMAGE SUCH WORDS DO TO THE REPUTATION OF OUR GOVERNMENTAL
           INSTITUTION. BUT I'M ALSO ANGERED BY THEM. WHY?
           BECAUSE WE'RE DELIBERATELY OF OUR OWN FREE WILL SPENDING THE

           SURPLUS AND JEOPARDIZING FUTURE PROSPERITY. WITH THIS
           YEAR-ENDING SPENDING BLITZ, CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT HAVE
           BLOWN AWAY THE LAST REMAINING VESTIGES OF FISCAL DISCIPLINE --
           FOR A VERY BRIEF MOMENT IN TIME HAD PUT THE BRAKES ON THE
           SPENDING FRENZIES THAT OFTEN ENGULFED OUR CAPITOL AND
           CONTRIBUTED TO OUR HUGE NATIONAL DEBT. TENS OF BILLIONS OF
           DOLLARS IN PORK-BARREL AND SPECIAL SPECIAL-INTEREST SPENDING
           HAVE BEEN PACKED INTO THESE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS AS WELL AS
           NUMEROUS PROVISIONS PUSHED BY CAPITOL HILL LOBBYISTS THAT THE

           AMERICAN PUBLIC WILL NOT KNOW ABOUT UNTIL AFTER THESE BILLS
           BECOME LAW. IN FACT, DAN MORGAN OF "THE WASHINGTON POST" APTLY
           CRITICIZED THIS WELL-COORDINATED, LAST-MINUTE LOBBYING
           OFFENSIVE AS "HIGH NOON AT GUCCI GULCH." I REGARD SUCH A
           SPECTACLE AS DEMEANING TO OUR GOVERNMENT. MR. PRESIDENT, "U.S.
           NEWS & WORLD REPORT,"
           
           OCTOBER 23, THE YEAR 2000: "NEARLY TWO WEEKS PAST ITS PROMISED
           DEPARTURE DATE, CONGRESS REMAINS IN WASHINGTON LOCKED WITH A

           STANDOFF MIRED IN ITS OWN ARRAY OVER THE FEDERAL BUDGET. AS THE
           DEALING CRACKLES UP AND DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE ACROSS THE
           CAPITOL ROTUNDA, THE SHENANIGANS ARE GOING TO COST A STAGGERING
           AMOUNT OF MONEY. IF THE SPENDING INCREASE CONTINUES AT THE
           CURRENT PACE, THE NON-SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS COULD BE
           ELIMINATEED IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.
           
           FEAST DAY: THE $650 BILLION FIGURE MUST BE STACKED AGAINST THE

           FAMED 1997 BALANCED BUDGET DEAL. UNDER THAT AGREEMENT, THE
           GOVERNMENT WAS SUPPOSED TO SPEND $541 BILLION IN DISCRETIONARY
           DOLLARS IN YEAR. THEY SHOULD MISS THE MARK BY A NEAR $100
           BILLION OR SO. THE REPUBLICANS WILL OUTSPEND THEIR OWN BUDGET
           RESOLUTION PASSED THIS SPRING BY ABOUT $50 BILLION. ELECTION
           YEAR POLITICS AND IRREPRESSIBLE INKSTINCT FOR PORX AND A UNIQUE

           MOMENT OF PLENTY HAVE COMBINED TO CREATE A FISCAL THIRD BASE
           COACH WAVING EVERYBODY HOME. THE SPENDING COMES IN BIG CHUNKS
           AND SMALL. IN EARX THANKS TO SENATE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRMAN,
           TED STEVENS, TAXPAYERS WILL SPEND $176 BILLION TO HELP THE
           REINDEER ASSOCIATION. STEVENS SET ASIDEES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
           FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. ALABAMIANS MAY BE FOREVER
           GRATEFUL FOR THE $1.5 COMBL SET ASIDE TO HELP RESTORE THE

           VENERABLE VULCAN STATUTE IN BIRMINGHAM. AN IRON RENDITION OF
           THE ROMAN GOD OF FIRE AND METALWORK, BUILT AS AN ENTRY FOR THE
           1904 WORLD'S FAIRX IT WON THE GRAND PRIZE IN THE PALACE OF
           METAL METALLURGY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE VULCAN PARK FOUNDATION
           SAY OFFICIALS AT THE ORGANIZATION TALKED TO ALABAMA SENATOR
           RICHARD SHELBY ABOUT HELPING TO FUND THE RENOVATION. "WHY ARE
           FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT ON A STATUE IN BIRMINGHAM,"
           ASKED THE DIRECTOR?

           BECAUSE VULCAN IS SYMBOLIC OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH. HE
           REPRESENTS THE WORKING PERSON AND THESE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS
           THAT WOULD HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE." THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE OF
           THAT. THE HUGE SURPLUS IS PROJECTED OVER THE NEXT DECADE, $268
           BILLION NEXT YEAR, MAY HAVE FOREVER CHANGED POLITICS IN
           WASHINGTON. THE RESULT IS A KIND OF GIDDINESS. THE SURPLUS IS
           BURNING A HOLE IN OUR POCKET. IT IS AFFECTING OUR JUDGMENT,
           SAYS REPUBLICAN SENATOR PHIL GRAMM. SENATORS FROM BOTH SIDES OF

           THE AISLE HAVE BEEN TREATING THEMSELVES TO HUNDREDS OF SPENDING
           PROGRAMS OF PECULIAR
{END: 2000/10/26 TIME: 19-00 , Thu.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}