September 30, 1978
Page 32835
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1978
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now proceed to the consideration of S. 3077, which the clerk will state.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 3077) to amend and extend the Export-Import Bank Act of 1975, and for other purposes.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, earlier, I had a discussion with the distinguished floor manager of the bill, as well as with other Members interested in the so-called sunset amendment and the schedule for taking it up. The floor manager indicated that there were other amendments to the Eximbank bill that could be usefully and productively discussed and disposed of this afternoon. It seemed to me that that would be a more useful exercise than to begin debate on sunset which will not result in a vote today. So if it is the understanding of us all, and I address this question to Senator STEVENSON, that with the approval of the majority leader, we will not discuss sunset this afternoon, I shall not call it up this afternoon, but that we can take it up Monday morning.
I understand we are to convene at 9 o'clock on Monday morning. We can take it up as the first order of business at that time. I simply want to confirm that understanding with the distinguished Senator from Illinois.
Mr. ROTH. Will the Senator yield?
Mr. MUSKIE. Yes, I yield to my good friend.
Mr. ROTH. I am agreeable to postponing it until Monday. However, as I have indicated to the distinguished Senator from Maine, I do have a problem between 10 and 12. I am the one managing the amendment on the Republican side, but at 10 o'clock, my Subcommittee on Finance has hearings, which I have to attend, over which I am presiding at my request. The only question I raise is that I am eager to be here during the opening remarks and wonder what time we would be able to commence the discussion of the amendment.
Mr. MUSKIE. I do not know whether or not there will be special orders for Senators on Monday. I assure the Senator that I shall limit my opening remarks to a few minutes so that he might make his statement. I shall resume my statement after the conclusion of his, so he may leave for the hearing. Then there are other Senators who will have opening statements to make.
I think we can accommodate his schedule and his desire to be heard early on.
Mr. ROTH. I ask the distinguished Senator, does he know what time we shall be coming in on Monday?
Mr. MUSKIE. I understand it will be at 9 o'clock.
Mr. STEVENSON. Mr. President, it is my understanding, likewise, that the Senate will be coming in at 9 o'clock on Monday.
As the Senator from Maine indicated, there are amendments which I believe could be disposed of this afternoon by voice votes. Therefore, if the sunset amendment were to be laid down on Monday instead of this afternoon, we could dispose of some of the Senate's business today, leaving Monday to debate that amendment and perhaps others with, as I understand it, no votes to occur until after 6 o'clock on Monday.
There is no order entered, so all I can do to assure the Senator is that I and, I am quite confident, my comanager, the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. HEINZ), will do all we can to protect Senators and make certain that there are no votes today or, for that matter, on Monday until 6 o'clock.
Mr. HEINZ. If the Senator will yield, I concur entirely with the chairman of the
subcommittee (Mr. STEVENSON) that we shall do everything we can to put any votes that people may want over until 6. It does require unanimous consent to do that, but on the other hand, I know of nobody presently in the Chamber who would object.
Mr. MUSKIE. There must be an understanding, and the understanding would be among those concerned. If someone offers another amendment before I get here at 9 o'clock on Monday, that will be provided for, of course. I suspect we may dispose of most other amendments. There is another amendment dealing with the NEPA issue that also involves both of us.
I think we can use Monday usefully. We can only use it for debate in the course of the day, anyway.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair informs the Senators that a unanimous consent agreement has been entered into under the terms of which no roll call votes will be held before 6 o'clock on Monday.
Mr. MUSKIE. That takes care of the roll call vote business, I believe.
So the understanding is that we shall withdraw our amendment this afternoon and I shall be here to call up my amendment on Monday at 9, if nothing intervenes. We can begin debate and I shall, of course, honor my agreement with the distinguished Senator from Delaware, who is a coauthor of the amendment and who has been working on this matter for 3 years now, so he can get his statement in and go to his hearing.
Mr. ROTH. I thank the Chairman.
Mr. STEVENSON. Mr. President, I shall do all I can to assure that it does work out that way. I just express the hope that if the Senators from Delaware and Maine have more time available after their amendment is laid down on Monday than they need, it might be possible to get in some debate on some other amendments before the votes begin at 6.
Mr. MUSKIE. Right, and I might say to the Senator that our staffs are working on the NEPA issue, hoping to resolve that one. We may be able to dispose of that in the course of the day on Monday.
Mr. STEVENSON. Yes. I hope so. We shall be working on that over the weekend. That could obviate the debate.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The second assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. STEVENSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.