September 18, 1979
Page 24973
Mr. BELLMON. Mr. President, I yield the Senator from Texas 10 minutes on the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas is recognized for 10 minutes.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, first may I inquire — I have no objection to using time on the bill if we run out of time on the amendment, but it seems to me it might be well to use the time on the amendment first, so that we may have some notion of when we are going to come to a conclusion. As I say, I have no objection to devoting to this issue as much time as possible, but I think we should use the time on the amendment, and then the time on the bill.
Mr. BELLMON. I would appreciate it if that could be done after we finish the opening statements.
Mr. MUSKIE. I am going to listen the rest of the afternoon before I speak.
Mr. TOWER. I am perfectly willing to let the Senator from Maine go ahead now.
Mr. MUSKIE. It is important to get the business done, and I certainly will not be reluctant to yield time on the bill when we have used up the time on the amendment. I would like to use up the time on the amendment first, and then use whatever time we need on the bill.
Mr. TOWER. Then will the Senator from South Carolina yield me 10 minutes on the amendment?
Mr. HOLLINGS. Yes.
Mr. BELLMON. Mr. President, it seems to me, very briefly, that this issue is going to require the time of the Senate. That is why I have been yielding time on the bill.
Mr. MUSKIE. What troubles me, Senator BELLMON, is that we have two other defense amendments pending. They cannot be offered until time on this amendment has expired, and it may well be in the interests of the Senate to get to those issues; but if we delay the expiration of time on the amendments, it could be 6 or 7 o'clock tonight before we get any vote on this bill.
So I think it is better to use the time on the amendment first, and then, if we need further time, to take it out of the time on the bill.
Mr. TOWER. Mr. President, I have 10 minutes on the amendment, and I am prepared to use it.
Mr. MUSKIE. All right. Fine.