Don Nickles

First I wish to compliment our colleagues for this debate, and particularly Senator Stevens. It is not easy when one takes on the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I have great respect for my friend and colleague from West…

I am pleased the Senate has just confirmed Joe Heaton, an outstanding individual and a superb attorney, to be U.S. district court judge for Oklahoma's Western District. President Bush could not have made a finer selection to serve our…

I make a budget point of order because we didn't have any funding. The $15 billion in outlays we are getting ready to pass was not in the budget. Granted, this bill has a lot of support. It had a lot of support when we passed the budget…

I want to clarify a few points. This $15 billion transfer in the outstanding publicly held debt is not a wash. That is $15 billion added to the deficit, added to national debt. We are going to have to borrow about $1 billion a year, maybe…

This amendment is to help protect the solvency of the trust fund. As the chart shows, the trust fund falls under the middle scenario. The trust fund falls from about 6 years' of payments. There is enough money in the trust fund to pay 6…

We can solve that by putting all railroad employees, like we put all new Federal employees, under Social Security. We did it. We put Members of Congress under Social Security. To me, it would help this problem so we would get away from…

The Senator said I took the most pessimistic assumption. I correct him. All my statements and the charts are on the middle assumption, not the most pessimistic assumption. The most pessimistic assumption says this bill has real problems. I…

This compares present law to this bill, under those assumptions. Present law under the employment assumption, the middle assumption, shows in current law a trust fund balance of $19.3 billion today and $34 billion in the year 2025. Under…

I compliment Senator Gramm for reading the bill and trying to do something to protect the integrity of the trust fund. He has said, No. 1, if we are going to give them $15 billion, let's make sure we don't spend down the principal. And…

I congratulate and compliment my friend and colleague, Senator Domenici, for his statement and also for his leadership and his innovation. He has come up with an idea to help stimulate the economy that is far superior than some of the…

I am disappointed that he did. After the tragedy of September 11, many of us thought it would be very much in our Nation's best interests for us to be working together to try to pass legislation that is in our national interest. We passed…

I think the Senator from Pennsylvania is making a good point; I think we are entitled to ask questions. I don't think we are entitled to make statements. You asked several questions. Which part of this don't we like? If you read Director…

It is with regret I urge my colleagues to not support our friends and colleagues on the other side. I will just take issue with a few things that have been stated. First, I compliment Senator Grassley and Senator Baucus because they worked…

In a memorandum issued yesterday to Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson, Attorney General Ashcroft overturned a 1998 decision by Attorney General Janet Reno that allowed for the use of controlled substances for physician…

Some people have equated this with a patriotic vote because we appreciate the firefighters in New York and Virginia. Certainly we do. The firefighters in Virginia were nonunion. The firefighters in New York were union. That is not the…

I am pleased that the Appropriations Committee has provided $1.5 million for the Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward, OK. However, it has come to my attention that there is an urgent need for a conference center at the…

I urge us to get as many of these judges reported as possible, but I do also think we need to stick to some of the facts. President Bush has submitted 60 nominees for confirmation to us this year; we have confirmed 8. That is 13 percent…

I wonder if my colleague and friend from Arizona would be willing to modify his unanimous consent request, that he amend it to say that all amendments be relevant to the underlying airport security bill?

It also expresses our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the first responders who will never again return home. Last Tuesday, in New York City and at the Pentagon, law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical…

I thank my colleague. Yesterday was a tragic day in U.S. history. It is a tragic day for people who love freedom, who cherish freedom. Some may claim it was a victory for terrorism. I don't think so. This act of terrorism has brought our…

I am appreciative of the cooperation of our colleagues and also of the quality of the debate. I think we have had an interesting debate. I compliment the participants. I will just make a couple of comments. I am reading this amendment and…

I would love to see that happen. I do not know if the other proponents will consult other people; maybe we can make that an offer. I would love to see that happen. I think adoption of this language further clarifying that we are not doing…

I have noted with interest the comments of Senators Daschle and Reid regarding unfinished legislative work before the recess. What is also unfinished business before the recess is nominations. Over the past week, Senator Reid and I have…

I totally disagree. I am looking at some of the people who are stating their strong support for Dr. John Graham. I will just mention a couple, and I will include for the Record a couple of their statements. One is former EPA Administrator…

I know in the State of Louisiana and I know also in the State of Texas there is a lot of activity off the coast. I asked my staff to find out what percent of our domestic oil production and gas production right now comes from the Gulf of…