in consultation with the majority leader and the distinguished Senator from Michigan, as to the amendment by Senator Frist, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be laid aside and that we return to my amendment No. 1314. The PRESIDING…

are there other colleagues who wish to address the Defense bill? Hopefully, we can accommodate our colleague from Oregon. Let's determine, procedurally, the order in which matters in relation to this bill should be brought up.

I thank the Senator. As to the other two amendments, is it his judgment that they are solely within the jurisdiction?

I want to make certain the Senator from Virginia is added as a cosponsor to the Frist amendment now pending at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Would the Senator from Maine advise the chairman as to when you would resume your debate with the Senator from New Jersey?

I ask that the amendment now be laid aside for purposes under the UC agreement so that the Senator from Massachusetts may address the Senate, I believe for 5 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is recognized for 5 minutes…

if I may say to my colleagues, in no way does this bind the Appropriations Committee to exercise such discretion as it may so desire in that level of funding. If it was brought to their attention that there was malfeasance or inappropriate…

at this time my distinguished colleague has a matter which he would like to bring to the attention of the Senate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan. Amendment No. 1376

I anticipate that the reply from the administration would be forthcoming on Monday. I think the Senator would be available to debate this matter later in the afternoon.

the managers wish to advise the Senate that we have accomplished a good deal today, and we will be fully in business tomorrow, with the exception of rollcall votes. It is our hope and expectation that we can go through a number of…

there is one matter remaining. I want to thank all of those who have been working very hard on the Defense authorization bill. I am not just speaking of the Senators or their staffs but all of those who make it possible for this venerable…

I understand that. But it seems to me, if you look at all of the information, data, reports in A, B, C, D, E, and F, to me, in fairness, the communities should have some involvement as to how that information may or may not impact the…

What we do have already is a statement by the President that any effort to delay or impede the BRAC process would lead to a veto, with such clarity in my mind. By the way, an amendment, if I may advise my good friend, quite similar to this…

in great seriousness, referring to the cosponsors, they are Senators Lieberman, Snowe, Lautenberg, Johnson, Dodd, Collins, Corzine, Bingaman, and Domenici. I stick by my words that it is a distinguished list of cosponsors.

I thank our colleague. We have had quite a good debate. I am prepared to move on, subject to the views of my colleague.

My last question on that point, there will be an enormous amount of data generated, information and decisionmaking that will take place should the Senator's amendment become law. Is he suggesting that the communities then will have no…

Rest assured, that will be done. I will prepare a letter. The Senator from Michigan and I will be here tomorrow morning and perhaps we can make a joint request outlining precisely what our views are.

Now, Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Michigan and I have cleared amendments. I would like to do them. Then I wish to entertain a colloquy with my colleague from South Dakota. Perhaps I will undergo that colloquy at this time…

We have completed the GAO reviews of the DOD list and reported findings to the President and defense committees. That was done July 1. We are in the process and the Commission is having a series of hearings all across the country. The…

Well, it is the words ``return from deployment.'' That, clearly, in the mind of this Senator, means all the major, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, combat units. It is not difficult for me to define what are major combat units…

our colloquy is addressed through the Chair. It is the word ``implementation.'' It could be that analysis could be completed--consideration. But the ``implementation'' leaves an indeterminate date for (A). I think we both agree on that…

at this point in time under the UC, there is 2 hours equally divided between the distinguished Senator from Indiana, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Kyl, who will soon be on the floor, and myself. I would say to Senator Lugar, I find myself in a bit of…

What I am trying to convey, Mr. President, to my distinguished colleague is that the criteria you have established for a new timetable, which, again, is in a subsequent paragraph--that is in paragraph (2) on page 4--and I read it-- The…

what I suggest in the parliamentary situation is that I withdraw the unanimous-consent request at this time. In the interval, until we raise the question to vote again, the Senator presumably will engage with the leader's office regarding…

That is fine. But on September 8, all the communities would know what is final, what is decided by the Commission on the President's original list that went up, which bases, facilities will be closed, realigned, whatever the case may be…