The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ORDER OF PROCEDURE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S18230-S18231 on Dec. 7, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ORDER OF PROCEDURE
Mr. KERRY. In that case, Madam President, if I may, I would like to review with the Senator very briefly those items as we understand them that are summarized within H.R. 1561.
On Monday when we take up this issue we have agreed, have we not, that as to the issue of consolidation, that we have agreed on compromise language with technical changes which will propound a $1.7 billion savings over 5 years with a baseline of fiscal year 1995 at the appropriated level, that there would be no mandatory abolition of agencies, there would be not more than 30 percent of the savings realized for programmatic reductions, and there would be not more than 15 percent of the savings realized from State Department administrative accounts.
Does the chairman agree with my summary of the consolidation?
Mr. HELMS. That is correct. And it will be made a part of the Record.
Mr. KERRY. With respect to other bill issues, there is agreement on language reflected in a summary of changes in Division A which will be made a part of the Record.
There is a deletion of section 168 based on Senator Dodd's request in writing to have this dealt with in conference on the Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act. There is a deletion of section 603 relating to coercive population control policies. And there is an addition of $10 million in fiscal year 1996 for the East-West Center pursuant to an agreement between the chairman and ranking member and Senator Inouye.
Mr. HELMS. That is correct.
Mr. KERRY. With respect to Iraqi claims, there is a compromise which contemplates satisfying licensing for those people with letters of advice while simultaneously expanding--compromise language which we arrived at this evening which basically splits the difference between the parties with respect to the concerns that have been expressed.
Mr. HELMS. That is correct, Madam President.
Mr. KERRY. With respect to the authorization levels, there is an agreement that those authorization levels currently set out in the bill will be addressed in conference with an understanding among the parties that we will make a good-faith effort and seek to increase the levels of operating accounts for the agencies affected by the bill.
Mr. HELMS. That is correct.
Mr. KERRY. With respect to conference issues as to consolidation, there is an agreement that the Senate conferees will operate under consensus with respect to the consolidation proposal regarding mandatory cost savings, the abolition of the agencies, and the limitations as to where those cost savings may be achieved?
Mr. HELMS. That is correct.
Mr. KERRY. With respect to the foreign aid provisions, the population provisions will be a Member issue in the conference. And there is agreement that foreign aid provisions of the U.S. Senate will be neither added nor dropped in conference without a mutual discussion, involvement by Senate conferees?
Mr. HELMS. That is customary.
Mr. KERRY. Similarly, any discussion or consideration of the foreign aid provisions of the House bill will be by similar participation?
Mr. HELMS. That is customary. The Senator will be a member of the conference committee.
Mr. KERRY. Procedural, as to procedural issues that have now been set forth within the context of the unanimous consent agreement--and there is no need to repeat those. And the chairman has agreed to schedule hearings for early next year, with committee action on the convention in the early spring for the Chemical Weapons Convention. It is also the understanding that the committee will resume normal activities with respect to the scheduling of hearings and committee actions on all currently pending nominees and other committee business.
Mr. HELMS. That was my intent all along, Madam President.
Mr. KERRY. Well, Madam President, let me say that I want to thank the distinguished chairman and his staff. This has been a complicated and long negotiating process. But I think it has been one where both parties fairly attempted to try to work the best compromise possible to effect some very complicated changes within the structure of our foreign policy establishment.
I am convinced that what we have achieved here is a strong beginning for a reevaluation of how we are doing business, of the responsibilities of these various agencies and departments. I am convinced that as the parties proceed in good faith into the conference itself, that we have an opportunity to make our delivery of the foreign policy product of this country far more effective, far more efficient, and the taxpayers of this country will benefit significantly from the changes which are promoted here.
The chairman has stood his ground on many issues and fought hard, as have we. And I think, as in all efforts to make the compromise, this represents exactly that, a sound meeting of the minds and a sound effort to try to bring the parties together. I am convinced that it is a good product.
There are still some issues that we need to work on. The chairman understands that. I understand that. Members understand that. But I think what we have done, by breaking through here in the last week, is to bring the committee back together in an important way and to indicate that we are all intending to do our utmost to try to see to it that there is a strong bipartisan effort to present the strongest possible future work product from this important committee. And I thank the chairman for his continued efforts even when the road was difficult to keep the lines of communication open and to help to make this happen.
Mr. HELMS. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Massachusetts. I am grateful for the opportunity to work for him and with him in reaching this agreement. And I have only the observation that this could have been achieved many, many weeks ago if there had not been such intransigence. But that is behind us.
I hope from this point on that we can work together in good faith, not question each other's good faith, and work for the American people, saving money and improve the foreign policy apparatus of this country, which badly needs improving. And I pledge that I shall work with the Senator as long as he is willing to work with me. And I thank the Senator. And I thank the Chair.
I want to send to the desk, Madam President, a printed review of the items that Senator Kerry has just discussed for the benefit of the reporter. I know he tried to take it down, but it is easier to have it in writing.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the review be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
Checklist--Helms-Kerry Meeting on S. 908
a. summary of managers amendment
1. Consolidation
Agreed on compromise language offered by Kerry with technical changes, as follows:
$1.7 billion in savings over 5 years; baseline is FY 1995 appropriated level;
No mandatory abolition of agencies;
Not more than 30% of the savings realized from programmatic reductions;
Not more than 15% of the savings realized from State Department's administrative accounts.
2. Other bill issues
Agreed on language reflected in attached summary of changes in Division A with the following additional changes:
(a) deletion of Section 168 based on Dodd's request in writing to Kerry to have this dealt with in conference on the Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act;
(b) deletion of Section 603 relating to coercive population control policies (House bill contains a similar provision); and
(c) addition of $10 million in FY 1996 for the East-West center, pursuant to Helms' agreement with Inouye.
3. Iraq Claims--
4. Authorization levels
Agreement that authorization levels would be addressed in conference with an effort to increase the levels of operating accounts for agencies affected by the bill.
b. conference issues
1. Consolidation
Agreement that the Senate conferees will operate ``under consensus'' with respect to Kerry's consolidation proposal regarding mandatory cost savings, abolition of the agencies and the limitations as to where cost savings may be achieved.
2. Foreign Aid Provisions
(a) Population provisions will be a Member issue in conference.
(b) Agreement that foreign aid provisions will either be added nor dropped in conference without Kerry's involvement.
c. procedural issues
1. Agreed that the pending nominations which are ready to be acted upon (i.e. 18 ambassadorial nominations and 4 FSO promotion lists) and the START II treaty will be added on by the Committee at a business meeting immediately prior to floor action on S. 908.
2. Agreed to propound 4 UC agreements prior to any action on S. 908 as follows:
(a) Nominees
Upon passage of S. 908, the 18 nominations and the 4 FSO promotion lists will be deemed passed by the Senate in bloc. In the event that the Committee has not acted upon these nominations, the UC agreement would provide for the Committee to be discharged of the 18 ambassadorial nominations and the 4 FSO promotion lists and for immediate passage of all these nominations upon passage of S. 908.
(b) Conferees on S. 908
Upon passage of S. 908, conferees would be appointed.
(c) START II
Upon passage of S. 908 in the event that Committee has not acted the Committee would be discharged of START II and Start II will be acted upon by the Senate prior to the end of this session.
(d) Conferees on Cuba
Upon passage of S. 908, conferees would be appointed on the Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act.
d. other issues
1. Chemical Weapons Convention
Will schedule hearings for early next year and Committee action on the convention in early spring
2. Other Pending Nominations
Committee will resume normal activities including scheduling hearings and Committee action on all currently pending nominees, and other Committee business.
s. 908--summary of changes in division `a'
Agreements reached on changes in Division A
(Agreed-upon on 11/09/95)
Delete Foreign Service end strengths in section 141 (c) and
(d). Reporting requirement on end strengths included in Kerry reorganization proposal.
Delete restrictions in section 111(c) on liaison office in North Korea. Done in managers amendment--7/31/95.
Agreed to drop sections 166 and 167 relating to immigration in conference.
Amend section 205 relating to UN inspector general.
Amend section 212 dealing with prior notification of UN Security Council votes on peacekeeping.
Substitute Intelligence Committee language on intelligence sharing with UN in section 216.
Delete section 217 exempting US from UN sanctions.
Delete provision terminating US participation in ILO in section 313(1).
Amend section 314 dealing with US participation in UN Human Rights Committee.
Agreed to drop new reporting requirements in conference.
Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair.
Mr. PELL addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island is recognized.
Mr. PELL. Madam President, I would just like to say how fortunate the United States is to have in its setting an individual with the manner, negotiating skill and tact, as that of the Senator from Massachusetts. He has carried the load in a wonderful way. I feel guilty not having shared it more. And his willingness to compromise is the essence of politics and the essence of progress. He and the Senator from North Carolina have conducted themselves ably. I would like to put in a word for the assistant of the Senator from Massachusetts, Nancy Stetson. By coincidence, she is from the State of Rhode Island.
Mr. KERRY. I thank the distinguished former chairman and now ranking member of the committee for his very generous comments.
Mr. HELMS. Madam President, it goes without saying that I am grateful, as I always am, for the remarkable staff of the majority on the Foreign Relations Committee. Beside me is Steve Berry, who has worked arduously and continuously, and he still has a little bit of his hair left. And then there is Randy Scheunemann, who once was on our staff and is now associated with Senator Dole. He has been of invaluable help. I cannot go down the long list, but I am obliged to mention my Monroe, North Carolina colleague, the chief of staff of the Foreign Relations Committee, retired navy admiral Bud Nance. He calls himself ``Bud,'' but his name is James Wilson Nance. I must insert the personal note that Bud and I were born 2 months apart, two blocks apart in the little town of Monroe. He served 38 years in the Navy, and after that, he served Ronald Reagan as his foreign affairs advisor.
Mr. KERRY. If my colleague will yield before he closes, I join with him in thanking his staff, also--Steve Berry, particularly, and Randy Scheunemann have been extraordinarily helpful in working through the issues. We are grateful for their help.
Mr. HELMS. That is very kind of the Senator. I know they appreciate that.
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