The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amend- ment of the Senator from Vermont. On this question, the yeas and nays have been ordered, and the clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll. Xx. XXXXXXX. I announce that the Senator from Florida (Xx. XXXX) and the Senator from Arizona (Xx. XXXXXX) are necessarily absent. The result was announced—yeas 98, nays 0, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 188 Leg.] YEAS—98 amendment offered to this legislation by my colleague from Kansas, Senator XXXXXXXXX. I am supportive of the amendment offered by the chairman of the subcommittee to the Brownback amendment, the second-degree amend- ment. But I want to address the Brown- back amendment for just a few minutes here. In the course of doing that, I will underscore why I am supportive of the chairman’s amendment and why I op- pose the Brownback amendment. The Brownback amendment is simi- lar to legislation that was considered by the Foreign Relations Committee in May. That bill was reported out on a voice vote, but six members of the committee—six members—joined in submitting minority views in opposi- tion to several of its major provisions. It had been my expectation that if this issue were to come up, it would come up in the course of calling up that bill, which is on the calendar, has been re- ported out of committee. That is the est in a string of violent incidents that have been linked to pro-Jakarta mili- tias. Mr. President, this kind of vio- lence and intimidation cannot be xxxxx- ated, especially at this crucial time. In the May 5 agreement, the Govern- ment of Indonesia agreed to take re- sponsibility for ensuring that the bal- lot is carried out in a fair and peaceful way. Unfortunately, it is unclear that they are implementing this aspect of the agreement. Quite the opposite. Whether Indonesian troops have actu- ally participated in some of these inci- dents or not, the authorities certainly most accept the blame for allowing, and in some cases encouraging, the bloody tactics of the pro-integration militias. The continuation of this vio- lence is a threat to the very sanctity and legitimacy of the process that is underway. Thus, the Xxxxx-Xxxxxxxx amendment specifically calls on Ja- karta to do all it can to seek a peaceful process and a fair resolution to the sit- uation in East Timor. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Baucus Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Bond Boxer Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx...
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ator from South Dakota has 11 min- utes. The Senator from South Carolina has 14 minutes. Xx. XXXXXXXX. I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Montana.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the request to set aside the cloture vote and to come back at 6 o’clock on this issue? Without objec- tion, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. States. There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 4558) to extend the Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program. There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows: House message to accompany H.R. 1892, a bill to amend title 4, United States Code, to provide for the flying of the flag at half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder in the line of duty.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion. The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Hearing no objection, the unanimous-consent request propounded by the Senator from Louisiana [Xx. Xxxxxxxx] is agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Xx. XXXX. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk pro- ceeded to call the roll. Xx. XXXX. Mr. President, I ask unan- imous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Board shall by majority vote appoint the presiding Officer for meetings of the Board.
