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Sen. Tom Daschle Holds Press Conference in Washington.

Aired October 03, 2001 - 10:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Tom Daschle speaking in Washington.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: We will take up the Hollings bill, and of course, amendments will be welcomed.

We'll certainly have an amendment to deal with the unemployment questions that we've been addressing for the last several days. We haven't been able to reach a, what I would call, a preconference agreement with all parties, that includes House, White House and Senate. So I made the decision this morning that the best thing to do is just to allow the body to work its will and to offer amendments.

And then whenever we finish, we'll send it to the House and let them do the same, and then we'll take it in the normal fashion. I think that's probably the best way to resolve it. I was hoping we might be able to reach sort of a consensus or even a unanimous agreement about the language. I think we're wasting more time than we're saving, at this point. So I think the time has come for us just to go to the floor.

It is my expectation that we will then take up the counterterrorism bill.

DASCHLE: There is a good deal of movement on that bill. And I'm hopeful that both the counterterrorism bill and the banking money laundering bill can be taken up, hopefully, simultaneously next week. I would hope that the Banking Committee could offer its money laundering legislation as an amendment to the counterterrorism bill. So that would come up shortly after -- in fact, my hope now would be immediately following the completion of our work on the Airport Security Bill.

The other matters that will be also considered, of course, are a number of nominations. The Judiciary Committee is acting on a number of nominations tomorrow. I would hope that we could take those up maybe as early as tomorrow afternoon once the committee has acted.

And then, as you know, there's a lot of discussion about economic stimulus. And we still have a ways to go, and I don't think anyone that we could have reached any kind of a consensus necessarily. We have always advocated -- always, let me rephrase that. In the last few days, which seems like always, we have been talking about a $50 billion range. That, I just consulted again with Senator Bachus this morning, and I think Senate Democrats generally feel that that's an appropriate size for an economic stimulus package. It's in keeping with the admonition of most economists that we ought to be concerned about striking that balance between providing stimulus and not exacerbating long-term interest rates.

I think everybody ought to be reminded over and over, we are borrowing money to provide this stimulus, and people ought to know that. This is deficit spending once again. And it's very disconcerting to many of us, but I don't know that there is an alternative.

We are in an economic and a defense and security emergency that would dictate we take emergency measures. And I think that's called for under these circumstances. So we need to find now the right balance between a commitment to spending, a commitment to tax reduction and a commitment to other policy initiatives, including training for employees and providing the unemployment help to the broad array of people that are suffering as a result of these consequences.

DASCHLE: So those components, I expect, will be part of this stimulus package whenever it is formulated. But as I say, there's no expectation that we would complete our work on that any time in the next few days. It's more, I think, still a matter of weeks rather than days before we address that issue, although it is on an expedited basis as well. I don't see any prolonging of the debate or the consideration, but as these issues are racked up, I can already see at least work for a week for us prior to the time we get to something more directly related to economic stimulus.

We're also looking at infrastructure security issues, and we'll want to approach and consider options involving infrastructure security, technology acquisition for a number of federal agencies. We have a technology gap of some magnitude, a real technology problem that I think has to be addressed across the board, but especially in security sensitive agencies, FBI, CIA, INS, and we've got to find a way to address that as well.

So that's sort of the report for the morning. I'll be happy to take your questions.

QUESTION: Senator Daschle, can you tell us how long you expect the Senate to stay in session? Do you want to stay here longer than you originally planned (OFF-MIKE) situation is?

DASCHLE: My expectation is that we're going to be in session in one form or another through the end of the year. I would imagine that if we can complete all of our work, and no one knows how long that will take -- obviously, we haven't yet addressed all of the appropriations bills. I've just laid out a number of security measures. We may be able to take up other matters like the education conference report, the patients' bill of rights, energy, minimum wage. So there's a lot of work to do and so long as it appears as if there is a chance we can do some of it, I want to stay in session and complete our work.

If we get to a point where it doesn't make a lot of sense to continue to stay, I would guess that we'll still stay in pro forma session so that we're able to come back should the need arise. So whether it's pro forma or a regular session of the Senate, my expectation is we'll be in for whatever length of time it takes.

QUESTION: Some Republicans have been saying (OFF-MIKE) center stage by himself. Can you respond to that?

DASCHLE: That's silly. We have a lot of work to do. We don't need to get into -- I honestly don't believe, on either side at this point, any games are being played. I think there are honest differences of opinion. I think we're trying to work through those differences in a fashion that represents an honest effort. But I would not accuse my Republican colleagues of playing some political game. I would hope they would refrain from any rhetoric that would fall into that category on this side.

DASCHLE: We have work to do, and we're going to stay as long as it takes to do it.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) have you talked to Speaker Hastert about this? I gather he's been talking about trying to wrap up work at the end of October and then have pro forma or something like that.

DASCHLE: Our expectation is that we've all agreed that we shoot for the end of October, the first part of November, but again, no one can say just what work will be there when we finish. If we've all agreed that what we can do has been done for the session, I'm ready to go into pro forma, but I don't know that anybody can tell you what date that will be. But our target time is still what we've said now for a few weeks, which is the end of October, the first part of November.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) antiterrorism bill now that you said you would not go to committee with, right? Your hope is that from these talks, get enough of an agreement to go...

DASCHLE: Correct.

QUESTION: ... directly to the floor.

DASCHLE: Well, I want to consult, again, with Senator Lott and Senator Leahy and others, but that's -- we will make some decision about that today. Whether we go through committee or go right to the floor, we'll be prepared to go to the floor next week if our progress can be locked in.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

DASCHLE: Correct. Whether it's through committee or straight to the...

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

DASCHLE: That's correct.

QUESTION: So what happened with that? (OFF-MIKE)

HEMMER: Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle speaking with reporters there on Capitol Hill, talking chiefly about that economic stimulus package that has gone into the works this time. Tom Daschle indicating it could take weeks to get it completely together. But at two points he talked about deficit spending -- saying clearly we're in that right now. That does not make anyone happy in Washington. But he said a stimulus is needed, but not to effect long-term interest rates, which, again, is a critical point for the nation's economy.

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