Mr. DODD. Mr. President, the brutal and vicious bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City continues to tear at the Nation's soul. We are still mourning the loss of so many innocent lives, and asking ourselves how anyone could act with such savagery.

The toll from this terrible tragedy would have been even worse, if so many rescue workers and volunteers had not acted so heroically. Their courageous and tireless efforts inspired the Nation. We should all take a minute to commend these heroes.

The many law enforcement officials who have worked so hard on this case should also be commended. Their efficient apprehension of suspects and witnesses has impressed everyone. We can all be proud of their efforts.

As we continue to deal with this terrible tragedy--the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil--we must find ways to prevent such acts in the future. While no one will argue that we can end terrorism, we can take steps to deter terrorists, make it more difficult for them to kill and injure, and ensure that they are brought swiftly to justice.

The President deserves commendation for moving forcefully in that direction with a comprehensive proposal to crack down on terrorists. That proposal, which he submitted to the Congress shortly after the Oklahoma bombing , establishes new Federal offenses to ensure that terrorists do not escape through the gaps in current law. FBI director Louis Freeh explained the importance of closing these gaps in recent testimony before the Judiciary Committee.

The President's proposal also provides additional investigative tools for Federal law enforcement officials. These include access to financial reports, telephone bills and other records in foreign counterintelligence investigations. Because these investigations are not always based on criminal offenses, it can be difficult for law enforcement to proceed in certain cases.

Overall, the President's proposal will help the Nation prevent terrorism and help bring terrorists to justice. The bombing in Oklahoma made clear just how vulnerable we all are to terrorism, and we ought to move this proposal forward in an efficient, bipartisan way.

To their credit, Senators Dole and Hatch have incorporated most of the President's proposal into the bill we are considering today. I commend them for negotiating with the democratic leadership and attempting to narrow differences.

However, there are a few important Presidential proposals that are not in the Republican bill. The President sought to provide the Attorney General with the authority to order emergency wiretaps in foreign and domestic terrorism cases. When I met with Federal law enforcement officials last week in Connecticut, they stressed the important of this proposal. Regrettably, my Republican colleagues fought this amendment and it was defeated.

Another critical Presidential proposal fared better. Bipartisan cooperation resulted in a unanimous vote in favor of Senator Feinstein's amendment, which authorizes the Treasury Department to promulgate regulations requiring tracing agents in explosives. This authority should help law enforcement officials track bomb builders and other criminals. Because this technology is relatively new, we will need to monitor the effectiveness of the department's regulations.

There are other important differences between the Republican bill and the President's proposal. One critical difference is the Republican approach to habeas corpus reform. This has been a contentious issue for a number of years. No one in this body wants to see prisoners abuse the legal process, and delay justice for victims, by filing meritless appeals. But most of my colleagues also want to ensure that those people who have been unfairly convicted have some recourse.

We have all struggled to strike the right balance on habeas corpus reform, and it is not an easy task. In this time of healing, we should not let a divisive political issue delay the counterterrorism measures that the Nation demands. I hope that we can reach some sort of compromise on this issue.