[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 58 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                                PROGRAM

  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for their 
cooperation in this matter, especially the managers, the distinguished 
chairman of the committee, Senator Baucus, and the distinguished 
ranking member, Senator Chafee.
  Let me state now for all Senators what I anticipate will occur with 
respect to this bill.
  We now have a specific list of amendments. It is a very long list. In 
order to accommodate any Senator who wants to offer an amendment, the 
Senate will be in session tomorrow at 10 a.m. considering this measure. 
The managers will be here to receive and debate any amendment. The 
Senate will be in session on Monday. The managers will be here to 
receive and debate amendments. Under the order, any amendment to be in 
order must be offered by the close of business on Wednesday.
  So, the managers now are going to be here for the next 4 legislative 
days. That will represent at least in calendar days a total of 6 days 
on which this measure has been considered. So every Senator will have 
had the opportunity to present an amendment and to have it debated.
  Any amendments debated tomorrow or Monday on which votes are required 
with respect to such amendments, the votes will be set over until 
Tuesday. There will be no recorded votes until Tuesday, and the time 
and number of those votes will, of course, depend on what occurs during 
the session tomorrow and on Monday.
  Senators should expect a lengthy session on Tuesday as we attempt to 
make substantial progress on this bill. It is my intention that we will 
finish the bill on Wednesday. That is to say all of the amendments will 
be offered. Of course, under the order, no amendment will be permitted 
after Wednesday. But my hope is that we can so handle the procedure on 
this bill as to permit us to complete action on the bill on Wednesday. 
That is our intention.
  This order accommodates a large number of Senators who had advised me 
that it would be difficult for them to make recorded votes tomorrow and 
Monday.
  Therefore, I thank especially, as I said, the managers and all 
concerned for permitting us to go forward on this bill.
  Mr. President, there is no way now to state what time votes will 
occur on Tuesday because we do not know, first, if any votes will be 
required Tuesday morning by virtue of amendments having been offered 
tomorrow and Monday. We will make an announcement in that regard on 
Monday.
  But Senators should expect a lengthy day on Tuesday and on Wednesday 
as we attempt to complete action on this bill.
  I repeat so there can be no misunderstanding. The Senate will be in 
session tomorrow and Monday to receive and debate amendments to this 
bill.
  What I do not want to have happen is to have it come Wednesday and 
have Senators come in and say, ``Well, I did not have a chance to offer 
my amendment.'' I cannot prevent anyone from saying that, but the 
statement will be incorrect. There is plenty of opportunity tomorrow, 
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to offer amendments on the bill, and we 
are going to finish this bill on Wednesday.
  Mr. President, I thank my colleague, and I inquire whether my friend 
and colleague has any comments he wishes to make before we go into 
recess.
  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I would say to the majority leader I think 
he is absolutely right. We are going to be here open for business 
tomorrow and on Monday. We want to finish this bill, and there is a 
host of amendments on a bill that is relatively, I would have thought, 
noncontroversial. We have page after page. Someone has told me there 
are 100 amendments here. I do not know whether that is true or not. 
Many of them are duplicative.
  I hope we can move on. There is no point in us being here late 
Wednesday night to complete this bill. I hope we can get down to 
business and finish up at a reasonable hour Wednesday.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I thank my colleague.

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