[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 27, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 27, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     IMPROVING AMERICA'S SCHOOLS ACT


                           Motion to Proceed

  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, for the reasons stated--and I understand 
the Senator's reasons--objection has been made to the unanimous consent 
request, I now move to proceed to order No. 495, S. 1513, a bill 
entitled ``Improving America's Schools Act of 1993.''
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The question is on the motion.
  Mr. COCHRAN addressed the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Mississippi.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I hope that the debate on the motion to 
proceed will not inconvenience Senators who would like to proceed to 
consider the bill. But at this point, because there is a request for an 
opportunity to speak on the motion, my intention would be to suggest 
the absence of a quorum unless there are other Senators who do want to 
speak to the motion. I could certainly speak to the motion myself 
because I think we should proceed to the consideration of the bill and 
I will vote in favor of the motion when the motion is put to the 
Senate.
  So I will be happy to yield the floor for that purpose. But I will 
not be able to consent to a vote on the motion now without the Senator 
who wants to speak being given the right to speak on the motion.
  Mr. MITCHELL addressed the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I am prepared to wait a reasonable 
period of time for any Senator to appear. I have never failed to 
accommodate a Senator in this regard, and I point out that I have 
already acceded to one request to delay this matter at the Senator's 
request. But I am in a position where, without any assurance of when it 
might occur, I feel the necessity of setting forth some kind of time 
period within which we will either have a vote on the motion to proceed 
or a procedural vote to compel the attendance of Senators.
  I recall, humorously--the Senator said the other Senator is on his 
way to the Capitol. I recall once when Senator Baker was majority 
leader that a Senator called him and said, ``Could you hold the vote? I 
am at the airport. I am on the way.'' He agreed to do it. Only later 
did he find out that he was at the airport in Philadelphia on the way. 
I know that is not the case here.
  But I have no objection to a quorum call, unless the Senator from 
Massachusetts or the Senator from New Jersey wishes to speak. But I 
will say to the Senator that I am perfectly prepared to accommodate a 
Senator within reason. But if no one shows up in the near future, this 
is time when we could be working--instead we are just doing nothing--
and I will make a motion to instruct the Sergeant at Arms to request 
the presence of absent Senators. But I will discuss it with the Senator 
and with the Republican leader's staff for a reasonable time.
  I just want to repeat that every Senator has had nearly a month's 
notice of intention to proceed on this bill, increased regularly over 
the past several days, as I earlier stated, and we are going to do the 
bill. It is inevitable. The question is when we do it. And the more 
often we end up not doing anything in the morning we end up doing it at 
night, which I personally do not think is a good practice. But it is 
something we are forced into because of actions like this.
  But I will yield the floor, and I assure the Senator I will not seek 
a vote on the motion or move to do a procedural vote without further 
consultation with the Senator and with the Republican staff so as to 
try to again accommodate the Senator involved.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it would be my intention, since it 
certainly appears that we will be debating this issue during the course 
of today and whatever time it takes to complete action, to outline the 
legislation itself, and I invite my friend and colleague, the chairman 
of the Education Committee, Senator Pell, Senator Kassebaum, and others 
to do likewise so that we will be prepared to move ahead with the 
amendments at the earliest possible time when we actually get onto the 
bill.
  I see the Senator from New Jersey. I am glad to yield the floor for a 
question.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. I appreciate that. I would like, if I may, to make a 
statement regarding the Chaplain's prayer this morning.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I am glad to yield for that purpose.

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