[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S11068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE SENATE'S SCHEDULE

  Mr. DOLE. Let me indicate to my colleagues now what we would like to 
do between now and the 12th of August--hopefully by the 12th, if not 
beyond the 12th; that is, to complete action on the energy and water 
appropriations, to complete action on the DOD authorization bill, to 
complete action on welfare reform, to complete action on the DOD 
appropriations bill, and I am advised by Senators Stevens and Inouye--
we had a meeting in my office this morning--that could be done in one 
day. Marty was there, I might add, the Democratic leader's 
representative. It was not a party meeting. They said what we could do. 
And there is also a hope, because we have had some conversations that 
there may be renewed interest in getting some agreement, if possible, 
on reg reform, that we can either finish it before we leave for the 
recess, or finish it when we are back.
  So I would just say in the spirit of everybody trying, I know there 
are going to be important amendments, and I know they want them to be 
debated. Everybody has that right.
  According to the appropriators, the DOD appropriators, many of these 
amendments that are going to be taken care of in DOD authorization we 
will treat the same in the appropriations bill. It might speed up the 
process. So that would be very helpful.
  I say to the Democratic leader, I do not think we have tried to pile 
up too much here if everything goes well and if we all cooperate on 
both sides. Most of these issues involved are not partisan issues. They 
are policy issues where you have Republicans and Democrats, 
particularly in DOD, maybe in this energy and water, you have 
Republicans and some Democrats on each side of the issues, so they are 
not partisan issues. There should not be any partisan roadblocks that I 
know of. I am not as familiar with the bills as obviously the managers 
are.
  So we will now move to energy and water. And I will be very happy to 
yield to the distinguished Democratic leader if he wanted to make any 
comments.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I would subscribe to what the majority 
leader indicated. None of the legislation contemplated for completion 
except perhaps welfare reform--we will have to see where we are on 
that, but I think by and large the legislation pending is all 
legislation that I am hopeful we can work through.
  I am not as optimistic about the degree to which we can work through 
these very significant amendments on DOD unless we have some 
understanding as to what the timeframe may be and whether or not some 
of these amendments could be offered as amendments to defense 
appropriations, but there are very serious questions here that have to 
be addressed. And I think Members ought to expect long days and a 
Saturday session in order for us to accomplish all that the leader has 
set out for us to accomplish in the next week and a half.
  Mr. DOLE. There will be a Saturday session. I appreciate the Democrat 
leader mentioning that.

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