[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 200 (Friday, December 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S18701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate that we have had very little 
success in the first, what we thought would be a serious negotiation on 
the budget. Apparently they were not serious. The offer by the 
President was filled with smoke and mirrors. I said earlier we might 
not be around here this weekend. Now I think there is a great 
likelihood we will be in session tomorrow and maybe unavoidably on 
Sunday.
  The House will probably send us a continuing resolution with some 
attachment. I am not certain quite what that would be. Maybe welfare 
reform. And that might take some debate, unless we get consent that 
everything passes by voice vote. So I need to alert my colleagues not 
to get too far away. And I will keep my colleagues informed as soon as 
I have further information.
  But it appears that there is not much prospect, not much reason to 
continue trying to negotiate with the White House when they do not want 
to really get serious about balancing the budget over the 7 years 
without falling back on the old smoke and mirrors and things that we 
thought maybe had changed.
  I think our next step would be to try to negotiate with some of our 
Democratic colleagues who are concerned about the budget and welfare 
reform and saving Medicare and tax cuts for families with children. And 
that will be pursued later this afternoon.
  So I can only say that we will be here some time yet today, and 
depending on when the House acts on the CR, probably tomorrow. But I 
will try to give my colleagues the specific times. And maybe some may 
not come in until afternoon depending again on how the House acts. I 
cannot give anybody more specificity, but as soon as I have information 
I will come to the floor and make an announcement.

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