[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 213 (Sunday, December 31, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S19322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--HOUSE MESSAGE ON S. 1508

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the message from the House on S. 1508 and concur in the 
House amendment with a substitute continuing resolution, giving them 
full authority to do all that they need to do once they go back to 
work, which reopens the Government and provides for the payment of all 
Federal employees who have been without pay since December 15, that the 
motion to concur be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid on 
the table.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, reserving the right to object. Let me 
indicate, first of all, I regret we were unable to reach some agreement 
today. We have not given up. We are going to come back here again 
Tuesday and, hopefully, by then we will have an agreement. I do not 
share the view of some of my colleagues that we ought to have a partial 
shutdown of the Government, or that the people should not be paid. But 
I do believe that we need to find some agreement. If we can get this 
done, we also would be willing to give some on what would happen if a 
balanced budget amendment were agreed to by the President, the 
Democratic leader, and the Republican leaders in the Senate and in the 
House, and we could move rather quickly if that were possible.
  I am afraid that if this goes back to the House without some 
agreement even between me and my friend, Senator Daschle--we hoped to 
get a unanimous-consent agreement--not put it to legislation--and send 
back the deeming provision with a couple of provisions that the White 
House asked us to add today. One would permit Federal employees to 
apply for and receive unemployment compensation, which would be 
returned or refunded once they were paid. And the second thing, even 
though they have been furloughed, it would not interrupt their normal 
leave policy. We were prepared to add those at the request of White 
House counsel. By Tuesday, hopefully, we can work that out. I regret we 
were not able to do it now. Therefore, I object.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard.

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