[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 14 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THE FARM BILL

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate, while we are waiting for 
another matter here, we have not been able to reach an agreement on the 
farm bill. We have had discussions throughout the day. We have had one 
cloture vote.
  What I would propose we do is postpone that cloture vote until after 
the leaders have conferred on Tuesday and, hopefully by that time, get 
some paper out there so that people can see what is proposed by Members 
on each side; if we cannot get an agreement, then have that cloture 
vote Tuesday and decide what to do after that. But I know there are 
Members probably waiting around in their offices. I would say there 
will probably be no further votes this evening, but there may be votes 
on next Tuesday. We will go out tonight and over until Tuesday; pro 
forma Monday.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I want to commend those who have been 
involved in these discussions. I think we have made a lot of progress 
in the last several hours. We just had a caucus. I think it is fair to 
say that much of what we reported to them was very well received. I 
think the question is whether or not, without having finalized the 
agreement and without knowing for sure just how it all affects current 
law, whether or not we are in a position yet tonight to come to 
closure.
  I think we are getting closer. I hope we can continue these 
negotiations, have an agreement that we could send out to everybody so 
in the next couple of days they could take a look at it, and then have 
a vote within a very limited timeframe on Tuesday. I would like to see 
if we can finish this on Tuesday and limit the votes and try to move 
this process along.
  So, I share the leader's desire to come to closure and his expressed 
hope that we could do it as early as next Tuesday.
  Mr. CRAIG. Will the leader yield?
  Mr. DOLE. I will be happy to yield.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.

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