[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 32 (Monday, March 11, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  BALANCED BUDGET DOWNPAYMENT ACT, II

  Mr. LOTT. I might say, Mr. President, I had hoped we would be able to 
make more progress today. I know the distinguished chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee was here at the appointed hour and made an 
opening statement on this appropriations bill. I do know that there 
have been a couple of amendments that have been laid down. We are going 
to have to make real progress on this legislation tomorrow because we 
are facing a deadline on the continuing resolution this coming Friday. 
So if we are going to avoid that problem, we are going to have to 
either complete the amendments and complete final passage on this 
omnibus appropriations bill or take some other action to avoid the 
threat by President Clinton last week that we would have a shutdown. So 
I urge my colleagues and the leadership to work together to get an 
agreement on a list of amendments, how those amendments will be brought 
forward; that we have some sort of reasonable limit on the number of 
amendments that are offered so we can complete this legislation 
hopefully by tomorrow night or certainly sometime early in the day on 
Wednesday so we can allow this bill to go to conference. There will 
have to be a conference between the two bodies, and I am sure that will 
take some time, too.

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