[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4055-S4056]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. President, I have a unanimous-consent request, Mr. 
President.

[[Page S4056]]

  I have 10 unanimous-consent requests for committees to meet during 
today's session of the Senate. They all have the approval of the 
Democratic leader. I ask that these requests be agreed to, en bloc, and 
that each request be printed in the Record.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President. We have 
done this a number of times now. This changes the process and procedure 
where we had the opportunity, if consent was going to be asked for, to 
object to when the Senate was going to be considering business. Now we 
are in the situation where at the end of the day, we ask unanimous 
consent that they would have sat during the course of the day.
  I understand now that this was in order for earlier today. But I want 
to make it very clear that I raised this at an earlier time. If the 
Senate does not get the clearance, the chairmen pay the bills. That is 
a good order for why we require this to be done beforehand, whether it 
is our side or their side. I just want to make sure. We are dealing 
with a lot of very important legislation as we are going on. I have not 
objected to committee meetings. But I want to make it very clear that 
we are going to preserve that institutional right where overriding 
other ones that will be addressed as well. But we are not going to get 
into a situation where we are clearing at the end of the day, whether 
it is on our side or theirs.
  I will not object at this time. I want to make it very clear that the 
next time it comes across, I reserve that right to object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

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