[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6826-S6828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 3448, H.R. 3415, AND S. 295

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to join now with the Democratic 
leader in getting a very large unanimous-consent agreement. A lot of 
effort has gone into the preparation of this unanimous-consent 
agreement. It is based on a lot of give and take in negotiations and 
trust and good faith. I will continue to try to proceed in that way.
  I want to thank Senator Daschle for his cooperation, and I hope we 
can continue to work in this way. I would like to proceed now with the 
request, and we can discuss it further as we go along, or after we get 
the agreement entered into.
  I ask unanimous consent that on Monday, July 8, at a time to be 
determined by the majority leader, after notification of the Democratic 
leader, the Senate turn to the consideration of H.R. 3448, the minimum 
wage bill, and it be considered under the following restraints:
  That immediately following the clerk reporting the bill by title, the 
committee amendment be agreed to and considered original text for the 
purpose of further amendments, and the Senate then deal with amendments 
to title I, the small business tax title; that there be one first-
degree amendment relevant to the small business tax title for each 
leader, with no other amendments or motions to refer in order to the 
bill, other than the minimum wage amendments listed below, except for 
any manager's amendment

[[Page S6827]]

which can be cleared by the two managers and the two leaders, and that 
no points of order be considered as having been waived by this 
agreement.
  I further ask unanimous consent that upon the disposition of the 
small business tax amendments, Senator Kennedy be recognized to offer 
an amendment making modifications with respect to minimum wage and time 
on the Kennedy amendment be limited to 1 hour, to be equally divided in 
the usual form; that no amendments, points of order, or motions be in 
order during the pendency of the Kennedy amendment, and following the 
conclusion or yielding back of the time, the amendment be laid aside.

  I further ask that following the debate on the Kennedy amendment, 
Senator Lott or his designee be recognized to offer an amendment 
relative to minimum wage, and it be considered under the same 
restraints as outlined for the Kennedy amendment, and following the 
conclusion or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to a vote on 
the Lott amendment, to be followed immediately, regardless of the 
outcome of the Lott amendment, by a vote on the Kennedy amendment.
  I further ask that time for debate on the bill be limited to 1 hour 
to be equally divided in the usual form, and further, that following 
the disposition of the Kennedy amendment, no further minimum wage 
amendments be in order to the bill. I will ask at a later time that the 
minimum wage amendments be printed in the Record.
  Further, I ask that all remaining first-degree amendments be 
submitted to each leader in the form of a summary by 12:30 p.m. on 
Wednesday, June 26, provided that either leader may void this agreement 
after consultation prior to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, 1996.
  I emphasize here that this is so that everybody will be on notice as 
to what the content is. It is our intention that we would go forward 
and that it would not be void at that point. But we felt that extra 
protection was called for.
  I further ask that following the disposition of the above listed 
amendments the bill be advanced to third reading and final passage 
occur, all without further action or debate.
  I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate may turn to the 
consideration of H.R. 3415 regarding the gas tax repeal, at a time to 
be determined by the two leaders and if the bill has not been reported 
by the Finance Committee it be automatically discharged and the Senate 
proceed to its immediate consideration and it be considered under the 
following time agreement:
  That there be 1 hour of debate on the bill to be equally divided in 
the usual form, that the bill be open to four first-degree amendments 
to be offered by Senator Lott, or his designee, relevant to the gas tax 
bill, and subject to relevant second-degree amendments and four first-
degree amendments to be offered by Senator Daschle, or his designee 
under the same terms as outlined for Senator Lott, with no motion to 
refer in order and no points of order to be considered as having been 
waived by this agreement, and following the disposition of the above-
listed amendments and the conclusion or yielding back of time the bill 
be advanced to third reading, and final passage occur, all without 
further action or debate.
  Finally, I ask unanimous consent that immediately following the 
passage of H.R. 3448 the Senate proceed to calendar No. 389, S. 295, 
the TEAM Act, under the following restraints:
  Two amendments in order to be offered by the Democratic leader, or 
his designee, and two amendments in order to be offered by the majority 
leader, or his designee, and that all first-degree amendments in order 
to S. 295 be relevant and submitted to the two leaders in the form of a 
summary under the same terms as described for H.R. 3448 with the same 
veto authority expiring at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, 1996, and that 
time for debate on the bill be limited to 1 hour in the usual form, 
with time on each amendment limited to 1 hour equally divided, and that 
no other amendments or motions to refer be in order and no points of 
order be considered waived by this agreement.
  I further ask that following the disposition of the above-listed 
amendments the bill be advanced to third reading and the Labor 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 743, and the 
Senate proceed to immediate consideration, that all after the enacting 
clause be stricken, the text of S. 295, as amended, if amended, be 
inserted, the bill be advanced to third reading and final passage 
occur, all without further action or debate.
  And, finally, I ask unanimous consent that no call for the regular 
order serve to displace H.R. 3448, H.R. 3415, S. 295, or H.R. 743 
during their pendency.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. KENNEDY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Reserving the right to object, I shall not object. I 
wonder if I might be afforded a few moments to comment after we get the 
agreement.
  Mr. LOTT. I believe the Senator wanted 10 minutes. I ask unanimous 
consent that Senator Kennedy be able to proceed for not more than 10 
minutes after this agreement has been entered into.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I do not 
care to object at this moment. On last Thursday I attempted to lay 
down, but I did not actually send to the desk, an amendment to the 
defense authorization bill relative to closing of a loophole that we 
created in the GATT treaty that relates to two or three drug companies 
that are making enormous windfall profits as a result of our mistake.

  Mr. President, I got in a little bit late on the distinguished 
majority leader's request. I am wondering if anywhere in the unanimous 
consent request if my thrust of offering this amendment is going to be 
impaired in any way, or will there be an opportunity?
  Mr. LOTT. If I might respond, Mr. President, there is nothing in this 
agreement that in any way affects that, or stops it being offered. I 
know the Senator has indicated the desire to do that at any and every 
opportunity. This in no way impairs that right.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I was trying to protect my rights and 
protect the opportunity to offer this amendment at the appropriate time 
either on the DOD or some other subsequent piece of legislation.
  Mr. President, I will not object. I thank the Chair for recognizing 
me.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the request? Without 
objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could be recognized--I know the 
distinguished Democratic leader would like to be recognized--to 
summarize.
  This means we will take up the minimum wage, small business tax 
package, and amendments to that on Monday July 8, and I am sure it will 
go over until Tuesday, July 9. That will be followed by the TEAM Act 
which involves employee-employer relationships in the workplace. That 
will be taken to final passage.
  And then at a time and in a way that we will work on further, the gas 
tax repeal bill will also be brought up at a later date.
  I am sure there are a lot of Senators that are not totally happy with 
this on both sides of the aisle. But I think this is what needs to be 
done to move these issues through the process, allow the Senate to 
offer amendments, and have debate and have votes. And then we will see 
what the result is, and we will go on from there.
  But we do have very serious work that we need to do for our country, 
and we are still working on hopefully an agreement on health care 
reform. We are hoping that we can--well, we intend to complete the 
defense authorization bill this week. We have a number of other bills 
that we need to consider for the good of the country--nominations that 
are pending. And I think this helps get us moving again.
  Again, I want to thank all Senators on this side of the aisle for 
their cooperation, and also Senator Daschle for his cooperation. A lot 
of work has gone into this. I do not think it serves any purpose to say 
that this was given or that was taken. I think it is a fair enough deal 
for all concerned. I am glad we were able to achieve this agreement.
  I yield the floor, Mr. President.
  Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me associate myself with the remarks 
of the distinguished majority leader. A

[[Page S6828]]

lot of work has gone into the negotiations on this compromise proposal 
now for the last several weeks. I appreciate his willingness to work 
with us to achieve this agreement today. We will have an up-or-down 
vote as we have requested on minimum wage on July 9. I appreciate very 
much his willingness to work with us to achieve that.

  This effort would not have been successful were it not for the 
distinguished ranking member of the Labor Committee. He has been 
stalwart in the effort to find a way to ensure that we have this 
opportunity. I applaud and thank Senator Kennedy for his contribution 
to these negotiations and his arduous work in making sure that we have 
been successful this afternoon.
  As the distinguished majority leader said, this allows us to move the 
process forward. We will have a series of votes and an opportunity to 
vote on relevant amendments. That was key during these negotiations--
relevant amendments during the consideration of these bills. Once that 
has been achieved we will go to conference.
  I am very hopeful, very desirous, and fully confident that we can 
resolve these matters with the House in conference sometime during the 
month of July--sooner rather than later. It is my expectation they will 
be resolved successfully in a form that will allow us to bring back a 
conference report that is acceptable to the Democrats and that the 
President can sign. I will work with the majority leader to ensure that 
that happens. My colleagues have my commitment that I will make every 
effort to see that that happens in the next several weeks.
  As the distinguished majority leader also mentioned, the health bill 
is not part of this package. It was our hope that we could resolve the 
differences with regard to health as well. But we will work on that 
next.
  It is not our desire to offer the health bill as an amendment today 
to the defense bill. I hope that at some point in the next 24 hours, 
the majority leader and Senator Kennedy and I can sit down to work on 
that, as we worked on minimum wage, to see if we can find a way to 
resolve the impasse and leave with the week intact and with the 
confidence of knowing we can resolve health, as now we have been able 
to resolve the matter of the minimum wage, in an acceptable manner 
procedurally at least.
  So, again, I thank very much all of those who were involved in this 
negotiation. I am hopeful that we can now look with some promise, some 
confidence to this issue being resolved in a successful way in the very 
near future.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. KENNEDY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.

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