[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE SENATE'S SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I know that Senators are waiting to see what 
might be the schedule for the remainder of the evening. There are a 
number of discussions underway now on a number of issues that we would 
like to get completed before we leave this weekend.
  I want to say again tonight, as I did this morning, I really think 
that the last 2 days have involved a lot of tremendous legislative good 
work by Members on both sides of the aisle. I do not ever recall having 
ever seen as many bipartisan conferences in as many places at one time 
as yesterday.
  Yesterday morning, I really didn't think it would be possible to 
reach an agreement on the conference report on health insurance reform, 
on safe drinking water, and, of course, we already reached agreement on 
welfare reform, and before the night was out, even the small business 
tax relief package and minimum wage. It looks like there will be an 
agreement also on illegal immigration.
  I don't know exactly when all of those will move, but it is my 
fervent hope that all that work will not be for nought before we leave. 
We would like to be able to bring up some appropriations conference 
reports that have been completed. The legislative appropriations 
conference report is ready. We hope to be able to get to the military 
construction appropriations conference report, if not tonight, 
tomorrow.
  That probably will require a vote, since we didn't vote on it when it 
went through earlier, and the District of Columbia appropriations 
conference report will also probably require a vote.
  We would like to do those either tonight or in the morning. And we 
would like to also get the conference reports that have been agreed to: 
the health insurance conference report, the safe drinking water 
conference report, the small business tax relief package with minimum 
wage, and if there are other conference reports that could become 
available later on. The Department of Defense authorization conference 
report is available, too.
  So we have several conference reports that we could get done tonight 
or tomorrow with just a little cooperation. There are some nominations 
that we think we can move forward. We have been working on those today. 
I think we can get some of those moved. So it is my hope that we could 
get those done.
  Also, I would want to move to the HUD-VA appropriations bill. I know 
the chairman is here, Senator Bond, who has been very patiently waiting 
his appropriations opportunity. The Senator from Maryland is here ready 
to go. So if we could have a few unanimous-consent requests and work 
through those, then we would try to go to the HUD-VA appropriations 
bill.
  I just want to make the Members aware of that. We need to have some 
additional discussions here in the next few minutes. If we could come 
to some agreements, then we should be able to notify the Members within 
30 minutes what they can expect for the remainder of the evening and 
whether or not there would be any recorded votes tonight.
  I would be prepared to yield the floor and observe the absence of a 
quorum, Mr. President, where we could work on a couple issues, and we 
would let the Members know as soon as possible thereafter. I yield the 
floor, Mr. President, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I do not believe we have been able to come 
to a satisfactory resolution of some of our concerns that Senators have 
on both sides of the aisle. We have had a very productive week and a 
good day. It is already 20 until 9. I know several Senators have had 
other things on their minds today, so I do not see any sense in 
pressing the point too far tonight.
  I do feel constrained to ask for at least two unanimous-consent 
requests. We will see what happens. Then, depending on that, we will be 
able to make some further announcement.

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