[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 120 (Thursday, September 5, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. For the information of all Senators, this morning the 
Senate will begin 30 minutes of debate on two of the appropriations 
conference reports. At approximately 10 a.m., following the debate, the 
Senate will proceed to two consecutive rollcall votes, the first vote 
being on the adoption of the military construction appropriations 
conference report, to be followed by a vote on the D.C. appropriations 
conference report. After those votes, the Senate will resume 
consideration of the VA-HUD appropriations bill.
  Last night, we were able to reach an agreement on a limitation of 
amendments to that legislation, and I hope that any Senator with an 
amendment on the list will offer the amendment early today so that we 
can complete action on this very important appropriations bill. 
Rollcall votes should be expected throughout the day and into the 
evening, if necessary.
  I do point out that there were 38 amendments on the list that was 
worked out last night. I presume a number of them are place holders or 
would be offered depending on whether other amendments are offered. I 
hope we will not go through that exercise too long today and we can get 
on with the very serious amendments and vote on them so that we can 
move on to other appropriations bills.
  I want to emphasize beginning today that I want to work in good faith 
with the Democratic leadership and with all of our colleagues to 
complete this appropriations bill and the remaining four. But in order 
to do that, it is going to take real cooperation. We have a limited 
number of days, and already I am getting the sneaking suspicion that 
there is a slow rolling process already being planned by the delay, by 
the lack of real progress yesterday, by the number of amendments. And 
if that is going to be the way things are handled, it is going to leave 
me with no option other than to take serious actions, including forcing 
votes, which can be done, night sessions, even having to go into the 
weekend, or pulling down important bills.
  Veterans and Housing and Urban Development, I do not think my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to be held responsible 
for blocking or delaying unnecessarily consideration of a bill that 
funds the veterans programs and the HUD programs. So let us start off 
on a positive note. I think we struggled through that a little bit 
yesterday, but we are working together at this point.
  We are going to continue to work to see if we can get an agreement on 
an Iraq resolution. There is a meeting at 10 o'clock on that. I hope we 
can go forward in a positive way and get our work done.
  I yield the floor.

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