[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 120 (Thursday, September 5, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9874-S9875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT--CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3230

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, with regard to the conference report to 
accompany the Department of Defense authorization bill, I ask unanimous 
consent that at 10:30 on Monday, September 9, the Senate proceed to the 
consideration of the conference report to accompany the Defense 
authorization bill, that the conference report be considered as having 
been read; further, that there be 4 hours for debate to be equally 
divided between the chairman and the ranking minority member on the 
Armed Services Committee with an additional 1 hour under the control of 
Senator Johnston, with the vote to occur on the conference report at 
2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

[[Page S9875]]

  Mr. FORD. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.
  Mr. FORD. Start at 10:30 for 4 hours on Monday?
  Mr. LOTT. Yes. Actually, it is 4 hours to be equally divided with 1 
hour under the control of Senator Johnston, so there is a total of 5 
hours. I really wonder about the need for that length of time, and I 
had hoped to start earlier--9 o'clock or 9:30 or 10. But at the request 
of the distinguished Senator from Georgia, we are going to begin at 
10:30. So, first of all, we are agreeing to more time, and I wonder 
about that need.
  Mr. FORD. I am not worried about how the watch is made here. I am 
just worried about the time. So we start at 10:30. There will be 4 
hours equally divided, and then an additional hour. That will be all 
done on Monday?
  Mr. LOTT. That would all be done on Monday. That is correct.
  Mr. FORD. Then we vote on Tuesday.
  Mr. LOTT. That is correct.
  Mr. FORD. I thank the majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to say that we expect to get 
other work done on Monday. Hopefully, we will be able to spend some 
time on the Interior appropriations bill, and there is still a strong 
likelihood or even a probability that we will have a recorded vote or 
votes on Monday night after 5 o'clock. I advised our conference at our 
policy luncheon on Wednesday that that would be my intent.
  I just do not see how we can get our work done in the next 30 days if 
we do not have any votes late on Wednesday night, if we do not have any 
votes all day on Monday, if we do not have any votes on Tuesday 
morning. I am perfectly willing to do most of this without votes, but I 
have to do what is necessary to try to keep our attention and get 
focused on the work and try to produce results. But this is a fair 
agreement, and I appreciate that. That is the way we need to continue 
to try to work. As the Democratic leader and I have talked, we will 
just take it one step at a time. This is one more positive step. As to 
what we have to do on Monday night, that will be determined by what 
happens today, tonight, and in the morning. If we make progress, we 
have good cooperation, it may be that we will not need recorded votes 
on Monday night. But we will continue to work, and as soon as we make a 
final determination with regard to Monday night, we will notify all 
Senators so they can plan what time to come back in here. I have urged 
our colleagues to be back in here by sundown on Monday so that we can 
get work done. I hope that we will do that.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the unanimous-consent 
request of the majority leader? Without objection, it is so ordered.

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