[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 120 (Thursday, September 5, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9953-S9954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, we are ready to propound a unanimous-consent 
request. That way Members will know what they can expect for the next 3 
days, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. We will go through this now and then 
we will go to the brief explanation on the Harkin amendment and go to 
final vote. Members have been asking, Mr. President, what will be the 
items that we will go to next. Rather than answer one by one I thought 
I could go ahead and outline this. I want to thank

[[Page S9954]]

the leader for his work in trying to put it together.
  I ask unanimous consent that at 9:30 on Friday the Senate turn to the 
immediate consideration of a bill to be introduced tonight by Senator 
Kennedy regarding employment discrimination, and the bill be placed on 
the calendar, the text of which will be submitted in the form of an 
amendment to Calendar No. 499, and there be a time limitation of 3 
hours to be equally divided in the usual form with no amendments or 
motions to refer in order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I further ask that at 9:30 on Tuesday the Senate proceed to 
Calendar No. 499, the Defense of Marriage Act and it be considered 
under the same terms as outlined above, with 45 minutes under the 
control of Senator Byrd.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I further ask that the vote regarding passage of Calendar 
No. 499 occur immediately following the vote with respect to the 
Department of Defense authorization conference report on Tuesday, 
September 10, and following that vote there be 30 minutes for debate on 
the Kennedy bill to be equally divided in the usual form with the vote 
to occur following the conclusion or yielding back of the time on 
Tuesday.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I further ask that following the disposition of the 
employment discrimination bill on Tuesday, September 10, the Senate 
proceed to the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture motion 
filed earlier this evening with respect to Calendar No. 499 be vitiated 
since it is no longer needed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will 
proceed to four remaining back-to-back votes regarding the HUD-VA bill 
and the Iraqi resolution. There will be no further votes following 
passage.
  On Friday the Senate will debate the employment discrimination bill 
introduced by Senator Kennedy and also conduct a period for morning 
business. However, no votes will occur on Friday. On Monday, the Senate 
will debate the Department of Defense authorization conference report 
under previous consent. Also, the Senate will conduct a period for 
morning business. No votes will occur during Monday's session of the 
Senate. On Tuesday, the Senate will debate the defense of marriage 
bill, and at 2:15 a series of votes will occur beginning with the DOD 
authorization conference report. Following those stacked votes, the 
Senate will proceed to the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill.

  I want to thank all Senators and the Democratic leader for their 
cooperation. Now it does make it possible for us not to have votes on 
Friday and Monday, but allows for us to accomplish a great deal of our 
work together, have debate, and then have stacked votes on Tuesday. We 
will be able to proceed with getting our work done with a minimum 
disruption of commitments that Senators must necessarily fulfill.

  Mr. DASCHLE. If the majority leader will yield just for a 
clarification, I say at the outset that I support entirely the result 
of these negotiations, and I appreciate very much everyone's 
cooperation.
  On the first page of the unanimous-consent agreement, in reference to 
the bill to be offered by Senator Kennedy, on the bottom line it asks 
unanimous consent that the bill be equally divided in the usual form, 
with a vote to occur on Tuesday. It did not say a vote on final 
passage. I assume the majority leader meant a vote on final passage.
  Mr. LOTT. That is correct. I amend that request to include that a 
vote on final passage occur following the conclusion or yielding back 
of the time. I ask unanimous consent that the agreement be modified to 
reflect that.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. NICKLES addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, am I correct that when we are talking 
about the Defense of Marriage Act on Tuesday, that will be a vote on 
final passage as well?
  Mr. LOTT. It would be, yes, immediately after the vote on the 
Department of Defense conference report at 2:15, between 2:30 and 2:45.
  I yield the floor.

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