[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this morning, to accommodate a number of 
requests by Senators, there will be a period for morning business until 
the hour of 12 noon. Following morning business, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session in order to consider the International 
Natural Rubber Treaty Agreement under the parameters of a previous 
unanimous-consent agreement. I understand that a rollcall vote will not 
be necessary on that treaty and that some of the debate time probably 
will be yielded back.

  Following the disposition of that treaty, the Senate may be asked to 
turn to consideration of any of the following matters: the pipeline 
safety bill, with only one nongermane issue remaining unresolved; the 
work force development conference report--we attempted to reach a time 
agreement on that one, but have been unsuccessful; we will keep working 
on that--the debate on the veto message to accompany the partial-birth 
abortion bill override, the NIH reauthorization bill, or any other 
items that can be cleared for action.
  The Senate may also be asked to begin consideration of the continuing 
resolution, if an agreement can be reached as to how to proceed on 
that. I continue to say that I would be glad to begin the debate and 
allow amendments to be offered as long as there is some order to it as 
to what we can expect to happen and when it would be completed. But 
just to start down the trail without any end in sight, without any 
certainty as to how we proceed, I do not believe is in the best 
interest of the Senate. We will continue to work on that. I hope we 
will be able to begin that appropriations bill today.
  We do have the end of the fiscal year next week, on Monday as a 
matter of fact. It is imperative that we finish the work on that bill 
as quickly as possible.
  I note that there are very important negotiations underway now to 
wrap up, not only the amounts in that continuing resolution, but also 
language that would be included. We are hoping we will be able to take 
up the illegal immigration bill also in some form before we go out for 
the year.
  Senators should be alerted that rollcall votes are expected to occur 
throughout the day, but we do not have any agreed-to time right now as 
to when that might happen.
  One final cautionary note. I do not feel a sense of urgency yet. I 
think Senators are still feeling, well, we can agree later. Time is 
running out. Example A is NIH reauthorization. Everybody says they want 
it, but we continue to not be able to bring it up. Today is the last 
day for NIH. If we do not get an agreement, I am going to call it up, 
somebody is going to have to come over here and object, and a very, 
very important piece of legislation that everybody knows we should pass 
will be gone for the year, because beyond today--Thursday, Friday, 
Saturday, Sunday, Monday--we are going to be involved in the partial-
birth abortion ban debate and a vote tomorrow, and we are going to be 
involved in the continuing resolution, the DOD appropriations 
conference report, and the illegal immigration reform bill. There will 
not be any time for any other chitchat, even 1 hour on these other 
issues.
  So for those of you who are interested in parks, those of you 
interested in NIH, those of you who think pipeline safety is something 
we should do--by the way, that legislation needs to be done before the 
end of the month also or we are going to have a lot of expiring laws on 
our hands. I hope the Senators will get serious. I have my doubt that 
they are serious. But I also have my limits in what I can do working 
with the Democratic leader because we have people coming and saying, 
``Well, can we just have 6 hours? 4 hours? 1 hour?'' They are all gone. 
Today is the day. Do it today or it will be gone for the year.
  I yield the floor, Mr. President.

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