[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 32 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2221-S2222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, today, the Senate will resume consideration 
of Senate Joint Resolution 18, the Hollings resolution on a 
constitutional amendment on campaign expenditures. It is my hope the 
minority leader and I can reach an agreement as to when the Senate will 
complete action on this resolution. I have discussed this with the 
Senator from South Carolina. I still think maybe there is a possibility 
we can get an agreement and get a vote on it tonight, but if not 
tonight, we will converse with the sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 
18 and see when we could get a vote on it. If not tonight, it could 
actually not occur until Tuesday morning. But we will discuss that and 
make an announcement later on today.
  Rollcall votes are possible throughout today's session. It is also 
possible that prior to completing our business this week, the Senate 
may be asked to consider the independent counsel resolution. The 
Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet today. Hopefully, they can 
take some action in this area, hopefully in a bipartisan way. That 
would be helpful.
  In addition, it is my hope we will be able to reach a time agreement 
for consideration of the nomination of Merrick Garland to be the U.S. 
circuit judge for the District Circuit. I am thinking about the 
probability of that occurring on Tuesday, maybe Tuesday morning, with a 
time agreement. We had been thinking perhaps 3 hours equally divided 
would be sufficient, but we will need to get a final arrangement on 
that. We do have some Senators who want to speak on this nomination.

  I think a lot of the concern on this one is not so much with the 
nominee as with the circuit. The D.C. circuit actually has one of the 
lowest caseloads in the country, and it is declining. It has declined 
pretty perceptively, even in the last year or so. There is a question 
about how much need there is for additional judges on that circuit. So 
there will be some discussion about that.
  Again, I hope that rollcall vote can occur on Tuesday morning. We 
maybe could have done it today or Friday, but because of the 
constitutional amendment and other issues pending, we felt Tuesday 
morning would give us time to work it out. I expect the Senate to 
convene on Monday, but this time I do not anticipate any rollcall votes 
during Monday's session. I would like to note that, again, for the 
Democratic leader, that while we may be in session, I don't foresee at 
this time the need to have a recorded vote during the day on Monday. I 
do know there are Senators who have commitments who necessarily have to 
be away from the city, but we will want to have votes as soon as we can 
on Tuesday.
  Mr. President, I have no further comments at this time. I will be 
glad to yield the floor to the Democratic leader.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Roberts). The Democratic leader is 
recognized.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me thank the distinguished majority 
leader for his announcements regarding the schedule. I agree completely 
with his assessment of the need to define a time agreement for Merrick 
Garland. I hope 3 hours can be sufficient. I can't imagine that we 
would need more than that amount of time. Obviously, there are issues 
unrelated to Mr. Garland that need to be addressed.
  I was interested in the Judicial Conference statement just this week, 
the 27-judge group, chaired by Chief Rehnquist, actually called upon 
Congress to create more judges. The group

[[Page S2222]]

agreed to seek the authorization for 12 new appellate judgeships, 26 
trial court judgeships, and 18 bankruptcy court judgeships, over and 
above the 93 vacancies that exist today. This is going to become an 
increasingly important matter for the Senate.
  I intend to work closely with the majority leader to see if we can't 
resolve the question of nominations and confirmations relating to 
judges. I appreciate very much his leadership and cooperation that he 
has demonstrated in working through the Cabinet-level appointments that 
we have been able to address so far this year.
  Mr. President, I will also say, in talking with a number of my 
colleagues who want the opportunity to express themselves on the 
constitutional amendment, I am not sure that our side will be prepared 
to agree to a time certain for a vote today, but I will certainly work 
with the distinguished majority leader to see if we can't find a 
mutually convenient time with which to begin bringing this debate to a 
close.
  Mr. LOTT. Will the distinguished Senator yield?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Yes, I will yield.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if we need additional time, we can have time 
tomorrow and could even have some time on Monday for debate. I am not 
trying to push it to an early conclusion. I just want to make sure 
Members are aware that when everybody feels like they have had their 
say, we will be prepared to set the vote, whether it is this afternoon 
or Tuesday.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, if I can regain the floor for a moment to 
say, given the accommodation of the majority leader, I think it is 
imperative that we use this time. I was pleased yesterday. I don't 
think there was a quorum call, and I think it was indicative of the 
kind of interest there is on the issue and the kind of debate that it 
generated. I hope we don't see quorum calls today. I hope we can 
maximize the use of the time. I think we all know the outcome of this 
debate, so it isn't necessarily the outcome that is driving the 
interest as much as just the philosophical approach we take to a very 
important issue.
  But, nonetheless, I appreciate very much the majority leader's 
interest in accommodating Senators to allow for the debate and we 
maximize the use of the time. I yield the floor.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, 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. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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