[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 89 (Monday, June 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      BALANCED BUDGET ACT OF 1997

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Madam President, parliamentary inquiry: How much time 
has been used by each side?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico has 7 hours and 19 
minutes left on his side, and the Senator from New Jersey has 9 hours 
and 14 minutes remaining.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask that it be 
charged equally to both sides.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, do I understand that under the procedure 
now in effect we can lay down amendments this afternoon? Is that the 
case?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is a pending amendment that would have 
to be laid aside.
  Mr. HARKIN. And that would have to be done by unanimous consent, 
right?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I have an amendment. I know the Senator 
from Arkansas wants to speak, and I will be as brief as I can.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. HARKIN. I would like to speak very briefly and lay down the 
amendment.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Will the Senator yield for just a moment?
  Mr. HARKIN. Yes.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. In this case I think there is a question about 
whether the Senator from Arkansas had a commitment to speak at this 
time.
  I would ask the Senator from Arkansas how much time he needed.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. I intend to speak about 15 minutes.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. About 15 minutes. Apparently the Senator from Iowa 
would be all right if the Senator from Arkansas--it had been apparently 
agreed to before he came.
  Mr. HARKIN. I didn't know such an agreement was in effect. That would 
be fine.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. I apologize to the Senator from Arkansas for messing 
things up.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, since I still have the floor, if I might, 
this Senator was unaware that a previous agreement had been made by the 
Senator from Arkansas for this time slot. What I would ask is that when 
the Senator from Arkansas finishes, then I would be recognized to make 
my statement.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Allard). Without objection, it is so 
ordered. The Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I understand that the time is going to 
be yielded by that side of the aisle and should be appropriately 
recorded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey is correct.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Arkansas.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I express my gratitude to the Senator 
from Iowa for being so understanding, allowing me to proceed. I would 
like for it to be clear that my 15 minutes would come from the 
majority's time.

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