[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 130 (Thursday, September 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9956-S9957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SENATE SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. I apologize for the delay in starting the votes that we 
have scheduled, but we were having some very important discussions that 
will affect the schedule for the next several days that I wanted to 
discuss with the minority leader and with the interested Senators.
  For the information of all Senators, these next two votes will be the 
last votes for the week. The next vote will occur at 11 a.m. on 
Tuesday, September 30, on a motion to invoke cloture on the Coats 
amendment to the D.C. appropriations bill regarding scholarships.
  Following these votes, I encourage the managers to remain on the 
floor for any additional amendments Members may want to offer to the 
pending D.C. appropriations bill. I believe perhaps there is a Senator 
that is waiting that will have an amendment that he could offer 
tonight, and have debated, if it is not worked out in the interim.
  On Friday, tomorrow, beginning at 10 o'clock a.m., the Senate will 
begin consideration of the campaign finance reform legislation. I 
expect a full day of debate on that issue. However, no votes will occur 
during Friday's session of the Senate.
  On Monday, the Senate will resume consideration of the campaign 
finance reform bill. Again, however, no votes will occur at that time.
  On Tuesday, September 30, I expect that following the 11 a.m. cloture 
vote the Senate might be in a position to complete action on the last 
remaining appropriation bill, the D.C. appropriations bill. It will 
depend on what happens, of course, with the vote on the Coats 
amendment, and there are a couple of other key amendments that are 
still pending. Also, since Tuesday is the end of fiscal year, the 
Senate will consider the continuing resolution. We believe we have a 
continuing resolution agreed to that will be clean, and with a date 
that I discussed with the Democratic leader and with our leadership on 
the other side of the Capitol. Therefore, votes will occur throughout 
the day on Tuesday, and of course the pending business at that time 
will still be campaign finance reform.
  Wednesday, October 1, is the start of the Jewish holiday. Therefore, 
votes will not occur past 1 p.m. However, the Senate will be 
considering the campaign finance reform bill for debate as long as 
Members want to remain into the evening. On Thursday, October 2, there 
will be no rollcall votes in observance of the Jewish holiday.
  I expect the Senate to resume consideration of the campaign finance 
reform bill on Friday, October 3. However, no votes will occur. Again, 
with regard to the 3d, we want to talk with all the interested Senators 
to see whether we want to have debate or not. Then we will continue on 
campaign finance reform the next week but we would like to reserve 
further commitments on time or identification of when votes might occur 
until we have had time to get started with the debate and see how 
things go.

  I thank my colleagues for their cooperation and remind Senators 
following these two back-to-back votes there will be no further votes 
today, and the next vote will occur 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to have some 
discussion with the majority leader about this schedule. I have not had 
the opportunity to discuss this matter at any great length with our 
colleagues, but I want to thank the majority leader. I think this is a 
schedule that affords a good opportunity to debate campaign finance 
reform. It takes into account the Jewish holiday and the need for our 
Jewish colleagues to be away. It does afford the opportunity, as well, 
to take up other issues later on in October. I think it is a very good 
schedule and I look forward to getting into the debate tomorrow and 
working with the majority leader to schedule the other matters as they 
come available to us.
  I hope our colleagues would avail themselves of the opportunity to 
begin the debate tomorrow. I know I will be on the floor, and I am sure 
many of my colleagues will, and we will have a good debate. I am sure 
we will have a number of opportunities to debate amendments and have 
votes over the course of that time.
  Mr. LOTT. I might say, Mr. President, continuing with my leader time, 
I met with the committee leaders and discussed legislation on both 
sides of the aisle--for instance, the ISTEA, or the highway 
infrastructure bill--as to when they would be ready with that 
legislation to go to the floor and how much time that might take. We 
also have been looking at fast-track trade legislation, when that might 
be available.
  It was obvious to me that we had a window here in the next few days 
that we could take up the debate on campaign finance reform, but as we 
got on into October we would need to have time for the highway bill and 
the fast-track legislation.
  I do think it is important that we continue our effort to get a 6-
year transportation bill that is within the budget. I have been 
discussing this with the chairman of the committee and the ranking 
member. They agree. So we intend to go forward somewhere around the 7th 
or 8th on the highway infrastructure bill.
  I just wanted to give that explanation as to why this decision was 
made.
  Mr. DASCHLE. If I could ask the majority leader a question, I made an 
assumption about the schedule. It just occurred to me that I had not 
clarified this, but I assume that the majority leader would anticipate 
votes on campaign finance reform on Tuesday the 30th and Wednesday the 
1st of October; is that correct?
  Mr. LOTT. I had not anticipated votes at that time. I assume those 
days, most of the votes will be on the appropriation conference reports 
and the continuing resolution.
  I had thought we would need more time for debate before we started 
voting on that. I didn't specify it, but I assumed the votes would not 
come until the 6th or 7th of October.
  Mr. McCAIN. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor.
  Mr. McCAIN. First of all, I thank the majority leader. It is an 
affirmation of the word he gave last week which all of us here in this 
body knew was going to happen, and did not need a letter from

[[Page S9957]]

the President of the United States. I do thank the majority leader for 
the timely consideration of this issue.
  Let me also just point out I understand that there has to be vigorous 
debate on this issue. There also has to be votes. It is our intention 
to have votes on various amendments throughout this debate, and we need 
to have everyone on record on this issue. Also, I know I can count on 
the majority leader and the distinguished Democratic leader in trying 
to bring closure to this debate, to this issue, after reasonable 
debate, in one fashion or another.
  Again, I want to thank the majority leader. It shows again the 
majority leader of this Senate, as was the case when the other side was 
the majority, when the leader gives his word, when the majority leader 
gives his word, it is good. And if it were otherwise, this body does 
not function.
  I thank the majority leader and I thank the Democratic leader for all 
of his cooperation.
  Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. LOTT. I am happy to yield to the Senator.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I note that there is an understanding 
between us that conference reports coming out of the Appropriations 
Committee will receive prompt attention, but I wanted to make sure 
everyone understands that means putting aside anything that is here, to 
try and get these bills to the President before the end of the fiscal 
year.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, they are privileged, and would be brought up 
as soon as they are available. That is our highest priority as we reach 
the end of the fiscal year, and we want to move to immediate 
consideration of a continuing resolution also when it is available, if 
it is necessary, which I presume it will be.

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the pending unanimous-consent agreement 
would provide 8 hours on that. I hope that, too, would be subject to 
taking up the conference reports as they become available.
  Mr. LOTT. It would be. I hope we would not take 8 hours on the CR. I 
hope we have an understanding what is in it. It would be clean, I 
believe. There are only two amendments in order, one on each side. I 
hope maybe that would not be necessary and we would have short debate 
and go straight to vote.
  Mr. STEVENS. I am sure Senator Byrd and I appreciate that very much.
  Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor.

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