[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12096-S12097]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

  Mr. LOTT. I believe we already had an agreement by unanimous consent 
we would go back to Senator Kerrey, followed by Senator Roth. Others 
may want to comment, but I would like to ask now there be a period of 
morning business until the hour of 4 o'clock and Senators be limited to 
speak for 10 minutes each.
  Mr. DORGAN. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, let me 
again inquire as to when the majority leader expects we might be able 
to entertain some amendments that we might have finally considered. I 
know that I was able to offer an amendment. I also know that Senator 
Inhofe offered an amendment to the fast track bill. He may have other 
amendments; I do not know. I know I have amendments and Senator 
Hollings and some others have amendments they want to have considered. 
I have not objected to moving other business that is important to the 
Senate. I think it is important to get this business done. I have not 
objected to that. But to put us into morning business is simply a 
suggestion that we don't want to go to regular order, and the regular 
order is fast track. We have amendments, one pending, others wanting to 
be offered.

  So the majority leader, I assume, brought fast track to the floor of 
the Senate because he wanted us to move and proceed to consider it. 
When he did that, I had hoped we would be able to offer amendments. If 
we keep allowing the majority leader simply to put us into morning 
business with intervals of other business he decides he wants to 
pursue, we will never get to dispose of amendments on fast track. I 
don't think that is an appropriate way to deal with fast track.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could respond to the Senator, I would 
like him to allow us to get this time now and give us an opportunity to 
talk with him and others. I should note that when we go back, of 
course, to this issue, I believe the pending amendment is the Inhofe 
amendment. I presume there would be other amendments in relation to 
that issue, maybe a second-degree amendment. I think maybe the Senator 
would want to talk to his leadership and give me a chance to talk to 
Senator Inhofe as to how we would proceed on that, and we could use 
this next 50 minutes to do that.
  Mr. DORGAN. Well, I would say the regular order would be my 
amendment, and I won't object to this request, but I will at some point 
in the future if the Senator wants to continue to do this, because what 
this will mean is the majority leader will bring in the body of work he 
wants to have done here.

[[Page S12097]]

  Mr. LOTT. Is that the commission amendment?
  Mr. DORGAN. Yes.
  Mr. LOTT. I believe the Senator is right, that is the pending 
business, and perhaps we could do that.
  Mr. DORGAN. Perhaps the majority leader would accept that. I don't 
expect that will be very controversial. At least we could accept one 
amendment and then proceed to have another amendment laid down. I will 
not object at this moment, but I say that, if we continue to do this, 
the next time we want to go to morning business I am suggesting there 
be an objection and we go to regular order and deal with the fast-track 
bill.
  Mr. LOTT. Maybe we can have morning business until we do it all in 
one final voice vote, everything left.
  No, Mr. President, if the Senator would not object at this point, we 
could have the pending debate, and we will talk with the Senator during 
the interim.
  Mr. DORGAN. I will not object, and to the extent that all of the 
things I mentioned are involved in the voice vote the Senator will 
propound later, I would be happy to accommodate that.
  Mr. FORD. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, what is the 
unanimous-consent request before the Chair?
  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, could we have order?
  Mr. LOTT. I don't know if I have the floor, but I yield the floor, 
Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The order of business is that the Senator from 
Nebraska be recognized, followed by the Senator from Delaware. Then we 
move to a period of morning business until 4 o'clock.
  Mr. FORD. I have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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