[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12513-S12514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, today, the Senate will be in a period of 
morning business until 11 a.m. It is hoped that during today's session 
the Senate will be able to complete its business for the 1st session of 
the 105th Congress. I just talked to the Democratic leader and we 
agreed to push to accomplish that today. In fact, I read over the 
weekend a quote from General Eisenhower. When he was President he said, 
``There are many problems in Washington, but one of the main reasons is 
we have too long been away from home.'' So I'm hoping that we will 
honor his admonition and go home at the close of business today for the 
balance of the year to be with our constituents.

                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                
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[[Page S12514]]

  As Members are aware, the House passed both the District of Columbia 
appropriations bill and the foreign operations conference reports last 
night. It is hoped that the Senate can voice vote those bills during 
today's session as we await House action on the Commerce, State, 
Justice appropriations conference report, and I expect them to 
accomplish that before late in the afternoon. In fact, I expect it to 
be in the early afternoon.
  If a voice vote is not possible, then Members will be notified as to 
when we might have a rollcall vote or votes. Again, I think it would be 
in the best interests of the Senate at this time if we could do this 
with a voice vote. The so-called controversial positions in the 
District of Columbia bill and the foreign operations conference reports 
have been removed, and I believe an agreement has been reached with the 
administration on Commerce, State, and Justice with regard to items in 
that bill, as well as the provisions with regard to census.
  If there are rollcall votes, I emphasize we will try to notify 
Members with at least a 4-hour advance notice and the time span that 
that vote might occur in. If we can't complete today with just voice 
votes then there is a possibility that we would have to go over until 
tomorrow if there is going to be a rollcall vote because I do think 
Members are entitled to significant advance notice so they can be sure 
to be here. Or, if we can't get it done in a reasonable way today or 
tomorrow, there is always next week, which would really begin to 
stretch what President Eisenhower had warned us against. In order to 
avoid that, we are going to need a very good attitude and a lot of 
cooperation. I think that is possible.
  We are still working on the few remaining Executive Calendar items. 
There are only 15 or so nominations left on the calendar. We are hoping 
to clear some of those today, and then those that would require some 
debate or recorded votes would be scheduled early in the session when 
we come back next year.
  Again, we need cooperation of the Senators that are here today, and 
between the leadership on both sides of the aisle so we can complete 
action. We accomplished a great deal over the weekend by voice vote and 
in our wrap-up. We passed a lot of really good bills. We still have a 
chance to get a conference report from the House on Amtrak, with only 
one major change, as I understand it--one I think the Senate could live 
with. That is the makeup of the board of Amtrak.
  I remind our colleagues that we did pass and send to the President a 
fix with regard to the ISTEA transportation bill, that we did pass and 
send to the President the FDA reform package, as well as the foster 
care and adoption bill, and earlier had sent the Labor-HHS and 
education appropriations bill. So we are down, really, to these three 
final bills. There could be a fourth bill sent separately that would 
include the State Department reorganization, U.N. arrearage, IMF funds, 
as well as some language with regard to the Mexico City population 
control issue. If that bill could not be brought up or was objected to 
or filibustered, of course, we would not be able to get to a final vote 
on that. But the three key bills we need to bring up today are the 
three appropriations conference reports and we will notify Members when 
we will act on those and if any recorded votes are necessary.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Gorton). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. 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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