[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                PROGRAM

  Mr. LOTT. So then tomorrow the Senate will be in the morning business 
period from 9:30 until 11:30. Under the previous consent, then at 11:30 
we will go back to the NATO expansion treaty. All Senators with 
amendments to the treaty are encouraged to contact the managers of the 
treaty with their amendments in hopes of making considerable progress 
on the treaty during Thursday's session. I want to emphasize the bulk 
of the day tomorrow, from 11:30 until 5:15, that entire time, will be 
devoted to discussion or debate on the NATO enlargement issue. We hope 
that amendments can be offered. We want to give the Senate ample time 
to think about this issue and debate it, have amendments and to have 
votes.
  We are double-tracking it now, while we await the cloture votes on 
the education bill, but that is quite often done. It is in no way 
intended to diminish the importance of NATO enlargement. It is, in 
fact, intended to begin the process for Senators and the American 
people in every way possible to think about this issue, make sure we 
are doing the right thing. And I think it is the right thing to have 
the NATO enlargement.
  Then, when we complete the education bill, whenever that comes, we 
will meet with interested and involved Senators on both sides, see how 
much more time is needed, what other amendments are pending, and then 
we would stay on it until it is completed. I hope we could get that 
done by a reasonable time next week, hopefully Wednesday or Thursday. 
But it is a very important issue and we will continue working on it 
until we are convinced that Senators are satisfied they have had their 
say. Then we would go to the recorded vote.
  Also, under the previous consent, then, at 5:15 the Senate would 
debate H.R. 2646, the Coverdell education bill, for 30 minutes prior to 
the previously scheduled 5:45 cloture vote on the bill.
  We may actually move that time a little bit so that we can have an 
earlier vote. As a matter of fact, Madam President, I will change my 
earlier unanimous consent request and ask consent that the cloture 
votes previously ordered on H.R. 2646 now occur at 5:15 p.m. and the 
debate time earlier agreed to actually occur now at 4:45.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I want to remind all Members that first-degree amendments 
to H.R. 2646 must be filed by 1 p.m. on Thursday, and second-degree 
amendments must be filed by 4:45 tomorrow--it's now 4:15--under the 
most recent agreement. Second-degree amendments must be filed by 4:15.
  In addition, the Senate may consider other legislative or Executive 
Calendar business cleared for Senate action. We do have some Executive 
Calendar items I hope we can take up before the end of the week.
  So Members can anticipate rollcall votes throughout Thursday's 
session with the ones that I have already mentioned scheduled for sure 
to occur at, I believe, 5:15 now.

                          ____________________