[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 96 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8471-S8472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1482, S. 1619, S. 442
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the majority
leader, after consultation with the Democratic leader, proceed to the
consideration of Calendar No. 436, S. 1482, and it be considered under
the following limitations: 1 hour of debate equally divided on the
bill; one amendment offered by Senator Durbin, regarding reviews of
criminal records, 30 minutes of debate equally divided; one amendment
offered by Senator Moseley-Braun and Senator Durbin relating to
Internet predators, 30 minutes of debates equally divided; one
amendment offered by Senator Dodd regarding blocking software, 30
minutes of debate equally divided. No other amendments will be in order
to the bill.
I further ask consent that following the expiration or yielding back
of debate time, and the disposition of the above-listed amendments, the
bill will be read for a third time and the Senate will proceed to a
vote on passage of the bill, with no intervening action or debate.
I further ask consent that the majority leader, after consultation
with the Democratic leader, proceed to the consideration of Calendar
No. 437, S. 1619, and it be considered under the following limitations:
1 hour of debate equally divided on the bill, 30 minutes for Senator
Murray; one Dodd amendment regarding America Online, 30 minutes equally
divided; one Feingold amendment, text of S. 900, 30 minutes equally
divided; and one relevant amendment offered by Senator Burns, 2 hours
equally divided.
I further ask unanimous consent that following the expiration or
yielding back of the debate time and the disposition of the above
amendments, the bill be read the third time and the Senate proceed to a
vote on passage of the bill, with no intervening action or debate.
I finally ask consent that S. 442, the Internet tax bill, be referred
to the Committee on Finance, and, further, that if the bill has not
been reported by July 30, it be automatically discharged from the
Finance Committee and placed on the calendar.
Now, I might just say before the Chair puts the question on this
agreement, this would be the process whereby we bring to the floor the
Internet filtering bill, the Internet pornography bill, and the
Internet tax bill.
So I did ask consent that it incorporate a process to bring all three
of these very important matters to the floor of the Senate.
Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to object, I just state for the Record
with regard to the proposal just offered, there have been ongoing
efforts to clear a unanimous consent agreement on each of the items
just mentioned. From the Democratic side, we can enter a unanimous
consent agreement with regard to S. 442 and S. 1619.
However, at this time, we are still attempting to get clearance on a
unanimous consent agreement on S. 1482, but are not in a position,
today, to enter into such an agreement. If the majority leader wants to
call the bill up with no agreement, then, perhaps, we can do that, but
for the Record, Mr. President, the Democratic side can now enter an
agreement on S. 442 and on S. 1619. If the other side is ready to do
that, we can go forth.
Otherwise, I have to object to the consent request just propounded.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, did the Senator object, then?
Mr. LEVIN. Yes.
Mr. LOTT. I would like to say we have worked on it and I think we
have made some progress. These are all interrelated or connected,
because it does involve the Internet with regard to filtering, to keep
out certain programs in our schools; and of course the tax question.
There has been a lot of work that has gone on in that area, working not
only with the companies that would be affected, then, the Internet
companies, but working with Governors and mayors, making sure that all
points of view are involved. But the pornography question is a very,
very important part of it all and it does relate to the Internet. In
fact, there have been indications just recently that even more
pornography than what is already there is planned for the future, free
and accessible to everybody.
So, for now, I think we should keep the three together, but we will
continue to work with the minority and see if we can get an agreement
to clear all three of them or consider just doing two of them if all
else fails. I think we should not neglect any of these.
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