[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 23, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10789-S10790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 442

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, on behalf of the leader, I ask unanimous 
consent that it be in order for the majority leader, after consultation 
with the Democratic leader, to proceed to the consideration of Calendar 
No. 509, S. 442, and it be considered under the following limitations:
  The Commerce Committee amendment be agreed to, and the Finance 
substitute then be agreed to, and the substitute then be considered as 
original text for the purpose of further amendment. I further ask 
unanimous consent that the only other amendments in order to the bill 
be the following:
  A managers' amendment; McCain-Wyden amendment extending length of 
moratorium; Coats, Internet porn, 1 hour equally divided; Bennett 
amendment, relevant; Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison amendment, relevant; 
Bond amendment, relevant; Bumpers amendment, mail order; three Enzi 
relevant amendments; Domenici, an amendment on interest rates; Graham, 
relevant; Abraham, Government paperwork; and Bumpers, a commission 
amendment.
  I further ask unanimous consent that relevant second-degree 
amendments be in order to all amendments other than the Coats 
amendment.
  I further ask unanimous consent that there be 2 hours of general 
debate equally divided on the bill. I finally ask that following the 
disposition of the above-listed amendments and the expiration of time, 
the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to a vote on 
passage of the bill with no other intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. DASCHLE. I object on behalf of a number of colleagues.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me just explain.
  I support this legislation, and I hope we can come to some resolution 
here. Obviously, this is an important bill that ought to be passed. The 
problem is that, once again, we are presented with an untenable 
circumstance. Colleagues on this side of the aisle, certainly through 
no fault of the distinguished Senator from Arizona, have been 
precluded, to date, from offering our Patients' Bill of Rights. We are 
running out of time. We are running out of vehicles. We are running out 
of opportunities for us to have the kind of debate that we all have 
asked for and expected to have by this day.
  Because we are again put into a difficult position of not knowing how 
we are going to resolve that outstanding question, recognizing that it 
is at least as important as this issue, in spite of the fact that I do 
support S. 442, we are compelled to object today.
  My hope is that at some point in the not-too-distant future we can 
resolve the issue of how we will debate the Patients' Bill of Rights, 
and we will then resolve our ability to bring up the request made by 
the Senator from Arizona. So I object at this time with the hope that 
we can find some resolution at some point soon.
  Mr. McCAIN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona has the floor.
  Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate turn to the 
immediate consideration of S. 442 and that only amendments in order to 
the bill be relevant amendments.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

[[Page S10790]]

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, let me just point out that I think the 
Democratic leader makes a very legitimate point. Obviously, he believes 
there are very important issues that need to be addressed. The 
Patients' Bill of Rights is a very important issue. But let me also 
point out, Mr. President, that we have been working on this legislation 
for 2 years. All of Silicon Valley, especially the State of 
Massachusetts as well as other places where high tech is a very 
important part of the economy of the various States and the Nation, 
want this bill done.
  Senator Wyden, who is the originator of this bill, and I, along with 
many others, have worked very hard for a long period of time. We have 
made concession after concession; we have made compromise after 
compromise on this bill, including having the Finance Committee play a 
major role in it. All I hope is that on the Democrat side we can get 
some agreement to address the Patients' Bill of Rights, and I also ask 
that we make every effort to get this bill up and passed. We have 
approximately 11, 12 remaining legislative days, as I understand it.
  I respect and understand the objection of the Democratic leader. I 
hope we can get this issue resolved, up and passed so that we can 
ensure the future of perhaps one of the most important and vital parts 
of America's economy.

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