[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 154 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13925-S13926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORDER OF BUSINESS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the Senate, then, has just passed the 
continuing resolution to the 10th of November. Progress is being made 
every hour on the appropriations process--some hours more than others. 
I hope Members will continue being patient while the final must-do 
legislation is completed.
  I want to say again that I think the last 2 days have been phenomenal 
when you stop and look at all the difficulty that was involved--the 
fact that we passed major trade legislation by a vote of 75 or 76 to 23 
last night, and today we passed the biggest reform of the banking and 
securities financial services industry in several decades with 90 
votes. It is incredible.
  We are going to continue to work to move vital legislation. We have 
other conferences that we hope to get agreed to. We need to get 
agreements. In fact, we must get an agreement on the FAA 
reauthorization bill. We are very close to getting an agreement on the 
satellite conference report. We are very close on the work incentives 
conference report.
  There are three or four major conferences that are very close to 
being completed. When they are completed, we will take them up as soon 
as possible.
  In addition, if agreements are reached on appropriations bills, of 
course, we would set everything aside for that. It seems to me that 
District of Columbia and perhaps the foreign relations conference 
reports could be ready as early as tomorrow. Certainly, if they are, we 
will vote on them.
  The Senate hopefully also will reach, in just a very few minutes, an 
agreement on how to proceed on the bankruptcy bill. Senator Daschle and 
I have been working on this for weeks actually. I think we are very 
close to having an agreement. We are exchanging amendments so each side 
will know what is in our amendments both tonight and again tomorrow by 
noon. I hope Members who have relevant amendments on the underlying 
bankruptcy bill will come to the floor and offer them yet today.
  We are in what I hope are the final days of the session. Members must 
be willing to work into the night in order to complete this 
legislation. I know there are some relevant amendments that are 
controversial and they will have second-degree amendments. Members 
should come to the floor and offer them.
  Members could also expect votes during tomorrow's session. One could 
come with regard to appropriations. We could have votes on amendments 
with regard to the bankruptcy bill.
  Members should expect that on Monday there will be recorded votes 
beginning at 5:30.
  Also, votes will be ordered on the bankruptcy consent, calling for 
two votes with respect to minimum wage and business cost issues at 
10:30 on Tuesday morning.
  I am announcing that we may have to have votes tomorrow. We will have 
votes at 5:30 Monday. We will have votes at 10:30 on Tuesday.
  We hope within the next few minutes to be able to enter the agreement 
on the bankruptcy bill.
  I yield the floor.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Will the majority leader yield?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I defer.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, does the majority leader have any 
information regarding the Interior appropriations bill? That is one of 
the bills that is continuing to be negotiated.
  Maybe I should wait to get his attention.
  Will the majority leader yield for a moment?
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I could respond to the Senator from 
Louisiana, I apologize for not directing my attention to her question. 
I was visiting with the Senator from Maryland with respect to possible 
votes tomorrow.
  The Interior appropriations conference report is being worked on 
while negotiations have been going forward on the foreign operations 
appropriations conference report. I have information that real progress 
has been made today on the foreign operations appropriations report, 
but they will not get to the point of wrapping up Interior until the 
foreign operations bill is done.

  I know the Senator from Louisiana has a real interest in that 
Interior bill, particularly provisions that could affect coastal areas 
such as hers and mine. Oil and gas revenues have been going in the Land 
and Water Conservation Fund for years and to lands out west, which is 
well and good. However, we take the risks in our area and we have not 
been getting any money. I don't think that is fair. We have beach 
erosion problems; we have estuary replenishment with which we need to 
deal. I am very sympathetic to the concerns of the Senator from 
Louisiana.
  No final agreement has been reached on Interior. The Senator still 
has time to weigh in mightily with the Senators involved, and the 
administration, and needs to talk to them. I know the Senator has 
Senator Daschle working feverishly in her behalf.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. If I could respond, both have been very helpful and 
supportive as we worked toward a bipartisan compromise on some of these 
issues.
  I particularly thank the majority leader for his efforts as a 
cosponsor of one particular piece of legislation, but there have been 
different versions filed. However, there is a tremendous amount of 
interest.
  Perhaps I should ask Senator Gorton--I said I will say this 
publicly--if tomorrow at his convenience, maybe through the majority 
leader or directly, he can give Members some idea of some of the things 
that perhaps are being discussed in terms of riders that were very 
controversial when this bill passed, as well as some of the specific 
ways we may be funding some of these projects.
  We want to work out a bipartisan solution that is reflective of what 
many Members have worked on now for over 2 years. Maybe there could be 
an appropriate time tomorrow for discussion. Senator Daschle may have 
something to add.
  I certainly want to be supportive of progress we are making on 
bankruptcy, but I think there are some other important issues, too, 
that should be dealt with in the next few days.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I couldn't agree more with the 
distinguished Senator from Louisiana. This is an important issue. While 
we need to stay focused on the appropriations bill

[[Page S13926]]

and on bankruptcy, she has been working on this matter for a long, long 
time and has made great progress.
  I share the view expressed by the majority leader that this is an 
issue that has great impact not only in her region of the country but 
in regions throughout the country. I hope we can resolve this 
satisfactorily and she can be satisfied with the final product. I will 
do all I can to work with the majority leader to see that happens in 
the remaining days of this session.
  I commend the majority leader for getting the Senate to this point. I 
think we are very close to reaching an agreement. As I understand, we 
have not yet had the opportunity to exchange amendments, but we will be 
doing that shortly. He and I have both worked with our colleagues to 
ensure we can work through this agreement. I think this is a win-win. I 
think it is an opportunity to finish an important piece of legislation, 
an opportunity to deal with some issues that both sides think are 
important. I think it is a very appropriate vehicle with which to get 
our work done. I am hopeful we will get total cooperation procedurally 
to allow the Senate the opportunity to finish this work.
  I am fully expecting before the end of the day we will have an 
agreement that will allow the Senate to go through the next couple of 
days in expectation of finishing this legislation.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LOTT. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative assistant proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 15 minutes 
to speak in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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