[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 154 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT--S. 625

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I believe we have a unanimous-consent 
agreement now. I will read it carefully, and if there are any 
questions, Senator Daschle may point them out. I believe it will be 
fair in the way it is going to be handled and will allow us to complete 
this important legislation hopefully by Tuesday or not later than 
Wednesday of next week. It will allow for, of course, relevant 
amendments and second-degree amendments if any will be in order to 
those, but it will limit the nonrelevant amendments to three on each 
side with an agreed-to time.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Will the majority leader yield on that point for a 
question?
  Mr. LOTT. I will be glad to.
  Mr. DASCHLE. As I understand this agreement--I went through it in 
detail--it will allow relevant second degrees to relevant amendments.
  Mr. LOTT. I ran into that hornet's nest yesterday. There are a couple 
relevant amendments that are certainly worthwhile and actively 
supported, but they also are very much opposed by others who want to 
second degree them. Clearly, that will be in order.
  I thank Senator Daschle for working with me on this, since the middle 
of October actually. I believe this bill can be considered and 
completed. Bankruptcy reform is something we certainly want to do. I 
know the minority leader has indicated his desire to have three 
nongermane amendments in order to the bill from Members of his side of 
the aisle. Those are relative to East Timor, agriculture, and minimum 
wage. I hope all Members would allow us to adopt this agreement in 
order for the Senate to consider and approve this very important 
bankruptcy reform bill.

  On our side, we will have three amendments, also, that relate to 
education, drugs, and business costs. I will specify that in a moment.
  So I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now turn to consideration 
of Calendar No. 109, S. 625, the bankruptcy bill, and following the 
reporting by the clerk, the committee amendments be immediately agreed 
to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc.
  I further ask consent that all first-degree amendments must be filed 
at the desk by 5 p.m. on the second day of the bill's consideration and 
that all first-degree amendments must be relevant to the issue of 
bankruptcy, and/or truth in lending/credit card agreements, with the 
exception of three amendments to be offered by the minority, or his 
designee, relative to agriculture, minimum wage/taxes, and East Timor, 
and three amendments to be offered by the majority leader, or his 
designee, regarding education, drugs, and business costs.
  I further ask consent that the 5 p.m. filing requirement apply to 
each of these nonrelevant amendments and there be a time limit of 2 
hours equally divided on each nonrelevant amendment, with the exception 
of the agriculture and drug amendments on which there will be 4 hours 
each for debate, with no second-degree amendments in order to these six 
issues and no motions to commit or recommit in order.
  I further ask consent that at 3 p.m. on Monday, November 8, the 
minority leader, or his designee, be recognized to offer the amendment 
relative to the issue of minimum wage, and following the debate the 
amendment be laid aside, and the majority leader, or his designee, be 
recognized to offer the amendment relative to business costs, and that 
the votes occur in relation to the amendments at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, 
November 9, with 1 hour equally divided prior to the vote for 
concluding debate. I further ask consent that the first vote occur in 
relation to the minority amendment, to be followed by a vote in 
relation to the majority amendment, with 4 minutes prior to each vote 
for explanation.
  I further ask consent that following the disposition of all of the 
above-described amendments, the bill be immediately advanced to third 
reading, that the Senate then proceed to the House companion bill, H.R. 
833, that all after the enacting clause be stricken, the text of the 
Senate bill as amended be inserted, the bill be advanced to third 
reading, and a vote occur on passage of the bill, without any 
intervening action, motion or debate.
  Further, I ask consent that the Senate insist on its amendment, 
request a conference with the House, and the Senate bill be placed back 
on the calendar.
  Finally, I ask consent that the exchange of the amendments by the two 
leaders on the two issues regarding minimum wage and business costs 
occur at noon on Friday. If by 3 p.m. either Member objects to the text 
of the amendments, this agreement be null and void and the bill be 
placed back on the calendar.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Reserving the right to object, and I shall not, Mr. 
President, for the information of our colleagues, we have exchanged 
some of the amendments that have been referred to in this unanimous-
consent request. There may be minor alterations in these two amendments 
that have been exchanged. We will not have any major changes in our 
amendments. And I assume that while there may be minor alterations, we 
do not anticipate any consequential alterations in the amendments to be 
offered by the Republicans.

  I ask the majority leader if that is his understanding relating to 
education and drugs.
  Mr. LOTT. First, let me clarify one error I made. Staff informs me I 
did say: ``If by 3 p.m. any Member objects.'' It should say: ``If by 3 
p.m. either leader objects to the text of the amendments, this 
agreement be null and void and the bill be placed back on the 
calendar.''
  Now, under the Senator's reservation, Mr. President, responding to 
his questions, obviously, on both sides--there may be minor changes 
that you would want to make on your agriculture amendment or East 
Timor, whatever; same thing on this side. I think we have to continue 
to work in good faith. If it goes to fundamental substance, and changes 
a major portion or the overall intent of the bill, I think that would 
be exceeding the bounds of reasonableness. But if it is some technical 
change or some minor change, we will have to continue to work with each 
other to get that done. I hope everybody will continue to be as 
flexible as they can be in that effort. But there is no intent to come 
back now and change the whole thrust of the bill. And that would not be 
fair.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I thank all of the Senators involved in 
this. We have consulted with virtually every Member. While no one is 
ever completely satisfied with a complex agreement such as this, I 
think it gives us the best opportunity to address an important issue, 
bankruptcy, and to address some other issues about which both caucuses 
care a good deal. So I think this is a good agreement. I appreciate the 
work of the majority leader to get us to this point.
  I have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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