[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 62 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORDER OF BUSINESS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, we have been discussing with our colleagues 
the procedure for the remainder of the day.
  At this time, I am going to ask unanimous consent to go to the 
foreign ops appropriations bill. I understand there will be objection 
to that. If there is objection, then I would move to proceed to it. 
That, of course, would be debatable. I understand there is at least a 
couple of Senators who would want to be heard on this matter.
  While that is being debated, we will be working to see if we can get 
a time agreement and the ability to complete action on legislation by 
Senator Brownback, Senator Wellstone, and others dealing with sex 
trafficking. We also will be working to see what kind of agreement we 
might work out on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act while we 
are doing the sex trafficking bill, if we can get agreement on that.
  After this series of three different things are worked through, then 
we will see if there is a possibility under that arrangement or even a 
likelihood that we could have a vote later on this afternoon. At this 
time, I couldn't say what time, but I presume 5:30 or 6:00. At that 
point, we could announce what would occur next.
  With regard to next week, I might go ahead and say that we are still 
discussing the possibility of clearing some nominations and having some 
debate time on those on Monday, and going to Agriculture appropriations 
on Tuesday with an understanding that there is a need for the House to 
act on that before we complete it. The Senate doesn't want to give up 
any of its rights. It has emergency funds in it, in addition to the 
regular appropriations bill.
  If we don't get started on the Agriculture appropriations bill early 
in the week on Tuesday, it is going to be very hard to finish that bill 
next week. But it would be our intent to stay on it until we complete 
it. That could be Thursday night, it could be Friday, or it could be 
Saturday. But it is emergency Agriculture as well as regular 
Agriculture appropriations items.
  I think it is essential that we find a way to commit ourselves to get 
that legislation through before we leave.

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