[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6056-S6057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 2340

  Mr. LOTT. I have a unanimous consent request I would like to propound 
now. I believe the Senators involved in this are on the floor. I ask 
unanimous consent that the Senate turn to the consideration of the NCAA 
gambling bill, S. 2340, and following the reporting of the bill by the 
clerk, the committee amendments be immediately agreed to.
  I further ask consent that there be 4 hours of debate on the bill, to 
be equally divided in the usual form, and only relevant amendments be 
in order during the pendency of the bill.
  Finally, I ask consent that following the conclusion of the time and 
the disposition of any amendments, the bill be advanced to third 
reading and passage occur, all without any intervening action or 
debate.
  I know Senator Reid will want to make some comments. This is an issue 
that has been pending for some time. We have tried to find a way to 
have it as an amendment on other bills. I know Senator Brownback has 
been diligent and also very much interested in this matter, as are 
other Senators, including Senator McCain.
  Senator Reid has indicated he would like to work with us on it. But I 
will let him speak for himself.
  Part of what I am doing here is this: I made a commitment to the 
sponsors to try to find a way to consider this on some bill, or 
freestanding at some

[[Page S6057]]

point. In order to complete work on the Department of Defense 
authorization bill, now that we have worked through the disclosure 
issue, this issue is one we also need to find a way to address. That is 
why I am asking for this consent.
  Mr. President, I submit that unanimous consent request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I know the 
deepness of feeling of the Senator from Kansas, Mr. Brownback. I have 
spoken to him personally. I understand how he feels about this issue. I 
also feel very strongly about this issue.
  I am willing to work with the Republican leadership and my leader to 
try to work out some kind of freestanding bill so this matter can be 
fully debated. This is not an appropriate time to do it. I say 
respectfully to the Senator from Kansas and the majority leader that we 
simply can't do this now.
  I have been here since Thursday on the Labor-HHS bill that is before 
us. I arrived home late last night, as everyone else did. We are trying 
to carve out amendments. This is just not an appropriate time to do it.
  I say to my friend from Kansas that I respect how he feels about 
this. There are strong feelings on this issue. This is an issue which 
should be debated. At an appropriate time, we will do that. Therefore, 
I object.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, will the Senator from Nevada yield?
  Mr. REID. I would be happy to yield.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The majority leader has the floor.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, will the Senator withhold his objection?
  Mr. REID. I would be happy to withhold. I withdraw my objection.
  I also say this: Seeing the Senator from Massachusetts here floods my 
mind with the work that needs to be done in this Chamber. We need to 
introduce the minimum wage bill. We have the Patients' Bill of Rights 
and prescription drugs. We have things to do on education. In addition 
to my personal situation, I know the Senator from Massachusetts is 
concerned about those bills.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield for just a 
brief observation, as I understand the request of the majority leader, 
this does not include any request to bring back the reauthorization of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Did the Senator from Nevada 
hear that clearly? I did not hear that clearly.
  Mr. REID. That is true.
  Mr. KENNEDY. That is not to be included.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I did not include that. But I would be happy 
to work up an agreement where we could bring that back and have germane 
amendments on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, have an 
agreed-to list of amendments that are germane, so we can deal with that 
important issue. I will be glad to work with Senator Kennedy or anybody 
else to try to get that agreement.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, if the majority leader will be willing 
to yield for a moment, I appreciate his offering this unanimous consent 
request. I note that we have considered a number of items on various 
bills--whether it has been items on prescription drugs or different 
items that have come forward.
  This is one that has cleared through the committee by a strong vote 
of 13-2 with wide bipartisan support. The bill itself has broad 
bipartisan support across the country. It is an important issue. We are 
having a lot of difficulty with regard to our student athletes being 
involved in gambling themselves and referees in sporting events being 
involved in gambling. The NCAA and many of the sporting groups are 
saying this is a problem.
  Bigger than all of that, the lead gateway for college students 
getting into addictive gambling is through sports wagering. What we are 
trying to deal with is the one place in the country where this remains 
a problem and where it remains legal.
  I think we need to have a bill up and a vote.
  I ask my colleague from Nevada--he has been so persistent on a number 
of different issues to bring up to the floor--when can we get this one 
up so we can have a set timeframe for debate? If the Senator from 
Nevada would like to have a long period of time, that is fine. I am 
willing to go as short as an hour equally divided. But can we get some 
idea of when we could do this?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, under the reservation, I will not reply to 
the substance of the statement made by my friend from Kansas, but there 
are merits on both sides of this legislation. I would be happy to work 
with leadership to find a time to bring this bill to the floor.
  In the meantime, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Pennsylvania.

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