[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 134 (Tuesday, October 24, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S10899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          CLOSING THE SESSION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, both the Senator from Wyoming and I are 
gratified that the Senator from Oklahoma is presiding today. We 
certainly look forward to closing this session.
  From the minority's perspective, we are ready to vote as soon as 
possible. We know how Senator Stevens has worked very hard to wrap up 
these final three appropriations bills. We hope it can be done 
expeditiously.
  In recognition of the fact that once we agree on what the final plan 
is going to be, it usually takes a day or so to understand, that people 
need that time to read the bill and to make sure that final legislation 
is what we want, I hope tomorrow can be a full, complete day. We look 
forward to moving on a day-by-day basis with 24-hour continuing 
resolutions. The only way we are going to get out of here is to 
continue working. I hope if we don't make the Friday deadline, as the 
Senator from Wyoming indicated, which I hope we can do, that we will 
continue working through the weekend until we finish with the election 
on the national level and the State level only 2 weeks from now.
  What we are doing here doesn't seem to be getting a lot of attention 
anyway, with all the problems around the world, the Presidential 
election, Middle East problems. It seems to me it would be to 
everyone's benefit to try to resolve some of the outstanding issues 
which are important at this stage only to Members who serve in 
Congress. I hope that is wrong, but it appears that is the case.
  I repeat, for the third time today, the minority is willing and able 
to do whatever is possible to move these bills along to finality.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming is recognized.

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