[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 17, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S10787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, for the notice of Members, the Senate 
Judiciary Committee had originally been scheduled to meet tomorrow for 
a markup. We have about 14 or 15 nominations on the list, ranging from 
U.S. attorneys to Federal judges--actually more than that. I forget the 
exact number. The Dirksen Building in which we were scheduled to meet 
is going to be closed, as will the Russell and Hart Buildings.
  For those Senators who may have an interest, I am arranging for a 
meeting room off the Senate Chamber, probably in the President's room. 
We will start the meeting about halfway through the vote, whenever we 
have the vote, which I understand now is sometime between 12 and 12:30. 
I have talked to a number of Senators. This seems to be the most 
convenient way because we don't know where else we will get a meeting 
room.
  Senators on the Judiciary Committee should plan, if they possibly 
can, to vote here relatively early, when the rollcall starts. Come to 
the room. We will make sure somebody is here to tell them where it is 
going to be. Obviously, if somebody wants to debate something, they 
can. We will try to move those nominations out as quickly as possible.
  Having heard the travel plans of some Senators, we may try to get 
them moved out prior to or within the same amount of time as the 
rollcall vote. I urge Senators to get over there and make a quorum. As 
soon as we have a quorum, we will start moving.
  For several Senators who have inquired, mostly from the other side of 
the aisle, who have judges up for nomination hearings tomorrow--I know 
the Senators from Alabama and Oklahoma and others do--we are going 
forward with those hearings. Senator Schumer, the distinguished senior 
Senator from New York, will be chairing. Again, I think we may have 
arranged a room right back here.
  Mr. REID. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. LEAHY. Yes.
  Mr. REID. Even though all the office buildings where hearings are 
normally held will be closed tomorrow, the committee is going to go 
ahead and find someplace to hold the hearing anyway; is that what the 
Senator from Vermont is saying?
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am going to do that. I am trying to do it 
in a relatively compressed amount of time, while some Senators are 
still around. There are a lot of judges on that list. Two Senators from 
each State will want to introduce them, plus those that are on the 
agenda.
  The distinguished majority leader has helped us in finding space in 
the Capitol to do it. We are also going to try to finish the terrorism 
bill, if we can. We are trying to juggle all that. I ask Senators to 
please show up on time when we start because there is going to be only 
so much of a window. If people don't show up, if we can't get a quorum, 
we can't go forward. I picked this time when everybody has to show up 
for a vote anyway, the best time to get a quorum, and we will go on 
with the others so that my staff and I can get back to finishing up the 
work of the terrorism bill.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.

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